Alan Caiger Smith

Does anybody have any knowledge of Caiger- smith working in sculptural relief, there is large sculptural tile frieze at Semlys auctions lot 203  which i find very interesting and is being attributed to Caiger-Smith. https://www.semleyauctioneers.com/catalogue

They say it's from his estate. Impossible to make out the details in their thumbnail photo. Caiger-Smith decorated tiles but I haven't seen anything carved by him so it might have been bought by him or a gift.

Strange thing. Nice that the images are way over exposed and the mark is not shown.

A large coloured mural consisting of 28 tiles went through Bonhams ,this was carved in a similar fashion to the one in question, apparently this was made by Caiger-Smith assisted by potter Olda asenbryl, the lot was accompanied by letters from the artist. I have contacted Semelys auction room for more information regarding provenance.

I think Bonhams has misspelt Oldrich Asenbryl (or maybe Olda was his nickname), who was at Aldermaston in 1968-70


https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/bonhams/catalogue-id-bonham10519/lot-731eb073-137e-4777-bb56-af5100b848c6

I wasn't familiar with Oldrich asenbryl and i think you probably right i can imagine the other potters using the shortened version.

That previous piece is listed on invaluable three times with the price dropping. Assuming it did not sell


296: Alan Caiger-Smith Unique and monumental 'Passing People' mural, 1960
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
View sold prices
Nov. 29, 2022
Bonhams


130: Alan Caiger-Smith 'Passing People', a unique and monumental mural, 1960
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
View sold prices
Jun. 03, 2021
Bonhams


343: Alan Caiger-Smith 'Passing People', 1960
Est: £1,500 - £2,000
View sold prices
Dec. 08, 2020
Bonhams

Its not by him. I have always had a liking for Alan Caiger Smith's work and have a Number of his lustre pieces. He has done figurative work on pottery, and sgraffitto. He also did lots of lustre tiles. Some painting as well. But apart from the piece in Bonhams last year I have never seen this sort of relief work done by him, and I ha e seen a lot of his work.
He always a painted mark, he never inscribed a mark. Equally he was a VERY commercial minded potter. He made things in the sure fire opinion that they would sell. If this was by him it would be a lot more commercial colourful and bright.
I would not have much trust in Semley's opinions. They are not a Fine Art auctioneers, more local one. The actual desciption says 'From a deceased estate' it does not say from His estate! They specialise in this type of auctioneering.
Anyway, I was at the Mallams sale of his estate in 2007, and it was definitely not there!

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27787/lot/296/alan-caiger-smith-unique-and-monumental-passing-people-mural-1960/

The Bonhams piece. They date it 1960, and Oldrich Asendryl did not start at Aldermaston until 1968. As Naomi said. They did call him OLA then though.

I would agree with philpot, followed ACS for years and not seen these before and they they don't grab me, I would put them on the meh shelf.

Anybody any idea what happened to this one? What price it went for?