Rupert Spira

I saw some of Spira's lettered stoneware bowls at Primavera in Cambridge last year and loved them, but even the teeny tiny ones were beyond my means so I was delighted to get this earlier plain piece off ebay. It's a great shape and has his characteristic thin white glaze which I believe is zircon. I think it dates to c1996. 10.5cm (height) 13.8cm (diameter).





Here is his website which has a useful archive section Rupert Spira website

I hate to say this.
I may well be entirely wrong.
But are you sure that is by Rupert Spira?
The mark looks very similar to that of Ray Silverman.

Having handled Spira's stuff at Primavera, I'm pretty sure. There is also a pair of very similar bowls among Spira's archive photos, but hey, I'm on a steep learning curve so all comments welcome

The marks are very similar being RS but Spira's R is a little more elongated, which points to Skips bowl being by Spira. The other things that really clinch it are that the stoneware body, glaze and simple style are all trademarks of Spira's work in the past. Ray Silverman's work generally tends to be more ornate and the stoneware body used by him, to make pots I have seen, has been courser.

It does really emphasize though that often a mark is not enough to give a definite attribution.

I have a couple of Spira Pots.One from his time at Wenford Bridge,and one from his Froyle pottery.Both very much Cardew influenced. I also have a small Ray Silverman piece. The bottom R and the S on the Spira are the Spira pieces are exactly parallel on the bottom,and of a uniform size. On the Ray Silverman piece,the S slightly floats above the level of the R and is slightly smaller,as in the illustration above.
Sorry my camera is not working,so I cannot give pictures.
Rupert Spira's mark is fairly consistent,and the marks on mine are the same as those in Primavera,which I also have looked at a number of times. And the prices!!!!!!
Its a difficult call.
Mind you,its one I have learnt from experience. I tried selling a pot on Ebay as Ray Silverman's work many moons ago,and Paul Rice told me it was Rupert Spira's!

From a piece in the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge.

A Bowl in Primavera Cambridge.

Set of poem vases in Primavera Cambridge

Love the way they're pushed behind the Batterhams.

NaomiM wrote:Changed the title to Rupert Spira after comparing the mark to a number of his via Maak auctions.

Coming across this thread again when checking for a Ray Silverman thread, I can't see why there was much doubt.

Here's a bowl from the same period as the unlidded jar above. It was originally bought from Spira c 1983/4.

…… but stylistically it's a "no brainer".

From the Sainsbury collection in Norwich.

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All the above from the Sainsbury collection at the University of East Anglia Norwich.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2pQm6ryx0k

A long 1 hour 20 minute interview with Rupert Spira.

Good morning,
I have recently acquired a couple of handled mugs which I believe could be by Rupert Spira.
The mark on both of them is identical to a mark shown as being Mr Spira’s on BISPM but it is not depicted in the book.
I suppose the mark on my pieces are rS with the small r going over the top of the S. it would appear that the vast majority of his work and all of that sold by Maak is a capital R & S.
Included in that (RS mark) are two ‘mugs’ which are very similar in shape, style and one in colour.
I have researched other auction houses and found pottery with the rS mark sold as by Rupert Spira and again some of these items are similar in shape and glaze to others with the RS mark.
My question is does anyone know if the rS mark is definitely his and if so did it change at a particular time?
Thanks
Neil62

Rupert Spira was one of Michael Cardew's last pupils. For several years he worked in the Cardew style at his studio at Froyle in Hampshire. I bought a couple of those pieces at boot sales Yonks ago. They had the same RS mark then as he used throughout his career.
         I have also seen this work in Norwich and at Primavera. They were admirable for their lightness and purity of line. Is that throwing lines in those mugs? .
In the Lisa Sainsbury collection there are two cups and saucers, but no mugs. Have you seen any mugs in the catalogues?

Morning Philpot,
Yes definitely throwing lines - more noticeable inside than outside - so presumably an early mark?
They are a nice shape & colour but you can see the throwing lines!!
Thanks for the information
Regards
Neil62

He had a pottery at Froyle from 1983-1996. Quite near to Farehsm where he trained as well. He only ever used one mark when he was there. That production was in the Cardew/Leach style. This is not an early piece.
He gave up potting some time ago. But he is still alive. I do not know whether he is contactable

So are you saying that this isn’t Rupert Spira’s mark?
Regards
Neil