22/05/2026 General News
The post-war years were an exciting time for British potters. Having come through the long years of conflict, the country wanted to look forward, and innovative young designers were encouraged to embrace the modern, writes David Broom.
From the 1951 Festival of Britain onwards, a procession of new influences emerged in the world of ceramics. This was a democratic age, and the exclusive, expensive porcelain of the past was being displaced by more accessible and affordable pottery from a whole new cohort of British ceramicists.
One East Anglian potter who emerged during that period was Bernard Rooke. Born in Ipswich in 1938, the son of a butcher, Rooke studied painting and lithography at Ipswich School of Art before moving on to Goldsmiths College in London for a year’s study in printmaking and ceramics.
It was at Goldsmiths that he decided to make pottery his life. Although he had not worked ion the medium before, he was delighted to find that clay provided him with the opportunities for freedom of interpretation and creativity that he was seeking.
In 1960, at the age of just 22, he set up his first studio in Forest hill in London, sharing the premises with ceramicist Alan Wallwork. This was a time when progressive designs were finding a receptive audience, and using hand building, coiling, blocking and slabbing techniques, he mainly dedicated himself to making pieces which were of a sculptural nature, such as lamp bases, which became a mainstay of his work during this period.
As his reputation grew, he was able to devote some of his time to actual sculptural pieces, often with themes of nature. But he soon realised that a piece was more likely to sell if it was functional.
Throughout the rest of his career, his work remained split between these two categories of pottery: commercially successful pieces which were relatively easy to produce and which provided a steady income; and more esoteric works which allowed him to explore his creativity.
His philosophy was that both types were important, not just because the more commercial work provided a living, but because the more artistic explorations inspired new designs for the more commercial creations.
The Forest Hill studio was tiny, with room for just an electric kiln, and Rooke was tiring of the capital, especially as he was having to support himself with part-time lecturing at various London colleges and art schools.
So in 1967 he returned to Suffolk, installing himself in an old mill building in Swilland. This new space had room for a gallery, which opened in the 1970s, selling his work directly to visitors.
Rooke’s sons Aaron and Felix were to become involved in the pottery, and their participation in the business freed up Rooke to develop new ideas and designs. Eventually in 2004, at the age of 66, he closed the pottery to concentrate on his long-held love of painting – in which he has also achieved success – and more recently, composing electronic music.
In the saleroom, Rooke’s work still sells well, with prices varying depending on the nature of the piece, its size, period and condition. His signature table lamps and totemic floor lamps from the 1960s and 1970s are most sought-after – in fact his lamps from any era remain the most popular pieces at auction.
Keys’ Modern Art & Design Sale, which takes place next week, features a number of pieces by Bernard Rooke.