Guy Sydenham

He is something that will never come onto the market during my lifetime.  I rescued this after Guy died.  Pulpit Rock.  I had seen it in the studio while he was alive, but after he died I could only see the rock column, and wondered where the rest of it was.  

On a subsequent visit I was down the garden in what was Guy's pottery that had become Joans potting shed.  While Joan was showing us her plants I saw a piece of what looked like broken pottery propping up a seed tray.  

Upon closer inspection it turned out the be the triangular piece from Portland Rock.  I asked Joan if she knew where the slab was.  She couldnt remember seeing anywhere.

I had a good search in the studio but no luck.  Later we were sitting in the conservatory having a cup of teaand on the floor under the table was a basket of bits of broken pot.  My wife said "I s that what you are looking for" pointing at the basket.  Sure enough there it was. So I was able to reunite the three pieces upon which Joan insisted I kept them.  I love the piece. Guy talked a lot about Pulpit Rock.

I have an old postcard showing Pulpit Rock

Guy did some plaques of it. There was one in the Conservatory with a huge crack across it. I did a version of it but not up to Guy's standard

This is an interesting piece. I am pretty sure Guy made it for Joan as she was a ballerina in her younger days. Great pity it was broken when I found it. I have repaired it but I am far from a restorer and its value doesnt justify the expense of giving it a professional.
It was obviously made on the islands as its salt glazed No idea what the letters/numbers on the back mean apart from Guy did keep records.

Joan showed me some similar pieces that were made when she taught ballet, I think they were made for girls who attended class but my memory is not great

I know there was one or maybe two figures about ten inches high One was a skater. I wonder what will happen to all that pottery

Cottees probably

A lot will go for peanuts if it does

These are unique. They were on a cardigan Joan knitted. She gave it to Jenny years ago. The cardigan has deteriorated, so she took the buttons off. Cant tell if Guy or Joan made them Could be either I suppose. Made on Portland I reckon

I really like them

is that blue glass?

dantheman wrote:

a similar technique Naomi

Yes is glass with cobalt carbonate mixed in. Guy used any glass like an old bottle which he would smash up Put on an already glazed pot and sprinkle some carbonate on is and re fire it.

The top one has what Guy called a meander pattern which took me a while to learn how to master it. Rather than carve the pattern as you see it. He would cut parallel lines then cut across half way between then in an alternating way to produce that sort of key pattern.

They candle holder with the dripped glass was in fact pure chance. He said it just happened in the kiln

this info is wonderful John, I have wondered about the cobalt and glass for years

I adopted the idea on some of my pieces but found broken glass was very hit and miss so I bought glass granules about the size of sugar with a lower melting point from Germany. I had several tubs of different colours.  I left them all at night school when I gave up pottery. I used some on this clock I made

octopus pot made 1996,I love the copper and tin glaze

That is fascinating. Must admit I wish I had started collecting Guy Sydenham yonks ago. He did some lovely stuff.

New addition Dan ? I recognise the pot. Guy really had a thing about Octopus

no it's an old photo that I found when de -cluttering my computer memory files.
The reason why I'm such a huge fan of Guys work is our shared love of marine life

Its a seat for one of the big mermaids.

I remember seeing a couple of mermaids sat on similar pieces in Guy's studio but the spout on this one might prove uncomfortable!

Ahhhh yes thats why I remember it. Would have been nice have the mermaid it was made for. Sadly I have no idea what the situation is with whats left in the studio. Joan is not up to visitors any more. Its all down to Rusell to dispose of when she passes on.

Just came across these in a pot in my workshop. I am showing just out of interest and intend to give then to Russel as I would not like them to be sold and then glazed and passed off as Joan/Guy's work

Biscuit fired and given to me to glaze. I forgot they were here and in any case I would have stated glazed by me if I had glazed them. Its may be of interest to people to see them in their raw state as it were.

What fascinated me was how Guy glazed these sort of beads. He would stand them on end with a small area bare of any glaze in order to stop them fusing to the kiln bat. A very slow and laborious task. Maybe thats why I didnt attempt to glaze them. How he kept some upright is a mystery. I did at one time explore the possibility of stringing them on a high melting point wire but the wire sagged so they would have fused together. Even bat wash can fail to prevent fusing. All the more reason to admire the skill of Guy Sydenham as a master potter