Bernard Rooke

Did originally, but no obvious mark

I would tend to for Alan Wallwork from the 70's in Dorset when he employed several other people. This work just has an inscribed capital W, which is often quite feint to read.
Lamp bases/lamps tended to be produced when potters had did production work. They had a much wider commercial audience than other pottery items ie furniture shops etc.
Bernard Rooke also moved out of London in the early 70's tp a pottery near Ipswich. His sons started working with him,and their production was quite substantial. Lots of runic symbols work,press moulded applied flowers, animals,etc. Lots of Lamp bases as well. But the work was decidedly kitsch, with nothing like this decoration.
If you are collecting Rooke's work,she want to look for the early work made in Lomdon, which is rather very good. The Suffolk work is mostly just too commercial for most studio collector's tastes. But his very big lamp bases are now much sought after by the designer interiors market, and have increased substantially in price.

You mention faint W, on the inner rim of the base I can make out what looks like a W, but is incredibly faint, zoom in and its gone. See what you think,
Roughly in the middle of picture.

You could drop and email Joe - check out the examples also.

http://www.alanwallwork.info/awcontact.php

Thanks for that I'll give that a go

Thanks for all the advice, like others here I'm not the biggest fan of the Rooke more kitsch pottery, this bowl was my first purchase and got me started.

Bernard Rooke started me off on my buying and selling. I picked up a little Cylinder Vase for 10p, not in the 60's! It was 7 years ago and I thought it said Poole as I had no glasses on. I listed it and sold it for £22. Now I see this piece in an Antique shop for a lot more than 10p!
  I really want to keep it but as we all know if we kept all we liked we could fill the house in weeks!

interesting piece. The Rooke's must have been some of the most commercially savvy studio potter's around. That blue pooling is very much of its time. I have got pieces with similar effect from both Robin Welch and Eileen Lewenstein. 70's? Presumably they made rather attractive ashtrays.

This covered dish is hefty... it's the weight of a brick and is around 12cm tall.

And another piece you wouldn't want to drop on your toes. It stands about 18cm tall.



Does anyone know what /12/V means?

A lamp base that stands about 18cm tall.

Anyone know what the numbers on the paper label mean?...

/ 130

1467

I guess the 35/- is the price in old money - 35 shillings (nearly two quid)

A flower holder about 10cm tall.

I have five Bernard Rooke lamps that I would be interested in selling some and was wondering where would be the best place to try and do that. They all have original lampshades I believe and all marked B.R.

Hi Graham, just great to see you on our forum, I know you can add
tons of knowledge to our "database". Jerry.

Isn't that a photo of the exhibition of your collection on at Peterborough Museum Graham?

denbydump wrote:Hi Graham, just great to see you on our forum, I know you can add
tons of knowledge to our "database". Jerry.

Thank you Jerry

philpot wrote:Isn't that a photo of the exhibition of your collection on at Peterborough Museum Graham?

Phil, yes it is, and if you look closely at the grey haired gentleman on the right of the shot you may recognise him! That's Bernard!

Its this one Dan. Berard Rooke, John Maltby, Sam Herman. Graham seems to QUITE a collection!
https://www.vivacity-peterborough.com/theatre-arts/city-art-gallery/current-exhibition/