Eileen Lewenstein

thanks!

Before working on her own she was a partner at the Briglin Pottery in London.

The picture of your mark isn't very clear but is it the one below?

If it is then it is Eileen Lewenstein after she moved from London to work down in Hove (by the sea) in 1976. Can't say that I have seen anything like your bowl by her before.

Hi,
Was wondering if anyone could help with this lovely vase. Thought at first it was an art pottery piece by someone for Royal Copenhagen, but only 2 waves, but maybe 3rd lost in impressed mark? Still possibly Scandinavian, can't find in my british potters marks book. It is about 6" high, and marks look like 'ET' not the alien unfortunately as that would be impressive.    Many thanks.

used 1976 onwards, nice find

Wow, thanks Davee, that's very quick, been looking for a couple of days online and couldn't get anywhere. Just looked up some of her stuff and like it, she seemed quite important, Ceramic review etc. Still plenty of gaps in my knowledge and always more stuff out there. Cheers!

Eileen was best know as co-founding the The Ceramic Review, first published in 1970 and for also co-founding Briglin Pottery in 1948 (as Eileen Mawson) along with Brigitte Goldschmidt (later known as Brigitte Appleby). Eileen departed Briglin in after ten years in 1959 and continued he career on her own producing sculptural individual pieces often in porcelain.

• Early Briglin pieces many be marked EL by hand inscribed sometimes with date
  EL brushed - from 1959 sometimes with date
  E.L. impressed - 1959 to 1975
  E.L. With wave under impressed post 1976
  

   An interesting pre-1976 bowl, very much reflecting a Briglin strain.

The mark from the bowl above.

Biography

http://tnartscommission.org/permanentcollection/eileen-lewenstein/

I've never seen it called

“Briglini Pottery,”

In 1959 she left the successful Brilini Pottery

odd?

Fits together well, marked base.
I can’t read it but maybe someone recognises the style and form .

Matching one on Worthpoint. By Eileen Lewenstein

You are brilliant Naomi. She’s another new name for me. I think the mark is after 1976 as now I know what I’m looking at then I can see a wavy line under the initials.

My only piece, A 7.5 in vase just found in a local centre. Rather heavily potted porcelain,
with some minimal incised decoration. Mark for 1976 onwards.

Pared back simple pebble vase. The sea had quite an influence on her work. The mark is her early one which she used from 1959-75, virtually as soon as she stopped working at Briglin until she moved down to Brighton in 1975. The two wavy lines on her later mark are designed to denote the sea. These pebble forms seem to have had a certain naturalistic fashion in the 60's. The early work of Mary Rogers (illustrated quite liberally in her book) and Robert Fournier pebble vases come to mind.
Not very much in fashion now, Eileen Lewenstein was quite influential in her day. Founder editor of Ceramic Review (with Emmanuel Cooper) early member of the CPA, strong left-wing political views, she seems quite forthright in her opinions.

She is connected to Briglin as a founder so I have several pieces including one of the beautifully made and technically excellent porcelain bowls...but her work leaves me a bit cold. One issue is you never see it together just the odd piece and then work from different styles and times.

A much under estimated potter. I think you do go to the core of the problem with her work however, she had no consistent style. She seemed to have an urgency to explore lots of all styles. Which is perhaps is no bad thing. The work of hers I have seen as always been very well made. Problem is of course Studio Pottery Collectors are very conservative and catholic in their tastes. They always seem want a specific range of style from the potters and potteries they collect. A Lucie Rie or a Hans Coper poiece are instantly recognisable. As is most Briglin or Troika.
          One suspects her production was smaller than other potters. Her husband Oscar was an impresario and film producer (he produced the very successful film Tom Jones) and was later Director of the Royal Court Theatre. They lived in a nice house in Hampstead, and seemed quite wealthy. So unlike most professional potters she did not necessarily need to make a living by her pottery. According to Emmanuel Cooper Oscar was quite a demanding husband. Combine this with having two children, co-editing CERAMIC REVIEW for thirty years, running a household....she must have been a busy lady.

A porcelain vase with a hint of pink.

Yes I have one of those also leaves me stone cold SP I know not why   just does nothing. You could say I don't gettit.

I know what you mean and think I agree.

Agreement on that here as well.
Used to have several of her pieces. Have got rid of them all now. Just did not stir one enough.....although it did take me a long time to get totally bored with them!

Not seen any other potter make these little clam shell boxes

She did seem to make a lot of them. Sadly chipped around the rim