John Swarbrooke Fine Art presents Lucie Rie: Buttons, Buckles & Brooches, a selling exhibition of masterful stoneware by Dame Lucie Rie DBE (1902-1995).
Few artists were to have so profound an impact on a specific field as Lucie Rie had over the course of contemporary studio ceramics. As Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth with direct carving, and Ben Nicholson with pure abstraction, Rie trod a new path and in doing so irrevocably shaped the course of ceramics in Britain and beyond.
- Robin Cawdron-Stewart
All works are available to view by appointment and a viewing can be requested by clicking here.
Set of Eight ‘Woven’ Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
SOLD
Set of Six Floral Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
SOLD
Six Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£5,000 + ARR
Set of Four ‘Leaf’ Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
SOLD
Pair of ‘Bone’ Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£1,500 + ARR
Lucie Rie in her studio. Photograph by Steffi Braun Olsen.
The painstaking process of production saw the artist develop unique designs that were a world-away from the utilitarian products that the British public were used to. Made in stoneware clay, and then glazed and painted with rich, luscious colours, often heightened with golden or silver lustre, these captivating emblems showcase the very European flare that Rie brought to Britain and would continue to develop long after button production ceased in the mid-1950s, allowing Rie to focus on her thrown porcelain and stoneware work.
Although historically less well-known than her signature thrown work, the importance of Rie’s buttons and jewelry has recently been reevaluated, including the 2018 exhibition ‘Lucie Rie, Ceramics and Buttons’ at the Centre of Ceramic Art, York Art Gallery. These small, but beautiful creations tell a very important part of Rie’s artistic story, and are testament to her strength, resilience and aesthetic brilliance.
- Robin Cawdron-Stewart
Set of Three Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£1,500 + ARR
Set of Three Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£1,000 + ARR
Set of Three Large Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
SOLD
Set of Four ‘Floral’ Buttons, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£3,000 + ARR
An Assorted Collection of Six Buttons and Two Buckles, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£5,000 + ARR
Three Buckles, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£8,000 + ARR
Three Buckles, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£12,000 + ARR
Two Rare Bracelets, circa 1938-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£6,000 + ARR
Pair of ‘Woven’ Brooches, circa 1944-45
Stoneware
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£6,000 + ARR
Four Hat Pins, circa 1938-45
Stoneware and Wire
Provenance:
The Estate of Lucie Rie
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 1995
£10,000 + ARR
Lucie Rie in her studio. Photograph by Jane Coper.