Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye

Kunstkammer Köster, Mönchengladbach
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Alev Siesbye: Stentøj, exh. cat., Copenhagen, 1983, n.p. for related examples

Overall excellent condition. The bowl has been inspected under ultra violet light and it appears that no visible restoration has been undertaken.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

It was in her native Istanbul that Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye discovered her love for ceramics, but it was in Denmark, her home for many years, that she learned to refine her technique, under the guidance of master potter Nils Thorsson at the Royal Copenhagen Manufactory. Siesbye’s oeuvre can be considered exclusive in every way, as she produces exclusively stoneware pots using the coil technique, which are then finished on the wheel. Although her pieces take on many different shapes, from low, wide forms to high, rotund vessels, the ‘pot’ remains at the core of her oeuvre: ‘I am obsessional – I do nothing but pots.’ This form, combined with the stoneware and glaze, are the defining elements of Siesbye’s work:  ”It’s important to understand the materials that you use. You cannot do good work if the material is not good. Clay and glazes need understanding. You need a dialogue with them. You personalise them. They are like your handwriting.”