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Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
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NEW ZEALAND POTTERY :: New Zealand Studio Pottery :: New Zealand Studio Potters :: Beach Artware - Traditional 1973 - 1979
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Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
Ev Sun 14 Jul - 16:15
I'm not sure who Beach NZ are, perhaps something to do with Beach Artware?
Anyway I found this mug made by them, the glaze isn't very exciting, but it's a decent sized mug -
Any information would be appreciated .....
Anyway I found this mug made by them, the glaze isn't very exciting, but it's a decent sized mug -
Any information would be appreciated .....
Last edited by Ev on Mon 17 Nov - 9:32; edited 1 time in total
Ev- Admin
- Number of posts : 17994
Location : Sth Auckland New Zealand
Interests: : NZ Studio Pottery and NZ Pottery History
Registration date : 2008-08-28 -
Re: Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
Ev Wed 23 Oct - 13:52
Today I found a mug the same shape as the one above and glazed in similar uninteresting colours and it has KILN CRAFT on the base?
There is a memory trying to spark in my brain regarding this, but the battery is flat ....
There is a memory trying to spark in my brain regarding this, but the battery is flat ....
Ev- Admin
- Number of posts : 17994
Location : Sth Auckland New Zealand
Interests: : NZ Studio Pottery and NZ Pottery History
Registration date : 2008-08-28 -
Re: Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
Jeremy Ashford Wed 23 Oct - 17:28
Ev,
Peter (is it Beech or) Beach, ex-Crown Lynn, founder of Kiln Craft, Clay craft etc.
Not surprising to see the same shape coming out later with a different mark.
It is my expectation, or hope, to find such little tales told in clay, rendering the paperwork redundant!
Peter (is it Beech or) Beach, ex-Crown Lynn, founder of Kiln Craft, Clay craft etc.
Not surprising to see the same shape coming out later with a different mark.
It is my expectation, or hope, to find such little tales told in clay, rendering the paperwork redundant!
Jeremy Ashford- Number of posts : 3193
Location : Whangarei, New Zealand
Registration date : 2010-09-11
Re: Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
Ev Thu 24 Oct - 9:40
Gosh Jeremy, I haven't found any info on Peter Beach other than Beach Artware.Jeremy Ashford wrote:Ev,
Peter (is it Beech or) Beach, ex-Crown Lynn, founder of Kiln Craft, Clay craft etc.
Not surprising to see the same shape coming out later with a different mark.
Ernie Cooper worked at Crown Lynn and managed Clay Craft, Kiln Craft and Terra Ceramics I believe. If you could enlighten me please do ....
Ev- Admin
- Number of posts : 17994
Location : Sth Auckland New Zealand
Interests: : NZ Studio Pottery and NZ Pottery History
Registration date : 2008-08-28 -
only what's already on the forum
Jeremy Ashford Thu 24 Oct - 11:19
Ev, the only info I have is what I have read on the forum.
(The link in the quote is your notes.)
So I guess it comes down to an unreferenced trademe listing:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=364083694
from hana.s of Lower Hutt City in 2011.
Your mug provides a good piece of evidence to support Hana's claim.
(This explains my confusion in the spelling of the name Beach-Beech)TonyK wrote:Greetings
From an expired TradeMe Claycraft listing (364083694): an Auckland based company which grew out of "Kiln Craft" which was formerly "Beech Artware" run by Peter Beech, who had worked at Crown Lynn in the glaze laboratory. See listing 300082135 also
And from here: http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t191-clay-craft
Happy hunting.
(The link in the quote is your notes.)
So I guess it comes down to an unreferenced trademe listing:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=364083694
from hana.s of Lower Hutt City in 2011.
Your mug provides a good piece of evidence to support Hana's claim.
Jeremy Ashford- Number of posts : 3193
Location : Whangarei, New Zealand
Registration date : 2010-09-11
Re: Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
Ev Thu 24 Oct - 11:56
Ahhh yes thanks for that as I remember it now....
It appears that Beach Artware closed after Mr Beach passed away according to Stewart Salisbury, so maybe it turned into Kiln Craft after that?
See here -
http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t3055-beach-artware?highlight=beach+artware
It appears that Beach Artware closed after Mr Beach passed away according to Stewart Salisbury, so maybe it turned into Kiln Craft after that?
See here -
http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t3055-beach-artware?highlight=beach+artware
Ev- Admin
- Number of posts : 17994
Location : Sth Auckland New Zealand
Interests: : NZ Studio Pottery and NZ Pottery History
Registration date : 2008-08-28 -
Ernie Cooper info on Kiln Craft/Clay Craft etc
Maryr Fri 25 Oct - 11:13
The lovely and ever helpful Ernie Cooper has sent me the following information about these potteries. To put this in context I have added a potted history of Ernie’s career – he has sent me this info previously.
Background – Ernie Cooper
Ernie began training as a cadet at Crown Lynn in January 1964. After gaining a BSC at Stoke on Trent under the cadetship, he came back to Crown Lynn as chief chemist from 1970-1972. He was then made factory manager. In 1973 he was offered the position of general manager at the technical ceramics subsidiary in Sydney (Gallard & Robinson Pty Ltd). This company was amalgamated with a Melbourne company under a new name Morlynn Ceramics and he remained there until 1978. He then returned to Auckland to assist in the establishment of the Ceramco Abrasives Division. He left Ceramco in 1980 having spent 16 years with the organisation. Ernie then began his involvement with Kiln Craft/Clay Craft – see below. He is now in semi-retirement in Sydney.
Ernie Cooper’s notes
1. Peter Beach worked at Crown Lynn while I was in charge of the laboratories, he suffered very badly with rheumatoid arthritis.
2. After Peter Beach left Crown Lynn he started up Beach Artware and one of their major products were lamp bases, he had a particular rosy red glaze based on a uranium oxide stain
3. After his death his widow sold the business to Don McKenzie who relocated the pottery to Avondale and renamed it Kiln Craft.
4. Don McKenzie ran into all sorts of problems as he did not have a background in ceramics and I was asked to provide technical support through a consultancy arrangement with Furnace Engineering (John Homer was one of the business owners).
5. About this time Staffordshire Potteries in the UK contacted Don McKenzie to advise him that Kiln Craft was one of their registered brands and requested that he cease production under that name.
6. Don and I came up with the name Clay Craft to overcome the dispute with Staffordshire Potteries.
7. Furnace Engineering and Don McKenzie did not see eye to eye and the arrangement terminated.
8. This is when Terra Ceramics was created. I had met Bernard Fiegle the owner of Terra in Australia while I was employed by The Gallard & Robinson (a subsidiary of Ceramco) and when the arrangement with Don McKenzie came to an end Bernard Fiegle had passed away and his widow put the business up for sale. Furnace Engineering and I purchased the assets of Terra Ceramics in Australia and shipped it back to Auckland. The assets consisted mainly of moulds, some production equipment and know-how to produce the very distinctive honey glaze with underglaze highlights.
9. I'm not entirely sure how the Clay Craft business terminated but Terra Ceramics ended up wholly owned by Furnace Engineering as an adjunct to their hobby ceramics division.
THANK YOU ERNIE!
Background – Ernie Cooper
Ernie began training as a cadet at Crown Lynn in January 1964. After gaining a BSC at Stoke on Trent under the cadetship, he came back to Crown Lynn as chief chemist from 1970-1972. He was then made factory manager. In 1973 he was offered the position of general manager at the technical ceramics subsidiary in Sydney (Gallard & Robinson Pty Ltd). This company was amalgamated with a Melbourne company under a new name Morlynn Ceramics and he remained there until 1978. He then returned to Auckland to assist in the establishment of the Ceramco Abrasives Division. He left Ceramco in 1980 having spent 16 years with the organisation. Ernie then began his involvement with Kiln Craft/Clay Craft – see below. He is now in semi-retirement in Sydney.
Ernie Cooper’s notes
1. Peter Beach worked at Crown Lynn while I was in charge of the laboratories, he suffered very badly with rheumatoid arthritis.
2. After Peter Beach left Crown Lynn he started up Beach Artware and one of their major products were lamp bases, he had a particular rosy red glaze based on a uranium oxide stain
3. After his death his widow sold the business to Don McKenzie who relocated the pottery to Avondale and renamed it Kiln Craft.
4. Don McKenzie ran into all sorts of problems as he did not have a background in ceramics and I was asked to provide technical support through a consultancy arrangement with Furnace Engineering (John Homer was one of the business owners).
5. About this time Staffordshire Potteries in the UK contacted Don McKenzie to advise him that Kiln Craft was one of their registered brands and requested that he cease production under that name.
6. Don and I came up with the name Clay Craft to overcome the dispute with Staffordshire Potteries.
7. Furnace Engineering and Don McKenzie did not see eye to eye and the arrangement terminated.
8. This is when Terra Ceramics was created. I had met Bernard Fiegle the owner of Terra in Australia while I was employed by The Gallard & Robinson (a subsidiary of Ceramco) and when the arrangement with Don McKenzie came to an end Bernard Fiegle had passed away and his widow put the business up for sale. Furnace Engineering and I purchased the assets of Terra Ceramics in Australia and shipped it back to Auckland. The assets consisted mainly of moulds, some production equipment and know-how to produce the very distinctive honey glaze with underglaze highlights.
9. I'm not entirely sure how the Clay Craft business terminated but Terra Ceramics ended up wholly owned by Furnace Engineering as an adjunct to their hobby ceramics division.
THANK YOU ERNIE!
Maryr- Number of posts : 1995
Location : Whangarei
Registration date : 2011-11-17
Re: Beach NZ plus history from Ernie Cooper
Ev Fri 25 Oct - 17:21
Thank you Ernie indeed as that covers a lot of pottery history and clears up many questions!
Ev- Admin
- Number of posts : 17994
Location : Sth Auckland New Zealand
Interests: : NZ Studio Pottery and NZ Pottery History
Registration date : 2008-08-28 -
2 more Beach mugs on trademe
Jeremy Ashford Wed 13 Nov - 13:23
2 mugs on trademe, one unmarked (Beach or KilnCraft presumably), one "Beach"
The first is unmarked, as per the Q&A:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=659846910
The second, in a nicer glaze and more expensive is marked:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/pottery-glass/porcelain-pottery/other-nz-manufacturers/auction-661819805.htm
_______________
18/12/13 UPDATE
I have just bought the same pattern of mug with a KILN CRAFT NZ base mark:
110mm H x 70 OD top
I really like it!
The first is unmarked, as per the Q&A:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=659846910
The second, in a nicer glaze and more expensive is marked:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/pottery-glass/porcelain-pottery/other-nz-manufacturers/auction-661819805.htm
_______________
18/12/13 UPDATE
I have just bought the same pattern of mug with a KILN CRAFT NZ base mark:
110mm H x 70 OD top
I really like it!
Last edited by Jeremy Ashford on Wed 18 Dec - 20:41; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : update and add photo)
Jeremy Ashford- Number of posts : 3193
Location : Whangarei, New Zealand
Registration date : 2010-09-11
NEW ZEALAND POTTERY :: New Zealand Studio Pottery :: New Zealand Studio Potters :: Beach Artware - Traditional 1973 - 1979
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