Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
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potterymad62
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
This one is as informative as any Brin.
Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
ebay do international postage for UK prices
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dantheman- Consultant
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Thats what i thought denby
brin mcardle- Number of posts : 2700
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Small bowl with fir trees - just right for Christmas sweeties
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
NaomiM wrote:Small bowl with fir trees - just right for Christmas sweeties
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Potty- Number of posts : 3583
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
I thought you'd like that one Potty
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Jo Lester Dish...meaning of Flag ?
Nice Little Jo Lester dish...anyone know the significance of the Flag ? Thanks
brin mcardle- Number of posts : 2700
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Probably a commission, maye it's the flag from someones boat or something, they did a fair few regatta related peices.
As to the maker, it's hard to tell from the picture, but can you read the small word? Or any of the Letters? maybe Seaview?
As to the maker, it's hard to tell from the picture, but can you read the small word? Or any of the Letters? maybe Seaview?
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lozzy68 wrote:I Had A Feeling It Wasn't A gnome As Studio-Pots Said There Is No Hat On Him
NaomiM wrote:I'm watching other Willies, so maybe I'll get one at some point.
studio-pots wrote:I know my raku
Potty- Number of posts : 3583
Location : Midlands
Registration date : 2010-09-28
Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
It is indeed Seaview !
brin mcardle- Number of posts : 2700
Age : 77
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Then it's probably a Donald Beckley piece from when he was in partnership with Joe Lester. (Joe helped several of his apprentices to start their own pottery, in partnership with him, until they could afford to buy him out and go solo)
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lozzy68 wrote:I Had A Feeling It Wasn't A gnome As Studio-Pots Said There Is No Hat On Him
NaomiM wrote:I'm watching other Willies, so maybe I'll get one at some point.
studio-pots wrote:I know my raku
Potty- Number of posts : 3583
Location : Midlands
Registration date : 2010-09-28
Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
It does say Jo...not easy to see
brin mcardle- Number of posts : 2700
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
brin mcardle wrote:It does say Jo...not easy to see
The above is still correct (as far as I know), it *should* say "JO IoW" "SEAVIEW", that's just one of many marks used, it's the word Seaview that makes all the difference.
Still fits fine in this thread, but would also be fine in the Beckley thread too.
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lozzy68 wrote:I Had A Feeling It Wasn't A gnome As Studio-Pots Said There Is No Hat On Him
NaomiM wrote:I'm watching other Willies, so maybe I'll get one at some point.
studio-pots wrote:I know my raku
Potty- Number of posts : 3583
Location : Midlands
Registration date : 2010-09-28
Jo Lester IOW
These sell well on my site shop. Nice bold colours. In his early days he work with stoneware. I had tankard of his once, sold to a dealer and studio pottery contact of mine. See if I can find the pictures and upload it.
potterymad62- Number of posts : 924
Location : Redruth Cornwall
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
potterymad62 wrote:In his early days he work with stoneware. I had tankard of his once, sold to a dealer and studio pottery contact of mine. See if I can find the pictures and upload it.
Don't think I've ever seen a Joe Lester stoneware piece, are you sure it's not Martyn Gilchrist you mean? (like the mug in your avatar).
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lozzy68 wrote:I Had A Feeling It Wasn't A gnome As Studio-Pots Said There Is No Hat On Him
NaomiM wrote:I'm watching other Willies, so maybe I'll get one at some point.
studio-pots wrote:I know my raku
Potty- Number of posts : 3583
Location : Midlands
Registration date : 2010-09-28
Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Informative obituary of Joe Lester (who died in 2010, aged 98):
http://onthewight.com/2010/10/15/joe-lester-island-potter-1912-2010/
http://onthewight.com/2010/10/15/joe-lester-island-potter-1912-2010/
Joe Lester, Island Potter 1912-2010
Well known potter dies at the age of 98
Be the first to add your thoughts in the comments section ↓
Sad news reached us last weekend, that well-known Island potter, Joe Lester, had passed away. Many thanks to Lisa and Andrew Dowden, Isle of Wight Pottery enthusiasts, for taking the time to produce this obituary. Ed
Joe Lester, Island Potter 1912-2010Although there have been many Isle of Wight potters and potteries throughout the twentieth century, the name ‘Joe Lester’ has become synonymous with the term ‘Isle of Wight pottery’. Many Islanders and visitors alike, are familiar with the brightly-decorated pieces produced at Joe Lester’s ‘Island Pottery Studio’.
It was with great sadness that we learned of his recent passing. We first met Joe in 1996 whilst researching our isle of Wight pottery book, ‘A Century of Ceramics’, and continued to keep in touch.
On the Island since 1934
Born in Godley, Cheshire, on 17 April 1912, Joe Lester started pottery as a hobby at the age of 16. In 1934 he gained a teaching certificate and moved to the Isle of Wight to take up a post in Bettesworth Road, Ryde.
He married Joy Bristow in 1935, and in 1938 they moved with their young son Joseph to Freshwater, where Joe became crafts tutor at the middle school.
Call of duty
His teaching career was cut short when he was called up to join the army. Following shrapnel wounds and seventy per cent hearing loss from an anti-personnel mine, Joe retired with a war pension and honorary rank of Captain.
Due to his disability, he gave up teaching and took a three-year commission with the American Embassy, organising exhibitions for the United States Information Service.
He decided to turn his life-long hobby into an occupation and joined up with Australian pottery friends, David and Hermia Boyd and Sally Seymour, in London.
Return to the Island
He missed the Island, and in the early 1950s returned to Freshwater with his family and began making pottery in his garden shed. In May 1953 he opened a studio in the village and the business took off.
In November 1955 the BBC visited the Island and did a short film of Joe Lester with his principal decorator Ruby McNeill Slade, for ‘Children’s Newsreel’.
Soon after, Joe was invited to take a stand – ‘The Potter and His Wheel’ – with an exhibition which travelled all across Britain.
The exhibition was often frequented by Lady Isobel Barnet, a regular panellist at the time on the BBC television programme ‘What’s My Line’.
Spreading his wings
Joe also took on artists and crafts people at Freshwater and set up other studios across the Island, some of these studios eventually being taken on by his employees.
During the 1960s Joe joined with Island potter Ian Batten and supplied pottery for tea rooms above their studio in Chard, Somerset.
He also worked with Mike Hendrick and together they produced pottery in Charmouth. In 1964 Joe opened a retail shop ‘Wight China and Glass’, and being an advocate of Island crafts, in 1967 opened the ‘Island Crafts Centre’ showcasing local work, both of these outlets being in Freshwater.
Stayed involved, even after retirement
Joe enjoyed sailing, and vacations with his family in the south of France, one resort for which he also produced souvenir dishes.
He formally ‘retired’ in the late 1970s, and handed over the pottery to his son Joseph. Although retired, he continued to help out occasionally at the Freshwater studio, and at his son’s Alum Bay studio which opened in 1985.
Joe Lester was articulate and witty, and often regaled us with tales of his life experiences. Although he had a hearing disability he was determined that it would not hinder him in any way, and that he would succeed with his chosen occupation.
He often spoke warmly of his family and said, ‘Pottery gave me the means to provide a good life for myself and my family . . . who mean everything to me’. Joe Lester’s work represents a major contribution to the pottery heritage of the Isle of Wight, and will continue to be appreciated by many.
Lisa and Andrew Dowden
hercules brabazon- Number of posts : 645
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Potty wrote:potterymad62 wrote:In his early days he work with stoneware. I had tankard of his once, sold to a dealer and studio pottery contact of mine. See if I can find the pictures and upload it.
Don't think I've ever seen a Joe Lester stoneware piece, are you sure it's not Martyn Gilchrist you mean? (like the mug in your avatar).
My avatar, No! It had the IOW (Island Mark) but impressed instead of the painted stamp. I'm sure I found something back long online regarding his stoneware. He only worked in stoneware for a short period of time and then moved on to producing wares in this post. I will see if I can find the pictures and info and get back. Ah! Just one question regards to Martyn Gilchrist, did he use the same marks. Save me looking.
Thanks Ernest
potterymad62- Number of posts : 924
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Just looked up Martyn Gilchrist marks and your correct, looks like his work. You learn something every day.
potterymad62- Number of posts : 924
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
He was another of Joe's apprentices, I believe Joe also helped setup his own pottery (Bembridge), hence the mark similarities
Some Martyn's pots are earthenware and much more in the "Joe" style in terms of decoration, but most of his work is wax resist stoneware.
Some of his sgraffito designs were great in my opinion.
Some Martyn's pots are earthenware and much more in the "Joe" style in terms of decoration, but most of his work is wax resist stoneware.
Some of his sgraffito designs were great in my opinion.
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lozzy68 wrote:I Had A Feeling It Wasn't A gnome As Studio-Pots Said There Is No Hat On Him
NaomiM wrote:I'm watching other Willies, so maybe I'll get one at some point.
studio-pots wrote:I know my raku
Potty- Number of posts : 3583
Location : Midlands
Registration date : 2010-09-28
Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Very interesting info. I checked my studio pottery picture archive and found details on the tankard in my avatar, and it's one of Martyn Gilchrist. I do like the designs and glaze's of Martyn and you can see the JL influence in the pots.
Thanks Ernest
Thanks Ernest
potterymad62- Number of posts : 924
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
A small jug, about 3" tall...
cycladelic- Number of posts : 577
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Jug Jo, West of England Pottery - Jo Lester pupil
Little cream jug with decoration that is typical of Jo Lester in the Isle of Wight, but marked 'Jo ....West of England Pottery'. Is it an early piece?
Last edited by NaomiM on April 17th 2017, 6:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=353
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lindylou08- Number of posts : 655
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
I haven't seen that mark before, very interesting
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dantheman- Consultant
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Re: Joe (Jo) Lester - Isle of Wight and West of England Pottery
Ha ha, love it. So not technically by Jo himself, but still part of his 'Company'. I'll add it to the IoW thread.
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