John Castle-Harris (1893-1967) is best known for his slipcast and modelled ceramic earthenware elaborately decorated with animal and floral forms. He was born on 13 May 1893 at North Waratah, NSW and died at Lawson, NSW on 7 April 1967. He was taught pottery by Una Deerbon (1882-1972) in Melbourne in the 1930s, and is believed to have worked at the Premier Pottery at Preston, Melbourne, before moving to Lawson in the Blue Mountains, NSW where he worked until his death. It is likely that Castle-Harris's ideas drew on the nineteenth century revival of interest, through the potteries of eg. Doulton & Co and the Martin Brothers in England, in the work of French potter Bernard Palissy (c1510-c1590) who decorated wares with eg. fish, frogs, snakes and lizards.

In Australia the modelling of native flora and fauna alongside mythical beasts like dragons was a characteristic of the work of art potters in the early 20th century, and John Castle-Harris was one of its strongest exponents. John Castle-Harris hyphenated his middle and last names, but signed his pots as 'Jack', or 'Castle Harris' without a hyphen. The Powerhouse Museum has a small number of his works, including a large ceramic platypus.

The kookaburra was designed and made by John Castle-Harris at Lawson, New South Wales, 1950-1967.

From the collection of Mrs Phillis Rigg, niece of John (Jack) Castle-Harris, and offered to the Museum by Mrs Rigg's daughter on behalf of herself and her brother. Mrs Rigg's mother was Castle-Harris's sister.

Figure, kookaburra, earthenware, coloured glazes, made by John Castle-Harris, Lawson, New South Wales, Australia, 1950-1967

Kookaburra form slipcast in earthenware and glazed in white, brown, grey and blue glazes, perched upon a tree stump base with aqua, brown and white glaze, with incised details. The maker's name is inscribed on the base.

Designed: Castle-Harris, John;

Made: Castle-Harris, John; Lawson, New South Wales; 1950 - 1967

Maker's name on base, handwritten 'Castle - / Harris'

2002/135/2

155 mm

190 mm

110 mm