Catalogue of the Additional Papers of bernard leach
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171 She is in process of canvassing her family for useful names of possibly interested parties for BL's London "shows": If Hamada and Matsubayashi decide to tour England before going abroad, they might be interested to visit Coleshill and the Oxford area generally: "There is a deal of rather jolly old building at that edge of the Cotswold country & we could motor them round a bit. And Coleshill itself is rather interesting as a house". Good wishes for Hamada's kiln, and BL's too. "Peter" joins in good wishes to the Leaches. 11898 1923 Kishida Rinsei in Kyoto to BL, c/o W. Stake Oct 27 Murray, in Brocktey, S.E.4., in the aftermath of the earthquake. He and his family are safe, and have moved to Kyoto. Friends Yanagi, Nagayo, Kono, etc., are also safe. Postcard. On dorse, reproduction of a painting by Kishida Rinsei of his daughter Riko. Japanese, translated by BL.
Nov 8 to “Dear Skinner" [at the Pottery], about payment for certain bowls. Good wishes to the Skinners — one of H.B's Raku bowls is for them,"—but take my advice & throw it into the river. —I want the other bowls more as examples of how bowls ought not [sic] to be made than as examples of the potter's craft. The deuce take such bowls. There are too many bowls in the world anyhow". Signs "Henry Bergen".
Nov 28 to "Dear Skinner" [at the Pottery], Thanks him for sending his Raku bowls. He hopes to be in St. Ives for the first firing of the new kiln. BL's show "—has gone off fairly well [at the Three Shields Gallery?] - not brilliantly perhaps, but three weeks have been better than two. The Paterson Gallery is better for selling -especially for good pieces". Signs "H.B."
Dec 12 Sutton Court] to BL, seeking advice on how to Sprinkle gold powder on to lacquer. He entertained Kawasaki
Dec 16 the drawing explaining the application of gold-dust [see HB's letter of 12 Dec], and reporting on the visit to Ditchling, and another to the "[Eric] Gill - [Douglas] Pepler establishment"; HB confesses he was in an argumentative mood there; Gill would appear not to admire Thomas Toft's irregular lettering; there followed tea with the Partridges at Brangwyn's house. HB gives a rip-roaring account of a supper at Murray's house, in the company of Hamada, Kawasaki, McCance and Dimitri Mitrinovic - the latter an occultist ("Good Lord what next!"): "I think he must be a practising occultist to judge from the high opinions he has of his contemporaries - Bertrand Russell he considers a calamity, no good word for Shaw, Havelock Ellis, Sidney Webb or anybody apparently in all the wide world. But he certainly does not practise the silence of Zen. —If M.. [sic] is a rich man I should call him a crank, if he is a professional occultist I should call him a charlatan"; nevertheless, HB likes him and acknowledges that he is a man of some learning. Murray does not apparently think over much of "S" of the Artificers' Guild. A farewell supper, or Tokiwa, is being given for Hamada by Kawasaki shortly. Seasonal greetings. Signs "Bergen".
photographs for the Ehrich Gallery (U.S.A.), and enquiring whether or no an article on the exhibition 11904-11915 1924, March 15, to 1926, May 5 173 (Paterson Gallery?] has appeared in the Burlington Magazine or The Connoisseur. Margarita C. Lucius, initially in Didsbury, Manchester, but latterly (from 27 Aug 1924), at "Rakou" [a subtle compliment to BL] in Welwyn Garden City, Herts, to BL. Many enthusiastic references to BL's book [A Review. 1909-1914?]. which he lends, and finally gives, to her, much to her delight, and from which she has gained much inspiration on the mystical plane. Her physical health has mitigated against her taking up formal training as an artist, but she is a singer (her tutor is Frederic Erie); she dimly remembers meeting Dr. Hoyle [BL's uncle and father-in-law]; expresses fears for BL's Japanese friends in the earthquake. Several references to Hamada, Matsubayashi and Mr. Skinner, whose death moves her greatly. She becomes increasingly enthusiastic for BL's and Hamada's pots -indeed, her spelling improves in proportion — "selidon" actually becomes "celadon"! Miss [Dorothy] Kemp receives several honourable mentions. She recommends most warmly to BL a young man of her acquaintance, artistically gifted, named Raymond Barnett. Sadly, a proposed meeting between Miss Lucius and BL is thwarted by the General Strike! 11 letters plus 1 fragment. 11916 [1924?] Sept 2 A.L. Sadly (Sadley?) in Tokyo, to BL. Life in Tokyo still fairly reasonable; BL's old pottery is still functioning under Naka's management - Naka has spent some time in Korea and China and plans to return to China; Hasegawa has produced quite a lot of "seiji" and "raku"; Yanagi is still busy creating a museum of Korean art at Seoul; A.L.S. has purchased some Korean pots at Izumo. He has visited the Rakuzan kiln at Matzue, and describes it and its history - there is now a 7-chambered [climbing?] kiln there kept by a potter who is ninth-generation from Funai, who established it in 1790; "—he does good work & beloved by the teamen. —He is quite a good sort & very merry at all times". A.L.S. surprised a Japanese friend with his knowledge of pottery and its technical terms, "— whereat I remarked that it was under your august shadow that I learned them". He sees [G.C.] Singh occasionally, and plays the flute in a newly-formed
174 orchestral society - "I am glad they have chosen about the most humorous fellow in the place for conductor, or time is the weak point of most of us & we get some quaint results at times. My efforts are much reinforced by the oboe player who sits next me [sie] & the strains of whose instrument are —sufficient to pierce even an Armageddon of enraged monkeys". In his spare time, he is studying the Tea ceremony [with a view to publication?]. Becoming a mite bored with Japan, he has applied for a post teaching Japanese at the "London College of Oriental Languages" [sic], but this intention is confidential at the moment. He finds that publishing books and articles in Japan is unsatisfactory because the printers are so bad. He has not been able to see Byas since the vacation - he may go to China for a while, as might also A.L.S. himself. The "Japanese Rockfeller" [sic] has been murdered by a "gang of patriots [who] have their plans for sending some other merchant princes to reign in the place where the temperature is nearer the melting point for their coin than here, & there is consternation among them in consequence. Every country has it [sic] own way of settling these industrial questions, it appears. —What I wish is that they would start on the retail tradesmen - If one or two of them were crucified — prices might come down"! The few strikes have not amounted to much. Hopes BL and his "augmented family" are settling down in Cornwall, and enquires after BL's "Japanese assistant" [Hamada]. He has been contributing translations of works by Mushakoji and Shiga to the local papers, and feels that it might be worth while to "publish them at home one day" in a volume. All good wishes and apologies for "this evil scrawl" [hear! hear!]. 11917-11920 1924 Matsubayashi T[surunoske] in Paris, to BL September ["Matsu" was apparently known for his somewhat pedantic and humourless earnestness, and for an enthusiastically fluent, rather than accurate, use of English. BL had a great affection and respect for him.] The strictures begin at once: "I am really pleased to hear from Miss Bouverie about your another firing going on very shortly. I hope it going to be very succesfull & it must not be forgotten the packing the Kiln is not too high up like always you do so, & every bodies are getting on nicer & niner [sie]"; he is sight-seeing Paris, and liking it: "—I find out so pity to leave the Paris such a only 175 seeing sight & I ought study little more for Artistic line in Paris & rather fortunatelly I find out a rather nice room & some advantage for photographic convenience & addition to very nice people by myself, and he intends to stay for a month. His pronunciation has landed him in a mess: "—I am rather regret say which I am suffering some difficulty out of my pronanciation which impossible to pronance their word & 1 & r by Japanese [,] one day rather too kind French man very kindly took me to the one of hospital when I asked on the way to get Grande-Chaumierfe, document holed] to him because he does not understand which I said Grande is Grande or Glande & the French word of Glande means the boil & I haven't any boil in my all over body what ever & it made me more difficult to get there". His French is progressing with "extrowdinally spead", but he is more comfortable in English-speaking company. There is sterner stuff in store: "I have forwafrded] coppy of particuler information for the Sieving Ar[range] -ment compare with Wet method & dry method. I think that also already in hand of you this time, but excuse for my in English which I made lot of misstake in that but I hope you will under stand very well, & I hope you going to lend it to Mr. Murray [Wm. Staite Murray] for few weeks if you can spare of it because I am extreamly [st]rong suggestion to him about the Stoneware body which his body is not nice at all, however he likes this" [so much for W.S.M.!]; he is continuing to make friends [how easy that must have been!], and signs off, before his magnificent signature, "—please tell this to Miss Mason which I am getting on nicer & nicer & please give my kind regard to all my dear friend & with my best wishes —". In the second, he acknowledges receipt, and gives a rough translation, of Hamada's letter, in which the latter says [selon Matsu] that he is"—spinning a potters wheel every day at a little Pottery village Mashiko", but that he hopes get a "good House" of his own, price permitting; after the winter, Hamada says he" —will ask the openion to my friends, & I will decid my scheem by myself; H. "—saw an exhibition in tokyo which open by Kawai & another an exhibition by Tomimoto but I don't think it is not my right way & shall get a good shop for me in Tokyo; etc " [sic], Matsu goes on in his own right with some shrewd advice to BL: "I don't think you can have a good saccesful exhibition in Tokyo in the future five years time because they are building the house or to get 176 furnitures are more nesesally than ornamental Pots, & the population of the Tokyo much smoller than "Osaka" since Grait earthquake, & so many people are not rich enough to educate their own boys & girls to the school because their all fortune are has been losed by the earthquak"; the Japanese weather is continuing to give concern: "The weather does not wet whole last summer even a drop of rain & every thing dried up & no water at all even for the drinking & it is graitest dried wether since last seventy years addition to having awfully heavy earthquake every where"; even a change of capital city is bruited: "—Japanese governmental openion's gradualy learning on to the Capital transfer to Kyoto"; the rice harvest has been a failure, and "— still good nomber of awfully bad gods playing in Japan very bad", so BL had better think again about a Tokyo exhibition! The third letter is undated: "I like the Paris very much indeed & I should think the nicest city in the world"! He has sent BL some information on Japanese pottery wheels, but apologises that"—I have made lot of misstake in that English I have findout them by myself but very unfortunately I haven't enough of time for write again that information for you because in the daytime I want to see the as many as possible places & in the night I want develop & printting & addition to study for French speaking even few a minuts". He finds Thos. Cook's tour too elaborate, and "—the French Guid speak's English is not quite right & rather French English but much better than nothing"! "I was my breath away when I saw the Paintting by Murillo — & it is really above the words of express in anyway —". But Paris as a whole pleases him, "—but I feel so difficult to cross the road because great nomber of morter cars are runnings very high speed"; French cuisine, he approves of, but shrewdly observes that what one gets in a restaurant, depends largely on how one orders; in the main, his "awfull broken French" serves him well. Cardew's Persian pot is for sale at 200-500 francs; prices in antique shops are high. The fourth letter lacks the first page: he is by now in Germany - "I don't like Berlin at all just after to see through Brussels, Antwerp & Rotterdam, Delft & den Haag, Amsterdam etc, & I think Paris is the Flower in life but Berlin is the mould & life out & can be make any nomber of very systematic & very extreamly symmetrical things out of that mould Berlin "- this in spite of the multiplicity of museums, institutions and libraries; he feels that 177 Germans are too "moulded" and stereotyped, although "—I like German's exactness very much that is some thing I can agree with them —"; he is very impressed with Holland and its "costomes & costumes", and gives a potted history of the country, with particular reference to Delft and Delft-ware (including by comparison, God help us all, "Bristle Delft"!); he deplores the decay of the Delft factories. "Almost Dutch people are very nice"; he was fortunate to make friends with the "propoeter" of his hotel and the whole family of 3 sons and 5 daughters (apart from a French-speaking wife, with whom he obviously got on famously)" — & eldest daughter about same size of Mrs. Hoorne & enjoys with visitors pretty good". He finishes: "please excuse finishing letter in spite of not compleat yet". One cannot but be staggeringly impressed by Matsubayashi, as he emerges from these letters, for his tremendous enthusiasm and endearingly wayward volubility. 11921 1924 Henry Lamb [M.C., R.A.] in Poole, to BL, whom he Oct 12 hopes will visit him, with Muriel. He is sorry to hear of BL's financial difficulties - tribulations which he has been lucky enough to avoid. He liked what he saw of BL's "new house" - "I liked the place (as much as I can like Cornwall) —". He regrets having missed BL's exhibitions, but was very pleased with Hamada's. Good wishes to both.
Nov 14 Oxon, to BL. He will be very glad to see BL in June. A cheery and joking letter: he would not mind being on the Board of Guardians, or the Parents' League (as he is not a parent, the Husbands' League does very well -he is "—treasurer of that & pay most of my Bills with the salary"!), if there was profit in it. He has flown from Rotterdam to Copenhagen, and spent a night at Lloyd George's house —" Bey[on]d this there's nothing, but that the Ducks are laying". Suggests that BL should photograph the people who buy his pots (as John Murray does to people who buy books), put the photographs in an album, and then the two of them could hawk it around on foot at Christmas, "sleeping in haystacks & spitting on other people's land, & cursing every time we see a Parson. Well its [sic] a queer
Dec 23 She is a student at the Royal College of Arts; her tutor, Miss [Dora] Billington, has advised her to see BL's workshop; this she now seeks to do.
Dec 28 Coleshill House to BL whom she addresses as "Mr. Leach". Expresses great gratitude "from both of us" for all his help and instruction during the year. Goes on to seek further enlightenment about "Matsu's plan" for a firing pit. Incomplete.
Bay, to "Dear Kishida", begun in January (following the earthquake,) and continuing in December. References to Tomimoto, Hamada and Yanagi. Unfinished. 11926 1925 Reginald G. Brumstrit (?) in Skipton-in-Craven, to Jan 1 BL. Regrets he has lost touch with BL and Turvey; he himself has succeeded artistically and commercially; a neighbouring artist, John S. Atherton from Grassington, leaves for St. Ives on the following day, and BL may meet him; keen enquiries about "Percy" [is this another of Turvey's names ?]; good wishes to both.
July 12 at Providence House, Carbis Bay, St. Ives. Postcard. Mention of "the London affair" and the words of one
—".
11928-11930 1925
July 20 & Octl6 Major J.J. O"B. Sexton, Secretary of the Japan Society, Russell Square, W.C. 1., to BL. Hugh Byas, a member of Council, has suggested BL as a speaker; he encloses a membership form for the Society (present). In the second, formally invites BL to read a paper on: "My personal experiences in becoming a potter in Japan", on a date in April, 1926. 11931-11933 1925 Aug 5 to Oct 10 Leo K. Baker at St. Dominic's, Ditchling Common, Sussex, to BL. In the first, he apologises for the delay in "sending the Chinese extracts", caused by his dyeing silk for ties; he and Eileen [his wife?] are shortly to take a stall in the Ditchling Handworkers' Market; the trials and errors necessary to get the right texture (even Mrs. Mairet had thought it impossible); success has been achieved, however, and Cardew has seen the results -he has also suggested that BL might be prepared to swap ties for "that marvellous Korean square"; various anecdotes. In the second (23 Aug 1925), more about the Korean square: BL's suggestion of only 2 ties in lieu, quite overwhelms him; maybe they can settle on 3, when the Ditchling show is over! In the third, BL's weaver, Luned, will have told him of "our unexpected resolve" (L.K.B. later says: "I am busy weaving Eileen's dress"); he requires some BL tableware; the ties will follow when the "present excitement" is over. 3 items.
11934 1925
Nov 22 F.C. Thorp in Gay Street, Bath, to BL, enclosing anagrams of BL's name, and a numerological chart. The "anagrams" consist of 2 poems, each of 18 lines of iambic pentameter, the first letters of each line amounting to "Bernard Howell Leach". 11935 [c. 1925?] Leo Baker to BL. He had hoped to see BL "—before or after Manchester", to give him some "very interesting news". However, he will confide all, in a letter shortly. Has had a good report of BL's successful summer from Michael [Cardew?]
180 11936 [post 1925] Norah Braden (?) to BL. Her life is hectic May 27 just now: an appendectomy pending, and a recent firing with "Bim" [Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie], with a consequent trip to London with pots. Much about "Rothie" [Rothenstein] and his family, with whom she stayed during "Mo's" operation; the Rothensteins have spent a weekend with NB "Bim" (who "—doesn't like my friends - so its [sie] an awful bore for her poor darling -but I don't have people much —") and Michael Cardew. She ribs BL about his life-style: "—your life is more or less all one big holiday now isn't it. I'm so glad you're so happy and have hundreds of women at hand - and men if you want them". On her trip to the Zwemmer Gallery with pots [vide supra] she met Milner-White who irritated her with "false talk"; she also saw Marco - "vibratingly happy" with a new friend. Bergen is currently staying with Cardew.
May 1 to BL. Is keen to see BL and Muriel; he can accommodate them easily, but not for about 10 days - he is commuting to Berkshire, "—doing the group of a family which resides there", and having to re-visit to execute more studies for the "magnum opus" at his home. He has abandoned London, and has"—acquired a proper provincial ignorance & disdain for the life there & the many stirring events of the 'Art World'". He has sent 2 portraits to the Royal Academy, "— realising that I depend on them & that there could be no better advertisement". 11938 [1926] P[hilip] A. Mairet at Gospels, Ditchling, Sussex, to May 19 BL. He encloses a book for BL; also a petition, for which he requires signatures; P.A.M.'s feelings at the end of the [General] Strike - the singing of Blake's Jerusalem at the "time the Government superseded Samuels by Isaacs as chairman of the Coal Commission and no-one saw the humour of the situation"; seeks some writing on crafts for the "N.A."; a "Circle of Reformers" has been formed "which will be a group recruited from Distributists, Labourists, Craft-idealists, Ruralists and Credit-reformers". Good wishes.
11939
1926 May 29
181 Leo Baker at the "Rose & Crown", Campden, Glos, to BL. An exuberant letter - "—the looms are rattling" -and business is obviously booming (£40 during May!). Goods are being sent to BL, as per the accompanying schedule, and he is begged to return "the great unwanted" as soon as possible. He and wife Eileen greatly enjoyed BL's visit, and would like Mrs. Leach to accompany him next time: "What you both want, badly, is a little holiday to Wales in the late autumn -1 suggest Exeter, Bristol, Campden, Llanfairdolwengellywelly [sic!] - And then the same backwards". 11940-11941 1926
Aug 2 &21 "Topsy" Turvey at Pol Down, and under canvas at St. Anthony, Manaccan, both co. Cornwall, to BL ("Leachi Ling"!). Sorry to have missed his visit; they are shortly off to St. Anthony; the sketches are being produced "alright"; wishes him to send her a small watercolour-pad. In the second, their tribulations in a tent; their hopes of visiting Italy; wishes to hear about Tagore and the return home of Roland Leach. 11942 1926
Aug 27 Nellie Shaw at Whiteway, near Stroud, Glos, to BL. Seeks accommodation for a few nights - "Any kind of a shake down would do in a tent or out house "[sic]. Good wishes to Michael. 11943 1926 Oct 20 KatherinePleydell-Bouverie (K.P.B.) and "A.C.M." to "F Bernard Leach Esq" at the Leach Pottery. Postcard of William Blake's "Europe, a Prophecy, 1794, p.9." The message over the 2 sets of initials reads: "We feel that a cosy made in Raffia as a country cottage is what we have been blindly seeking all our lives"!
11944 1927 Feb 22 Harold F. Wood (?) in Harley Street, W.I., to BL, acknowledging his letter of sympathy on the passing of "B".
11945
1927 March 20 Henry Bergen (postcard) in New York, to BL in Golders Green. He has met Kawasaki (who adds a greeting in Japanese), and they have done some museum-visiting. Yüklə 1,36 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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