LATE 19TH CENTURY

John Pearson (1859-1930) was a founding member of The Guild of Handicraft and was recorded as the first senior metalworker. He operated for most of his life from a workshop on Hanway St, near Tottenham Court Road, London, and was considered to be representative of the Arts & Crafts ideal. Pearson is also recorded as having worked for William de Morgan, which is not surprising given the skilfully produced lustre-ground ceramics for which he is known (see lots 200-203). In the early 1890s Pearson took a position teaching at the Newlyn School and it is likely that the inspiration for his marine themes which came from teaching fishermen metalwork during this period (B. Coleman, ibid, pp. 119-127).