Australian studio pottery china painting, 1986

Component identifier:

Series 1

Content Summary:

In 1986 Timms' study Australian studio pottery china painting was published by Oxford University Press. This series comprises research materials amassed while writing the book, which had its origins in a 1978 exhibition entitled 'Australian Pottery, 1900-1950' he had curated for the Shepparton Art Gallery.

The first part of the series consists of approximately 850 file cards containing handwritten notes on some 400 Australian potters working prior to World War II. The cards are arranged alphabetically and are noted with their source of information.

The latter component of papers is made up of subject files documenting pre-war Australian pottery and china painting. They include a sequence of alphabetically arranged files by artists' names which contain reviews, articles, handwritten notes, photographs and exhibition catalogues. Of special interest are biographical letters dispersed through the folders, which were exchanged with some of the potters, their relatives or descendants.

Other topics documented in the series include the history of state technical education, the activities of arts and craft societies, nineteenth century commercial and industrial potteries, nationalist motifs, post-war supply legislation on importation of pottery and porcelain, and Asian influences on Australian ceramics. Filed at the end of the folders are 200 black and white photographs used as illustrations in the book, together with colour transparencies.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers of curator, gallery director and writer Peter Timms were purchased by the National Library in April 2000.

Names:

Peter Timms

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