AN AMAZING SCULPTURAL DOUBLE, FOUR POSTER BED BY ARTIST RON HITCHINS DECORATED WITH 3582 UNIQUE HANDMADE CERAMIC TILES
An amazing sculptural double, four poster bed by artist Ron Hitchins decorated with 3582 unique handmade ceramic tiles. Entirely hand made by sculptor Ron Hitchins (1926-2019) in 1976 for his personal use the bed is directly from his estate. It is made from wood and hand decorated with 3,582 totally unique hand-made 2” ceramic tiles finished in ‘Antique Leather’ colour. Ron made each tile individually and and fried them in a small kiln in his basement, so each one is totally unique and a one off. Each 2" tile is a totally unique piece of art on it's own and no two tiles are the same design. He used these tiles to create a wide range of pieces from lamps, mirrors and even a large backgammon table. With their unusual Aztec inspired look combined with the new Brutalism of the era, they all have a totally unique look and feel, that encapsulate the time in which he lived and worked.
He constructed the bed as a birthday present to himself for his 50th birthday and took 15 hours a day over the course of three months to construct. The bed was exhibited in the 1970's and Harrods offered Ron £4,000 for the bed in 1981. There are copies of the orignal plans available with it.
Ron was a prolific artist working in and a selection of important pieces are to be exhibited in the London Victoria & Albert museum private collection. They have a smaller version of the bed, which he made for his cat, in their collection.
He has sold at Christie’s and Bonham’s amongst others and his work has appeared in the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ and been featured in Magazines and newspapers from
Born in the 1920s in London, Ron Hitchins moved to Hackney aged 13 and started a market stall on the infamous Ridley Road, He was known as ‘The Flash’ he was a colourful character in London’s East end. He started to design small terracotta necklaces with interesting abstract designs that he sold on his stall. From this a developed a career as an artist.
He also he also worked with fibreglass. His designs were often inspired by foreign design influences, notably Aztec. He made some large beautiful sculptural pieces, most of which hung all over his house, both inside and out. Although much loved as an artist, Hitchins was first and foremost known as an avid Flamenco dancer. He almost single-handedly introduced London to this form of dancing in the 1950s and 60s and until his death in 2019 he remained an active member of the Flamenco Dance scene. Claudine Roux, Andrew Tullis and Lucy Cash directed a short film about his life called ‘Made in Hackney’
He constructed the bed as a birthday present to himself for his 50th birthday and took 15 hours a day over the course of three months to construct. The bed was exhibited in the 1970's and Harrods offered Ron £4,000 for the bed in 1981. There are copies of the orignal plans available with it.
Ron was a prolific artist working in and a selection of important pieces are to be exhibited in the London Victoria & Albert museum private collection. They have a smaller version of the bed, which he made for his cat, in their collection.
He has sold at Christie’s and Bonham’s amongst others and his work has appeared in the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ and been featured in Magazines and newspapers from
Born in the 1920s in London, Ron Hitchins moved to Hackney aged 13 and started a market stall on the infamous Ridley Road, He was known as ‘The Flash’ he was a colourful character in London’s East end. He started to design small terracotta necklaces with interesting abstract designs that he sold on his stall. From this a developed a career as an artist.
He also he also worked with fibreglass. His designs were often inspired by foreign design influences, notably Aztec. He made some large beautiful sculptural pieces, most of which hung all over his house, both inside and out. Although much loved as an artist, Hitchins was first and foremost known as an avid Flamenco dancer. He almost single-handedly introduced London to this form of dancing in the 1950s and 60s and until his death in 2019 he remained an active member of the Flamenco Dance scene. Claudine Roux, Andrew Tullis and Lucy Cash directed a short film about his life called ‘Made in Hackney’