NEWS*   * A historic first*: *that this is the first item to be put on our new News page!*

SWP member Anne James, whose beautiful lustred raku and saggar fired ceramics are widely collected, donated a raku dish for auction at Bonham's recently. The auction, which took place on the 26th February in their Bond street Auction Rooms, was part of an appeal for the new Bernard Leach Centre in St. Ives.

Anne says: "There were a total of 106 lots given by both famous pottery names and lesser known people, all wishing to support this venture. Prices ranged from well over the guide price, Edmund de Wall, £600- 900, sold for £1900 and some well under, Gordon Baldwin £3000-4000 sold for £2400. The auction was well attended and it was clear that many people were buying to support the cause, though there were specialised buyers there, interested in pieces with very strong connections to the Leach pottery, and some of the pieces by Japanese potters sold very well."

The piece Anne sold is illustrated in Jane Perryman’s new book "Smoke Firing" as part of a firing sequence. Anne is shown here with some of her most recent work.