TOTEM Lamp by Bernard Rooke, England circa 1970

A mid-20th century ceramic totem lamp by Bernard Rooke, England. An early piece, hand-built, in neutral brown tones of terracotta and stone, and areas of applied grey/brown glaze. ...

Bernard Rooke totem floor lamp terracotta made in England around 1960 Signed on the base Deep-stamped Rooke. Height to lamp base 104, diameter ove...

A monumental ceramic TOTEM floor lamp by Bernard Rooke, England, featuring two blue glass roundels. A beautiful sculptural piece, made up of ceramic elements in natural tones of te...

Brutalist pottery lamp by Bernard Rooke. Stamped. Rewired.

"Wheel" table lamp by Bernard Rooke in heavy ceramic in the brutalist style. The lamp is wired for the US, comes with no shade (one can be provided on request) size is of base only.

A heavy ceramic TOTEM lamp by Bernard Rooke, England. Mid-20th century, England. The totem is a sculptural statement piece - floor or table size - made up of ceramic elements in nat...

Dramatic Brute ceramic floor lamp from the Studio of Bernard Rooke. One of England's Mid-Century master ceramicists. Interesting use of cast forms and a variety of glazes. A ...

An organic and Brutalist style Floor Lamp with Dragon Fly and Leaf design. No chips or cracks. Easily rewired for all regions. Bernard Rooke (born 1938) is a British artist and studio potter. Rooke has exhibited his "Brutalist" ceramics and painting both in the UK and abroad with work in many collections both public and private including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Nuffield Foundation, Röhsska Museum in Sweden and the Trondheim Kunstmuseum in Norway. Bernard Rooke attended Ipswich School of Art studying painting and lithography before going on to study at Goldsmiths College of Art. It was while studying here that he decided to take up pottery. Although unfamiliar with this craft and tradition, he found that working with clay provided new opportunities for freedom of interpretation and creativity. In 1960 Rooke set up his first pottery in Forest Hill in South London along with Alan Wallwork. It was a very small room with enough space for a small electric kiln. He was initially using mainly hand building, coiling, blocking and slabbing techniques. While researching ideas, he was supporting himself by part-time lecturing at London University, Goldsmiths College and St Mary's College. In addition, Rooke's membership of 'The Craftsman Potters' Association' enabled him to show his work in a shop in Carnaby Street in London. In 1967, both the need for a larger working space and becoming disillusioned with living in London spurred Rooke into moving out of the city and to an old mill building in Swilland in Suffolk. Rooke wanted to widen the range of work so as to become more commercial. With the birth of his son, Aaron, and much needed work to be done on the mill, it was important to be able to make a living. In 1968, the Grand Metropolitan Hotel commissioned Rooke to make 120 standard lamps, 120 table lamps as well as a 24 foot long ceramic mural and another 9 foot high, which incorporated interior lighting. The money from the commission helped to pay for much needed restoration work on the mill. By the 1970s, a gallery space was opened in the windmill and run by Susan Rooke, Bernard's wife, selling work to locals and tourists as well as to American airmen based nearby. The vision for Mill Gallery was beginning to develop and alongside this a reputation was building bringing in a good source of income. Sons Aaron and Felix were becoming more involved with the running of the pottery, giving Bernard more time to develop new ideas and designs and more time to continue with his painting. In 2004, the Rooke family decided not to sell to the public through the gallery anymore and close the pottery to concentrate more on painting and printmaking. In 2017 Bernard's lighting was featured in the Exhibition: “Glass, Light, Paint & Clay” at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibition featured four artists: Bernard Rooke, John Maltby...

A pottery table lamp by Bernard Rooke, England, circa 1960s. Hand-built in stoneware, this naturalistic form reflects Rooke’s shift toward more organic, expressive motifs within the ...

rafted in Italy during the vibrant 1970s, this Paracar Totemic Italian floor lamp is a true vintage gem for any interior enthusiast. Its sleek white plastic body and matching shade e...