Born in 1924, Len Castle completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Auckland in 1946.

He was introduced to pottery at night classes while training to be a secondary school teacher.

His career path turned after he won a scholarship to study with master potter Bernard Leach in St Ives, Cornwall. During this period, recalled Castle, he absorbed a strong work ethic and became strongly drawn to the Oriental aesthetic.

Castle returned from England to a job teaching science at Auckland Teachers' College.

In 1963, he left the Teachers' College and became a professional potter, and in the same year, was instrumental in establishing the New Zealand Society of Potters.

In 1966, he won a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council fellowship, which he used to go to Japan and Hawaii. His trip cemented his love of Japanese pottery.

In 1986, Castle was made a Commander of the more...

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Len Castle, inverted volcano, stoneware with grey textured…

Inverted Volcano Stoneware Vase with Lava Glaze Interior

Len Castle, inverted volcano, stoneware with grey textured exterior and red lava glaze interior, ceramic, impressed potter's mark to the base, 86 x 17 x 17 cm

Len Castle, inverted volcano, stoneware with grey textured…

Inverted Volcano: Stoneware Vase by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted volcano, stoneware with grey textured exterior and red lava glaze interior, impressed potter's Lc mark, 86 x 17 x 17 cm

Len Castle, an inverted volcano, with red lava glaze interior…

Red Lava Inverted Volcano Vase

Len Castle, an inverted volcano, with red lava glaze interior and matte black exterior, 19 x 86 x 19.5 cm

Len Castle, a large sea hawk bowl, with rich alkaline blue…

Alkaline Blue Sea Hawk Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, a large sea hawk bowl, with rich alkaline blue glazed interior and volcanic type, silica-rubbed exterior, 15 x 44.5 x 47 cm

Len Castle, sea hawk bowl, with rich alkaline blue glazed…

Alkaline Blue Sea Hawk Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, sea hawk bowl, with rich alkaline blue glazed interior and volcanic type, silica-rubbed exterior, 13 x 32.2 x 335

Len Castle, large inverted Volcano (Red), glazed earthenware,…

Inverted Volcano (Red) by Len Castle

Len Castle, large inverted Volcano (Red), glazed earthenware, 17 x 85 cm, initials impressed on base. Provenance: Private Collection, Northland

Len Castle volcanic Tube, Umber pigmented exterior with red…

Volcanic Umber: Len Castle's Lava Glazed Tube

Len Castle volcanic Tube, Umber pigmented exterior with red lava glaze interior, paper sticker label and impressed mark. 42 cm length

Len Castle, inverted volcano, stoneware with grey textured…

Inverted Volcano Stoneware by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted volcano, stoneware with grey textured exterior and red lava glaze interior, impressed mark, 85 x 17.5 x 17 cm

Len Castle three small Volcanic bowls, all with turquoise blue…

Turquoise Glazed Volcanic Bowls by Len Castle

Len Castle three small Volcanic bowls, all with turquoise blue glaze interiors, all with impressed marks to base, 15.5 cm dia (2), 12 cm dia

Len Castle, large inverted volcano (red), glazed earthenware,…

Red Inverted Volcano

Len Castle, large inverted volcano (red), glazed earthenware, 19 x 84 cm, initials impressed on base

A Len Castle 'Volcanic Ejecta' work, free form shape,…

"Volcanic Ejecta" by Len Castle

A Len Castle 'Volcanic Ejecta' work, free form shape, earthenware with interior red lava glaze, height 7 cm, width 21 cm, depth 14 cm

Len Castle shallow bowl, Volcanic Debris series, impressed mark,…

Len Castle Volcanic Debris Shallow Bowl, 22.5 cm

Len Castle shallow bowl, Volcanic Debris series, impressed mark, 22.5 cm diameter

Len Castle, large inverted volcano (red), glazed earthenware,…

Inverted Volcano Earthenware by Len Castle

Len Castle, large inverted volcano (red), glazed earthenware, 20 x 87 cm, initials impressed on base. Provenance: Ron Sang Collection, Auckland. Purchased directly from artist, c. 1995,

A Len Castle Volcanic bowl, the interior with a blue and green…

Len Castle Volcanic Bowl with Blue and Green Glaze

A Len Castle Volcanic bowl, the interior with a blue and green mottled glaze, the exterior matching and with horizontal ribbing to body. Impressed maker's mark to base, height 6 cm, diameter 16 cm

A good Len Castle (1924-2011) Volcanic Series blue crater…

Len Castle Blue Crater Lake Bowl

A good Len Castle (1924-2011) Volcanic Series blue crater lake/alkaline pool, large bowl, the sculpted textured rim with matt grey glaze, striking blue glaze deepening in tone to the well, black glazed exterior. Impressed potters mark. diameter 50.6 cm.…

Len Castle blue alkaline pooled pouring bowl, the glaze…

Blue Alkaline Pooled Pouring Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle blue alkaline pooled pouring bowl, the glaze darkening as it pools to the centre, the exterior of volcanic silica type, thick walled, the exterior tapering to a narrow base, stamped potter's mark, diameter 31.5 cm

Len Castle, Inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware with grey…

Inverted Volcano Earthenware

Len Castle, Inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware with grey textured exterior and red lava glazed interior, impressed mark, 87 cm wide

Len Castle, Volcanic series bowl, pink and cream crackle glaze…

Pitted Pink Volcano Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, Volcanic series bowl, pink and cream crackle glaze over shino heavily pitted to well from multiple firings, potter's mark to the base, Diameter 21 cm. Provenance: John Perry collection

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded vase with grey textured…

Volcano Vase

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded vase with grey textured exterior and red lava glaze poured to the rim and interior, incised initials and dated 2010, width 86 cm. Provenance: This piece was specially made by Len Castle for Graham Ambrose.

Len Castle, volcanic ejecta, earthenware with red lava glaze to…

Volcanic Earthenware by Len Castle

Len Castle, volcanic ejecta, earthenware with red lava glaze to the interior, circa 2007, impressed initials, length 15 cm. Provenance: Neil and Fay Castle collection

Len Castle, Volcanic ejecta, earthenware with red lava glaze to…

Volcanic Ejecta Earthenware with Red Lava Glaze

Len Castle, Volcanic ejecta, earthenware with red lava glaze to the interior, circa 2007, length 16 cm. Illustrated: Len Castle, Making the Molecules dance, Lopdell house gallery, p.12 Provenance: Neil and Fay Castle collection

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded vase, with grey textured…

Lava Vase by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded vase, with grey textured exterior and red lava glaze interior, impressed mark, length 85 cm

Len Castle, rare inverted volcano, molded earthenware, grey…

Inverted Volcano: Len Castle's Earthenware Masterpiece

Len Castle, rare inverted volcano, molded earthenware, grey texture exterior and alkaline blue glaze to interior, impressed initials, length 87 cm.

Len Castle, volcanic hanging bottle vase, grey stained white…

Volcanic Hanging Bottle Vase by Len Castle

Len Castle, volcanic hanging bottle vase, grey stained white earthenware, with three high ridges and small pools of lava to the front, impressed mark to the back, height 25 cm

Len Castle, volcanic hanging bottle vase, grey stained white…

Volcanic Hanging Bottle Vase with Lava Glaze by Len Castle

Len Castle, volcanic hanging bottle vase, grey stained white earthenware, small pools of lava glaze to the front, impressed mark to the back, height 19 cm

Len Castle Volcanic series bowl, impressed mark (obscured by…

Len Castle Volcanic Series Bowl - 26.5 cm Dia

Len Castle Volcanic series bowl, impressed mark (obscured by glaze), 26.5 cm dia.

A large Len Castle 'Inverted Volcano' 10 vase, moulded…

Len Castle Inverted Volcano Vase with Red Interior

A large Len Castle 'Inverted Volcano' 10 vase, moulded earthenware with grey textured exterior surfaces and bright red glazed interior. Impressed cypher under the base. Width 85 cm

Len Castle, stoneware bowl, in tenmoku glaze with red volcanic…

Len Castle Stoneware Bowl with Red Volcanic Glaze

Len Castle, stoneware bowl, in tenmoku glaze with red volcanic glaze effects to the well, 1980s, LC mark, diameter 26 cm

Len Castle, Volcanic series bowl, with jun and rutile glaze…

Volcanic Jun-Rutile Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, Volcanic series bowl, with jun and rutile glaze effects from multiple firings on a tenmoku ground, 1990s, LC mark, diameter 21 cm

Len Castle, Volcanic series bowl, with jun and rutile glaze…

Volcanic Jun Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, Volcanic series bowl, with jun and rutile glaze effects, 1996, LC mark, diameter 20 cm

Len Castle, unique Volcanic series bowl, in turquoise and red…

Volcanic Series Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, unique Volcanic series bowl, in turquoise and red glazes with heavily pitted well from multiple firings, 1990s, LC mark, diameter 23 cm

Len Castle, red Volcanic series bowl, of small size with red…

Red Volcanic Bowl with Multiple Glaze Effects

Len Castle, red Volcanic series bowl, of small size with red and white glaze effects from multiple firings, 1990s, LC mark, diameter 20 cm

Len Castle, Volcanic crucible pouring vessel, with grey…

Volcanic Crucible Pouring Vessel by Len Castle

Len Castle, Volcanic crucible pouring vessel, with grey attained exterior and cadmium/selenium lava glaze to the well, circa 1993, LC mark, diameter 39 cm, applied cloth label to the base no 117 from the 1994 LC retrospective 'Making the Molecules dance'.

Len Castle, rare inverted Volcano, with turquoise/blue interior,…

Inverted Volcano with Turquoise Interior by Len Castle

Len Castle, rare inverted Volcano, with turquoise/blue interior, moulded earthenware with grey stained exterior. One of two ever made with this particular glaze, LC mark, width 86 cm

Len Castle, red inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware with grey…

Red Volcano Earthenware by Len Castle

Len Castle, red inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware with grey stained exterior and cadmium/selenium red lava glaze interior. Early version of this style 1995, LC mark, width 86 cm

Len Castle, Inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware with matt…

Inverted Volcano Earthenware with Red Lava Glaze

Len Castle, Inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware with matt black exterior and interior red lava glaze, the jagged rim with splashes and spills of the red lava glaze. Width 85 cm

Len Castle, Inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware, with matt…

Inverted Volcano Earthenware with Red Lava Glaze

Len Castle, Inverted Volcano, moulded earthenware, with matt black exterior and interior red lava glaze, the jagged rim with splashes and spills of red lava glaze. Width 85 cm

Len Castle, volcanic series red bowl (only known one),…

Volcanic Red Bowl by Len Castle

Len Castle, volcanic series red bowl (only known one), impressed mark, 44 cm diameter

Len Castle. Inverted Volcano, earthenware vase with red lava…

Inverted Volcano Vase by Len Castle

Len Castle. Inverted Volcano, earthenware vase with red lava glaze to the interior and textured grey exterior, impressed mark. Height 18.5 cm. Length 86 cm

Len Castle, rare inverted volcano, moulded earthenware, grey…

Rare Blue Glazed Inverted Volcano by Len Castle

Len Castle, rare inverted volcano, moulded earthenware, grey texture exterior and alkaline blue glaze to interior, impressed initials to base. Length 870 mm. This rare blue glazed inverted volcano is one of only three made by Len Castle.

Len Castle, volcanic bomb, earthenware with red lava glaze to…

Volcanic Bomb Earthenware with Red Lava Glaze

Len Castle, volcanic bomb, earthenware with red lava glaze to the interior, impressed initials, length 20 cm

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded earthenware with grey…

Inverted Volcano Earthenware by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded earthenware with grey textured exterior and red lava glaze to the interior, impressed initials to the base, length 86 cm

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded earthenware, grey…

Lava Glazed Inverted Volcano Earthenware by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted volcano, moulded earthenware, grey textured exterior with red lava glaze to the interior, impressed initials, width 87 cm

Len Castle, unique early inverted Volcano form, textured…

Len Castle's Inverted Volcano Form with Green Glaze

Len Castle, unique early inverted Volcano form, textured exterior with green glazed well, unmarked. Width 67 cm. Provenance: Len Castle family collection

Len Castle, inverted Volcano vase, moulded earthenware, dark…

Inverted Volcano Vase by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted Volcano vase, moulded earthenware, dark green texture exterior and rich lava red glaze to interior with unique ribbing. Impressed initials to base. Length 84.5 cm

Len Castle, inverted Volcano vase, moulded earthenware, grey…

Inverted Volcano Vase by Len Castle

Len Castle, inverted Volcano vase, moulded earthenware, grey texture exterior and lava red glaze to interior. Impressed initials to base. Length 84.5 cm