The Peter Dingley Collection - December 2019
26/07/2019
An introduction to Peter Dingley, and his collection, written by Art critic and Curator David Whiting 
Peter Dingley M.B.E. (1923-2018) was one of the leading promoters of British art and craft. His famous gallery in Stratford-upon-Avon, which operated from 1966-1991, showed a wide range of applied arts, but concentrated particularly on studio ceramics, showcasing potters such as Bernard Leach, Lucie Rie, and Hans Coper. Peter was a remarkable member of the small band of post-war pioneering gallerists who supported British ceramics, and although he never thought of himself as a ‘collector’ as such, he acquired many fine pieces over the years. These included important pots by Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Joanna Constantinidis, and John Ward, as well as a good collection of 19th and 20th-century pictures. Artists on his walls included Frances Hodgkins, Edward Ardizzone, and John Varley.
Peter asked me to sell his collection of pots and pictures after his death, and, true to his ethos, to give the proceeds to two charities that would benefit living potters and artists. To this end I am delighted to be working with Mallams, and we hope and trust that a generous amount will be raised for the causes to which Peter’s life was devoted.
Left: A John Ward pot, decorated with green concentric lines
Right: Two Lucie Rie vases, stoneware with pitted glazes
