17/04/2025 General News, Timed-Online Auctions
LEFT: Lot 130: Candle holder with two monkeys | R 5 000 - 7 000
RIGHT: Lot 128: Bird and warthog | R 6 000 - 8 000
When Zulu storytelling meets European ceramic traditions, the result is Ardmore. A wild and wonderful explosion of colour, creatures, and captivating stories, all baked into clay! Think intricate leaves, flowers, and animals emerging from a riot of dots and lines; it’s theatrical, folkloric and strangely natural.
While there is no single or ‘typical’ Ardmore object, there is a basic notion embodied that runs through each work: storytelling. Each ceramic object whether decorative or functional, is a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted marvel, bursting with rhythm, colour, and narrative. The stories shaped in clay touch on themes of daily life, social issues, folklore, and the rich biodiversity of the African continent.
Lot 139: Leopard teapot | R 3 000 - 5 000
Founded in 1985 by Fée Halsted, on a farm in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains, Ardmore ceramics are deeply rooted in their surroundings, echoing the region’s landscape, wildlife, and people.
Fée began by teaching and working alongside Bonnie Ntshalintshali, the daughter of the farm’s housekeeper. Their unique collaboration soon drew national attention when they won the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist award in 1990.
More than three decades later, now with over 60 artists working alongside Fée, the studio still thrives on the collaborative spirit that shaped its beginnings. Each piece is generally the work of two to four ceramic artists; a thrower, a sculptor, and a painter; whose efforts harmonise so seamlessly that the finished piece seems the work of a single artist.
Frame 1: Lot 137: Antelope egg holder | R 2 000 - 3 000
Frame 2: Lot 133: Zebra egg holders, a pair | R 2 000 - 3 000
Frame 3: Lot 135: Camel egg holders | R 2 000 - 3 000
Frame 4: Lot 136: Giraffe egg holder | R 2 000 - 3000
Today, Ardmore has expanded beyond ceramics. The studio has ventured into luxury homeware and even collaborated with Hermès to create silk scarves; their designs, featuring the flora and fauna of Africa have taken the world by storm. Ardmore has also been featured at the Korean and Istanbul Biennales, and in prominent public collections such as the Museum of Art & Design in New York and the Museum of Cultures in Basel. The largest American collection is housed at the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts in South Florida. These milestones reflect not only the studio’s artistic excellence but also its global appeal.
In South Africa, Ardmore is considered a national treasure. Its ceramics are often presented as diplomatic gifts to international dignitaries, including notable examples that have found their way into the collections of the British Royal Family and within the White House.
Lot 140: Teapot | R 8 000 - 12 000
The upcoming AUTUMN online sale features a joyful collection of Ardmore pieces, including, a delightful selection of quirky wild-animal egg holders; a charming Candle holder with two mischievous monkeys, clinging to its sides and a pouting purple teapot, with iridescent scales and fins, which looks like an underwater dream.
Expect heartfelt, handmade ceramics, intricately illustrated with whimsical, witty depictions of African animals and plants; each one a celebration of the spirit of collaboration, creativity, and storytelling that defines Ardmore.
Mtha Poni
Auction
AUTUMN ' 25: BEYOND BOUNDARIES
17 to 30 April 2025
Discover more from AUTUMN '25: Beyond Boundaries
SALE ENQUIRIES
Cape Town: +27 21 422 5100 | amy@aspireart.net
Johannesburg: +27 10 109 7989 | carina@aspireart.net