The Ceramics Collection contains national and international exhibition catalogues, conference and research papers, interviews with ceramicists, films of ceramic events, journals, books, exhibition ephemera, images and photographic slides, all related to the field of ceramics. The collection also contains several discreet collections within this overarching collection, the most significant being the Bernard Rackham Collection.
This research collection was established by Jeffrey Jones, Emeritus Professor of Ceramics at Cardiff School of Art and Design and Michael Hose (MA Ceramics Course Director 1981 – 2001 and Director of Graduate Studies, 1999 - 01). The collection arose from Jones’ research during his time as Ceramics Research Fellow 1998 – 2006 and continued into his role as Professor in Ceramics 2013-2015 at Cardiff Metropolitan University. The collection was initially established within Cardiff School of Art and Design and was then donated to the Howard Gardens Library in 2010, becoming part of the Special Collections, which then moved to the Llandaff campus library in 2014.
Many of the items in the collection, relate to research by Jones, however, he also encouraged his fellow staff members and students to contribute their research to the collection and he collected items that were of significance to the long history of teaching ceramics in Cardiff. The collection continues to grow with relevant material collected from Cardiff School of Art and Design and a focus on Welsh and Cardiff based ceramic practitioners.
Extent: 85 boxes and folders, plus items to be assessed.
Access: Some items are searchable via the library catalogue MetSearch. Many of the items are uncatalogued but may have finding aids. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
The Ceramics Collection also contains several discrete collections, which are listed below:
Bernard Rackham was Keeper of the Department of Ceramics at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1914 to 1938 (his brother was the illustrator Arthur Rackham). The Bernard Rackham Collection is an important, discrete collection within the overall Ceramics Collection in Cardiff. It consists of 68 books from Rackham’s private library. Many of them are signed limited editions and some contain loose archive material such as letters and associated personal papers. The collection was given to Cardiff School of Art and Design as a series of donations from Bernard Rackham’s family over a six-year period from 2002 to 2008. One of the most important items within the Rackham Collection is a publisher’s proof of a book entitled English Pottery, jointly authored by Bernard Rackham, and Herbert Read. The book is marked up in coloured pencils showing the contribution of each author.
Extent: 68 items
Access: Searchable via the library catalogue MetSearch.
The NACHE Archive was donated to the Ceramic Collection in 2003 by Alex McErlain. It includes documents dating from 1983-2002. A collection of papers; agendas and minutes of meetings, correspondence, financial reports. The collection also contains papers relating to various events that NACHE organised. Including Conferences: Research Matters Conference 1994, Learning and Dreaming Conference 1996. Exhibitions: Ceramic Contemporaries 1 (1993), Ceramic Contemporaries 2 (1996), Ceramic Contemporaries 3 (1998); includes documents, exhibition catalogues, invitations, posters, articles, slides of exhibitors’ work (Ceramic Contemporaries 3). Also, Ceramics 1988 and Saying It with Clay 1990
Extent: 11 boxes
Access: Searchable via the library catalogue MetSearch.
Research material: William Newland, Nicholas Vergette along with a collection of images.
This material was collected during the research period for the publication Studio Pottery in Britain 1900 – 2005 by Jeffrey Jones. This collection includes correspondence with publishers, papers, letters, photocopied articles, and exhibition catalogues. The material was also used as research for an article 'In Search of the Picassoettes' by Jeffrey Jones published in Interpreting Ceramics, Issue 1, 2000. The collection has research material on the following subject areas.
Jones originally proposed to write a book on William Newland, Nicholas Vergette and Margaret Hine but the publisher thought the topic too narrow. The project was expanded and later became “Studio Pottery: in Britain 1900 - 2005”. Some of the material is copied from the William Newland Archive which had a temporary home in Cardiff in 2001, before later been relocated to Central St. Martins Study Collection in 2007. This material includes correspondence, notes, papers, letters, photocopied articles, and exhibition catalogues.
Extent: 2 boxes and 2 folders.
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection.
Material gathered by Jeffrey Jones during research for a book. See entry on William Newland. The collection contains letters, photographs, slides, discs of images and an exhibition catalogue. Letter from Maria Gazzard donating items to Jones. Anne McConnell (Vergette’s sister) interviewed by Jones (see Audio/Visual Collection).
Extent: 1 box
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Images and ephemera relating to the book. The images, mostly on CD, were donated by individual artists, families, colleagues, and collectors. Some of the images were selected for the book, but many were not.
Extent: Approximately 60 CDs with related letters, notes etc.
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection. An inventory of material is available. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Interpreting Ceramics Research Collaboration (ICRC) was set up in 1999 by academic staff from four British Universities. Michael Hose and Jeffrey Jones, who were both part of the editorial team (Michael, 2000 – 2006), (Jeffrey, 2000 – 2016) represented UWIC in this collaborative project, which also included academic staff from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Bath Spa University College and the University of the West of England, Bristol. This resulted in a peer reviewed, international journal for ceramics to be published on the Internet, the first issue of ICRC was published online in September 2000.
The collection of material related to the online journal includes material for ICRC Symposium, submissions for Issues 1 (2000) to Issue 13 (2011), registrations, feedback, agendas and minutes of meetings (2001 – 2012)
Extent: 15 boxes
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
This collection contains material gathered by Jeffrey Jones from conferences held on or relating to the subject of ceramics between 1994 and 2012. The content varies for each conference and can include some or all of the following: conference pack for delegates, conference programme, material related to venues and speakers, hand-written notes made by Jeffrey Jones on speakers’ presentations, copies of papers given by Jeffrey Jones.
Extent: 4 boxes
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection. A hand list of contents is available. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
A collection of slides, some taken by Jones in the course of his research, many donated by individuals after presentations given at CSAD, or as a result of research for articles and conference papers.
Extent: 20 sheets
Access: Searchable via the library catalogue MetSearch
Many of these recordings were made during Jeffrey Jones’s role as research fellow and then lecturer in the Ceramics Department. Jones made recordings as part of his research, then encouraged other members of Ceramic Course staff and students to begin to record interviews with ceramicists in a systematic way. The resulting recordings (in a variety of formats such as CDs, DVDs and Mini DVDs) were deposited in the Ceramics Collection and date from the late 90’s to 2005.
Extent: 2 boxes
Access: Content is searchable via the library catalogue MetSearch. The recordings are digitised. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
A collection of slides which document students’ progress and completed work. Collected from Peter Starkey’s (Head of BA Ceramics) office in 2003, after his retirement.
Extent: Approx. 200 sheets of slides
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection. Many of the sheets are labelled with dates and names. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk
A collection of material generated from the conference, which was convened by Babette Martini, Natasha Mayo, Jeffrey Jones and Michael Hose in Cardiff, 29-30 June 2005. Tessa Adams was the keynote speaker. The pack includes a conference programme, a poster, cassette tape recordings of speakers. Papers from the conference were published in Interpreting Ceramics Issue No.8, 2005 Interpreting Ceramics : issue 8. To coincide with the conference an exhibition of the same title was curated by Babette Martini and a team from CSAD. A link to interviews with the exhibitors is also available from Interpreting Ceramics Issue No.8, 2005 and can be found on the associated website devised and written by Natasha Mayo www.fragmentedfigure.net
Extent: 1 box
Access: Cataloguing work yet to be undertaken on this collection. The cassette recordings have been digitised. For access, please contact: SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk