Guy Sydenham

lovely piece Terry and quite unusual, I don't remember seeing that before

Thank you Dan, yes an unusual shape. One side is a little matt. meaning the iron glaze is slightly underfired

The most interesting, and historically important piece of my collection.  Made in the year of my birth 1961  so 60 year old. Pre dates guys stamps, and before he moved to green island , he lived on long island. and is simple signed long Island 1961 ht 17cm you can very clearly recognize Guy's handwriting.  again any more info email me please. terrydaviesceramic@gmail.com






 

Wow! now that's a real collector's piece. I have Long Island pots but that looks really early

in future , please post on the Guy Sydenham thread to save me from moving it later

We would love to see your Guy Sydenham pots,I know you have Bellarmines and pieces found on the Island?

merged with Gs thread

terrydaviesceramic@gmail. wrote:Hello I am terry davies, and i worked on Green Island, and took over the studio and kiln of Guy. I now live and work in italy.   www.terrydavies.it
 I am in the U.k reviewing some of my collection of Guy's work.

Hi, Terry. Thanks for sharing your collection. I posted the questions below earlier in this thread and maybe you might know the answers?

I found this thread while searching the internet for information about Guy Sydenham and more specifically about the Bellarmines he produced. I'm hoping someone on here could answer a couple of questions which I'm struggling to find answers for. I understand Guy made the original batch of jugs as reproductions for a collector but I was curious if they were faithful copies of original 16th/17th Century items or if Guy had artistic licence to make something similar? I can see on later work he does a bit of mix and match with the cartouches but by that stage he may have been using the moulds to suit his taste rather than for a collector. In my mind I assumed that the original collector wanted copies of museum pieces that he would have been unable to get hold of or something like that. My other question is how many Bellarmines did Guy make roughly? Were these things he was producing regularly or was it just a few limited runs?

dantheman wrote:Guy made quite a few of them but I don't think he recorded how many
I doubt he ever used moulds as he enjoyed the carving process and was a master potter

Hello Dan. When on the island, i found some plaster moulds of grey beard panels, i actually have one or two, so i think he would have made all in plaster, then press moulded the panel to stick on the pot. As a potter, i would imagine it would take a very long time to carve this incredible designs , so working in plaster would be the only way.

That answers a question I have been asking for 10 years or more. Thanks Terry

very interesting

Any more questions, be my guest . this is a photo taken during my first months living, and working in the ex Sydenham's studio on green island

It's fascinating to see those moulds and get an insight into the process. I notice they've got 1620 Steinzeug written on them which makes me wonder if they're direct copies of a specific bellarmine? It would be great to see things like this on public display somewhere. Maybe the Virtual Poole Museum could add it to their Sydenham exhibit?

I think I found one of the bellarmines that Guy made from the above mould.  Archived auction link
It's a masterful bit of work and understanding that all those leaves and acorns were moulded and applied individually to build up the patterns adds a whole new level for me. This was the only photo sadly. I wonder where the bird (corncrake?) is hidden?

Wow that is fantastic. I did see some of These pieces, while guy was still on the island. Yes truly masterful.

I am posting a few more pieces in my colection, of which i must let go. the first is a large plate, the only one i have ever seen. it is 32 cm wide. the mark is strange, but Its guy's 100%.

2nd piece is one of Guy's bellamine jugs wonderful colour, as this is glazed i think with a iron slip. so maybe made for himself, or an order. it is in perfect condition, except for a filled firing crack in the base, i found it like this, so filled by guy.

Two beautiful tiny bottles / vases. 4.5 and 5cm one has guys mark the other no mark The orange colour Guy produced on some of his salt glaze work, was using a clay slip, from a dorset clay called CY ball clay. no longer available commercially .

the square one would look great in my Gs miniature collection (hint)

DaveO wrote:I think I found one of the bellarmines that Guy made from the above mould.  Archived auction link
It's a masterful bit of work and understanding that all those leaves and acorns were moulded and applied individually to build up the patterns adds a whole new level for me. This was the only photo sadly. I wonder where the bird (corncrake?) is hidden?

a stunning example, made even better by the info you gave

I have found a large folder of Guys designs, size grafts, and even an old drawing by guy of long island. I found these in an old shed on the island, and as i had no contact with Guy after the island was sold, i took them when i left the island truly historic documents. here are a few images. please


email me at terrydaviesceramic gmail.com