Good wishes to everyone as activities all over the country are being resumed as the Covid restrictions are eased.
Since we last wrote in June last year we have been progressing our quest for a permanent home for The Soper Collection.
With guidance from Arts Council England and Art Fund we have been touch with many galleries and museums. All responses have been encouraging. Whilst some galleries are restricted either by their acquisition policy or by the space requirement to house the collection, we are delighted to say that some galleries are interested in acquiring the whole collection. Others would wish to acquire a specific part of the collection relating to their focus should we decide to split. So, more discussion is needed, but the enthusiastic encouragement we have received is just exactly that – most encouraging – and we are justifiably hopeful of a most appropriate home being found.
In the meantime, we have two lovely items to report. One is relating to Robert Gillmor, the distinguished bird artist and creator of our Logo. Since our last newsletter Robert has had a somewhat troubling time going in and out of hospital. We are delighted to report that he is at last back home again with access to his beloved family and studio. His wife has also been unwell but is now making good progress. Our best wishes go to both.
The other item is in relation both to Eva and to Eileen Soper. The author, Colin Millett, who has written books on Royal Worcester Porcelain for the Royal Worcester Porcelain Company, has in the last months written a book entitled: ‘Ladies of the Porcelain’. In his own words: “The Soper Collection has recently provided significant assistance to enable me to write in some detail about Eva and Eileen Soper in my latest book”.
The focus of this book is to celebrate the outstanding work and contributions of a number of women modellers and painters, who played their part in ensuring Royal Worcester’s worldwide reputation in the field of ceramic production throughout the twentieth century.
In this respect, Eva and Eileen Soper’s work on behalf of this great factory is covered in some detail in Colin’s book. Whether it is Eva’s life-like models of birds or Eileen’s ‘Wartime Series’ of models which sought to capture the realities of war for children at that time, images of the pieces they produced for Royal Worcester can be seen in some detail on a number of pages dedicated to the two sisters, who made such a contribution to the Worcester success story.
Colin chose ‘The Porcelain’ as part of the title for his new book as ‘The Porcelain’ was the endearing term used by the Worcester factory workers when asked by others where they worked. Everyone seemed to know that ‘The Porcelain’ referred to this great factory situated as it was within the city of Worcester.
In the ‘Recommendations’ section towards the end of his book, Colin will be recommending to readers of his latest book that they should consider visiting The Soper Collection website – www.thesopercollection.org – to learn more about the remarkably talented and artistic members of the Soper family. That is very kind of Colin and we welcome the inclusion as so much more should be known about the sisters’ wide-ranging talents together with those of their father.
Colin’s final book draft is currently with and being prepared by the printers.
It is hoped that ‘Ladies of ‘The Porcelain’ will be published in early November this year.
This book, like his previous two*, already on sale at the Museum of Royal Worcester, can be bought, when available, by visiting the Museum’s website at www.museumofroyalworcester.org (*Colin’s other books are – ‘Worcester Porcelain: A Collector’s Tale’ and ‘The Wonder of Worcester: An Illustrated History’).
We have no hesitation in recommending this evocative and illuminating account and particularly as the work of Eva, Eileen and the other artists/modellers has long been unsung.
We look forward to updating you in due course as we continue to progress the finding of a permanent home for The Soper Collection.
With very best wishes,
Geoff Lindsey-Smith, (Chair) Jane Gosling, Joy Baker (Trustees/Directors of The Soper Collection)
