BC Pottery - Sarah Butler and Martin Clark

Good morning

I thought I would share with you some photographs of some pots I picked up yesterday from an auction and then asked the question what happened to the Potters who made them?

I bought the lot blind, though I had asked for photos of the marks and a condition report. I knew from the description of the mark that the pots were clearly not by Lucy Rie but they appeared well made, attractive and in her style.
The last pot I made was almost 50 years ago which I still have so technically, these pots could be made easily as far as I am aware!
But I don’t think they can and I liked / like them.
Anyway when I got them home and looked at the marks for the first time it was difficult to decipher where the mark fitted in the parameters of BISPM, nevertheless I indulged myself in what O really like doing researching!!
Several hours later I had found a similar pot for sale on a designers website (without attribution) for £900.
I was quite excited until I saw a pair of ‘designer curtains’ for about a zillion quid then I realised I wasn’t going to be rich!

Anyway I searched boggle eyed until I had one of those ‘hamlet moments’ when the mists cleared and there the mark was on almost the last page in the search parameter which by then I think I’d got to the one which said ‘perverse no idea god only knows what they were thinking’
Naomi don’t know how you’ve got the patience - I understand as an investigator the glee at finding a result and the buzz from that but not to put it all together so for that.

Anyway the mark was that of Sarah Butler and Martin Clark who in your list you correctly (obviously) identified did some work for Heals and I found at least two pots of theirs which had previously sold at auction, then nothing!

My point is I think the pots I bought are nice and I am surprised their pottery life seems to have stopped. I wondered if anyone knew why or if they are still working together / apart.

10 years ago they were in Bath

Hi Naomi,
Thank you - can’t help thinking what a waste but…..Merry Christmas.

Nice pots! But I suspect making pots is a hard way to pay the bills, unless you are really successful at selling yourself.

benwilliams wrote:Nice pots! But I suspect making pots is a hard way to pay the bills, unless you are really successful at selling yourself.

Think you are right Ben - I don’t know much about them but I suppose they have to do, as you say, something to pay the billls.

I knew that I had kept a catalogue that I had been sent by the couple back in 2001 that, I assume, went out to all other galleries and companies that sold hand made studio pottery at the time.

Here's the front cover and page 3 with information about them.

Brilliant Studio Pots - Thank you for taking the time to look and ma. Wish you, your family and the other contributors on this really useful site a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year
Neil62

The catalogue was 20 pages (including covers) and here is page showing the wholesale prices.


When I saw these wholesale prices I thought their "cut" would be too low to make this a sustainable business and especially when Heals and, I think I remember, the Conran shop began stocking them. I say that because I know that large retailers would never pay anywhere near these wholesale prices and would want volume too. They would also be very slow payers.

Pretty inexpensive!!
No wonder they didn’t make it - dad really but they’re probably millionaires in the pop business!!
Thanks again