Reg Kempton, New Zealand's First Glass Artist?

Arguably our first studio glass artist was Reg Kempton (1897 - 1987), an English glassmaker who began work in the family glass factory in London as a boy of 15 in 1913. Reg’s story is a fascinating one, though I can only present an outline here. He certainly deserves greater recognition than he has yet received – as far as I know there is not a single piece of his work in any public collection in New Zealand, though I am pleased to have several.

After World War II, Reg decided there was no future in England and so he moved to live for a while in Australia, and then set up a diesel fired furnace and coke fired lehr in a studio at Havelock in the Marlborough Sounds in 1963. His wife Ellen delighted in playing “punty boy” to his “gaffer”. In fact, according to their friends, she did a great deal of the “donkey work”, including the hand labelling of the pieces which she came to insist was an essential marketing tool. His earlier work is not marked at all.

Reg’s kiln and studio was built in a lean to behind his house in rural Marlborough. Although the house remains, no trace of the kiln now survives there. Reg Kempton died in Thames in 1987, aged 90.

I first saw pieces in collections owned by his neighbours, then found some in Blenheim second hand shops. Now I am confident I can recognise them even on TradeMe - I have bought several there, and identified pieces for others.

Tony Kuepfer sculpture - a major acquisition

I've been really pleased to be able to buy a major sculpture, made by Tony Kuepfer in 1983. Tony exhibited at the Canterbury Society of Arts, and decided to create a show of figure sculptures - 'I surprised them in Christchurch that year when there were 16 of these and not a goblet in sight', he has told me. One of these pieces, 'Violetta' was purchased by the then McDougall Art Gallery in Christchurch - you can see it at http://www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/Collection/Articles/Glass/

'Violetta' has 'legs' a third piece below the body, while 'Grandmother' is compete with just body and head. She is 50cm high, and 30cm square at the base.

A dealer in Hawkes Bay contacted me, seeking an identification and valuation of the piece. Email negotiations, including Tony's confirmation of the ID and comments on price, lead to the acceptance of an offer, and Grandmother's safe journey North.

I'd love to learn the whereabouts of any others of the original 16.

Collecting NZ glass

I began collecting New Zealand glass after I relocated to Auckland from Dunedin in 1979. There was no art glass being made in Dunedin then, so seeing art glass made in New Zealand was a real thrill. I still have all eight of the ruby stemmed wine glasses made by Garry Nash that I bought in John Abbott's shop 'The Kiln' in Parnell Rd in 1980.