The Gallery at Dartington Estate has announced a temporary closure due to the theft of exhibits by pioneering British studio potter, Marianne deTrey.
Several of her ceramic works were stolen from the premises in the Granary Building.
The work belonged to private collectors who generously loaned them to the Dartington Trust for the exhibition – which has now been cut short.
The three pots were taken between 2pm on Saturday June 25 and 2pm on Sunday June 26.
The trust is appealing for anyone who was visiting the gallery during that time to email [email protected] if they noticed anything suspicious.
Emily Hoare, the trust’s creative director, said: “We are incredibly sad that someone would steal from an art exhibition.
“We were very lucky to have these pieces loaned to us, the two small pots belong to Tattwa, Marianne de Trey’s daughter, the larger one belongs to another local private collector, but they are all personal items with sentimental value.
“We very much hope that anyone with information will come forward and the pots can be returned to their owners.
“We opened this gallery as a free space for people to come and enjoy art and it is important for us to continue this.
“We are currently going through the process increasing security before reopening to the public.”
Marianne was a pioneering female potter, resident and working on the estate at Dartington for 65 years, in a cabin near the Cider Press which was originally built for Bernard Leach.
The exhibition was a retrospective of her work, showing the breadth of her talent and skill as a potter and artist and featuring unique one off pieces to sets of tableware, and from stoneware to porcelain.
Marianne was a founder member of the Craft Potters’ Association, helped to establish the Devon Guild and the Dartington Pottery Training Workshop, received numerous honours and was made a CBE in 2006.
She died aged 102 in 2016.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the stolen pottery can either contact the gallery using the email above or the police, quoting reference CR/59116/22, via email at [email protected] or phoning 101.