JOHN PIPER C.H. (BRITISH 1903-1992) §
TABLE, c. 1957-9
Estimate: £2,500 - £3,500
Auction: Modern Made Day 2 - Lots 124 to 456 - Friday 02 May at 11:00
Description
signed (lower right), ceramic mosaic and painted metal
Dimensions
41cm high, 107cm wide, 46.5cm deep (16 1/8in high, 42 1/8in wide, 18 ¼in deep)
Provenance
The previous owner's family acquired it for Roundwood House in Harefield, Middlesex. Designed by Keith Roberts in 1956, the house featured a kitchen by the then-emerging designer Terence Conran. An architect's drawing of the house was included in Leslie Jackson's book The New Look: Design in the Fifties, published by Thames & Hudson to accompany exhibitions at Manchester City Art Gallery in 1991 and Glasgow Art Gallery in 1992.
Bonham's, London, British Cool, 3 March 2022, lot 78, where acquired by the current owner.
Footnote
In 1957, Piper encountered artist Martin Froy working on a mosaic mural at the Kingston workshop of Dennis M. Williams & Co. Inspired by the project, Williams—whose family had a history as 'Freeman Tilers'—suggested that he and Piper collaborate on designing tables. Their goal was to reintroduce mosaic as a contemporary decorative art form, a trend that gained momentum in the late 1950s and 1960s as many civic and commercial buildings incorporated mosaics into their public spaces.
With the expertise of Williams' principal assistant, Mrs. Grace Grove, materials such as vitreous glass, ceramic, and porcelain were sourced from Italy, Sweden, Spain, and India. Some tiles were custom-made to Piper's specifications, including a deep monastral blue and a soft pale yellow. Thanks to the workshop’s technical capabilities, Piper was able to translate his artistic vision directly into mosaic compositions. He remained deeply involved in the process, meticulously arranging the individual tesserae in each project.