
Peter Shire b. 1947
Peter Shire is a celebrated artist, working most notably in ceramics (and teapots, in particular), who first rose to prominence as part of the influential and radical Memphis design group. His diverse and lively body of work is a culmination of his west coast-sensibilities (he is a fourth generation Californian), a blurring craft and art, and a postmodern approach to color and form.
Shire was born in Los Angeles in 1947 and developed an early passion for craft, as his father was an illustrator and carpenter. He graduated from the influential Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles (now known as CalArts) in 1970. He came of age during a particularly rich period in California design—ceramicists such as Peter Voulkos, Gertrude and Otto Natzler and Ken Price elevated the medium in the 1950s and 1960s and the Pattern and Design movement of the 1970s emphasized surface pattern, kitsch and craft, challenging traditional notions of taste.
Upon seeing Shire’s colorful and anthropomorphic teapots in WET magazine in 1977, Ettore Sottsass invited the young designer to be part of Memphis, a radical design group that suited Shire’s irreverent and playful attitude. While part of Memphis, he created some of the movement’s most iconic designs, including the Bel Air Chair and the Brazil table. After Memphis dissolved in the late 1980s, Shire expanded his artistic output to include glass works, fashion, interior design, and toys. Of particular note are the public mural and sculptures he creates in Los Angeles, a city he has committed himself to and provides him with endless inspiration.
In 2017, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson presented Peter Shire: Naked Is the Best Disguise, a survey of his creative production. Shires’s work is held in such prestigious collections as the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Stedlijk Museum, Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Auction Results Peter Shire

Peter Shire
Bel Air chair
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $11,250

Peter Shire
Big Sur sofa
estimate: $5,000–7,000
result: $11,250

Peter Shire
Eight Rod Float Table
estimate: $5,000–7,000
result: $5,400

Peter Shire
custom nightstands, pair
estimate: $5,000–7,000
result: $5,313

Peter Shire
teapots, set of five
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $4,375

Peter Shire
Skyhook
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $4,375

Peter Shire
teapot
estimate: $3,000–4,000
result: $4,130

Peter Shire
Cahuenga floor lamp
estimate: $1,500–2,000
result: $4,062

Peter Shire
Peter bookcase
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $4,062

Peter Shire
Brazil table
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $4,062

Peter Shire
Hollywood occasional table
estimate: $1,000–1,500
result: $3,750

Peter Shire
Brazillia table
estimate: $4,000–6,000
result: $3,640

Peter Shire
tea set
estimate: $2,000–3,000
result: $3,500

Peter Shire
Secret Springs dining table
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $3,500

Peter Shire
Eight Rod Float Table
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $3,375

Peter Shire
Doghedge teapot from the Mexican Bauhaus series
estimate: $1,000–1,500
result: $3,250

Peter Shire
Tall Rebar teapot
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $3,250

Peter Shire
collection of four teapots
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $3,000

Peter Shire
dining table
estimate: $1,500–2,500
result: $2,950

Peter Shire
coffee table
estimate: $1,000–1,500
result: $2,760

Peter Shire
untitled
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $2,550

Peter Shire
Mexican Bauhaus Marbelized teapot
estimate: $1,000–1,500
result: $2,375

Peter Shire
Elyssian Heights floor lamp
estimate: $3,000–5,000
result: $1,913

Peter Shire
Peninsula table
estimate: $2,000–3,000
result: $1,875