Dirk van Erp exhibit: photographs

The van Erp Exhibit: Dirk van Erp Copper Shop has been extended and will be on view through January 18th. There are over two hundred pieces of the studio's work on exhibit. It's been great fun for me to gather and live with these pieces over the last forty years and now be able to share it all. I hope many more people will take the opportunity while it is here to come and see so much fine San Francisco copper gathered together in one place. For some unknown reason, our museums haven't accomplished that yet. But I have: here, for a short time. For a long time, I've want to see to it that this core grouping remains together for the public to see well after I have left the scene...That means I have to locate a museum which wants to house it, but first, I need to get museums interested in seeing it... I've invited curators from the De Young and the Legion of Honor here in San Francisco. Now I'll reach out to other museums, the Museum of Modern Art here, The Oakland Museum, and any others you out there might suggest. I'm focused on the Bay Area first. Those of you who feel the same about this exhibit, please feel free to call these museums and suggest they come see to the exhibit and then, perhaps consider acquiring it and giving the collection a permanent home. Thanks.

An overview of the exhibition room.

Artillery shell vases and a grouping of the work of the D'Arcy Gaw period.

A van Erp cobra lamp, boudoir lamp, lantern, and a range of bookends.

The cattail fire screen attributed to D'Arcy Gaw along with the bookend group and historical photographs and information.

The Baby Doe Tabor, D'Arcy Gaw/Dirk van Erp table lamp and a shelf with a variety of vase forms by the studio.

A large red warty calabash, bridge lamp with stencil and a grouping of red warty vases.

The Florence and John Golden copper service, sterling flatware by William van Erp, and a range of silver and sterling pieces by William van Erp and Lucile Bush.

a van Erp flat top lamp and large rippled vase flanked by the silver and copper showcases.

A showcase of boxes and cannisters and unusual desk items by the van Erp workshop.

A rare red warty milk can table lamp, large strapped, cut- out and riveted box with a monogram and windmill motif, framed California Faience tile trivet, plant stand, and waste basket.

A Lillian Palmer hand painted mesh and copper lamp by August Tiesselinck, two smaller van Erp table lamps, and a copper bookstand from William van Erp's own home.

a van Erp oil lamp, plant stands, conical lamp, and examples of the work of August Tiesselinck and Harry Dixon, both crafters of great importance to the van Erp studio over the years.

A grouping of some of the larger van Erp vases, along with some of August Tiesselinck's tools and archival photographs of the interior of the Sutter Street workshop.

The wonderful four: Left to right: Dirk van Erp, Agatha van Erp, William van Erp, and August Tiesselinck. Courtesy of the Oakland Museum Archives.