This sale featured a unique opportunity to share the vision of a southern couple collecting that engulfed over forty years. Focusing on primarily North Carolina object that collaborated three century’s of pottery. One of the fascinating highlights is they had the honor to meet several of these legendary potters as a few linked the 19th century to the 20th.
As much as possible they used a discerning eye in acquisitions. The phenomenal Issac Lefevers was in the exact condition it left the kiln in the 1850s. He was a Confederate soldier killed during the war between the states of which ended a tremendous future for this talented potter. The wonderful Daniel Seagle jug likewise remained the same since it’s removal from the master potters kiln in the 1840s. Furthermore a ten gallon jar of Seagles which was sold in a 1980s Seagle family estate sale in North Carolina which had several marvelous characteristics. A rare signed Henry Ritchie bulbous jar was a real treat for collectors since it was the first offered by the Society in it’s thirty plus years and over seventeen thousand pieces of pottery sold. A scarce Propst family tall ten gallon jar excited collectors.
Burlon Craig of whose national fame made a strong appreciation of his 1970s early 80s works. Excelled with rare large swirlware and face vessels in all sorts of sizes and shapes.
A tremendous example of ceramic history surfaced with one of four known Fayetteville, North Carolina Gurdon & Robins jewel was offered. The Robins piece was made by Edward Webster a Connecticut native of whose family settled in the Piedmont North Carolina during the mid 19th century and produced amazing decorative stoneware like none other to date. This piece represented the earliest salt glaze stoneware produced in the south.
The relished creations of the sale was the numerous one of a kinds from the early 20th century Seagrove area transitional works. A brief time when potters who had principally produced utilitarian ware in stoneware salt glaze of whose souls caught up in the midst of the industrial revolution. The need for these wares were shrinking so they had to adapt to a new market, “decorative needs.” The use of lower fired temperature lead glazes utilizing dramatic experimental recipes of oxides was a step out into “no man’s land.” Never before nor after this two to three year period did the potters challenge themselves to such an unlimited array of creativity. Not only artistic creations of glazes but even shapes that were inspired by magazines combined with the potters imagination. Even an oriental influence spread through the community of potters by way of a couple of revivalists from Jacques and Julianna Busbee from their nearby Jugtown pottery. Among these transitional potter’s were James H. Owens was among the pioneer artisans solely responsible for capturing many of the new shapes in both stoneware and earthenware. His son Jonah, cousin Ben, and Cole family members such as Jason, Herman, as son-nephew Wayman came up in the age of this “hey day” of these icons. A genius in glazing from Indiana names Charles Masten coupled with Charlie Auman in the 1930s to produce abstract designs that to this day have never been produced.
Of course Georgia captured the McLaughlin’s interest with face pieces by Lanier Meaders of national
acclaim and his brother Edwin of whose elegant artsy works are renowned and was included with this wonderful offering.
So former caretakers now pass onto their future caregivers comes a new era of adopted homes where works of art in clay will now open a broadening hearts eye to the next generation.
As much as possible they used a discerning eye in acquisitions. The phenomenal Issac Lefevers was in the exact condition it left the kiln in the 1850s. He was a Confederate soldier killed during the war between the states of which ended a tremendous future for this talented potter. The wonderful Daniel Seagle jug likewise remained the same since it’s removal from the master potters kiln in the 1840s. Furthermore a ten gallon jar of Seagles which was sold in a 1980s Seagle family estate sale in North Carolina which had several marvelous characteristics. A rare signed Henry Ritchie bulbous jar was a real treat for collectors since it was the first offered by the Society in it’s thirty plus years and over seventeen thousand pieces of pottery sold. A scarce Propst family tall ten gallon jar excited collectors.
Burlon Craig of whose national fame made a strong appreciation of his 1970s early 80s works. Excelled with rare large swirlware and face vessels in all sorts of sizes and shapes.
A tremendous example of ceramic history surfaced with one of four known Fayetteville, North Carolina Gurdon & Robins jewel was offered. The Robins piece was made by Edward Webster a Connecticut native of whose family settled in the Piedmont North Carolina during the mid 19th century and produced amazing decorative stoneware like none other to date. This piece represented the earliest salt glaze stoneware produced in the south.
The relished creations of the sale was the numerous one of a kinds from the early 20th century Seagrove area transitional works. A brief time when potters who had principally produced utilitarian ware in stoneware salt glaze of whose souls caught up in the midst of the industrial revolution. The need for these wares were shrinking so they had to adapt to a new market, “decorative needs.” The use of lower fired temperature lead glazes utilizing dramatic experimental recipes of oxides was a step out into “no man’s land.” Never before nor after this two to three year period did the potters challenge themselves to such an unlimited array of creativity. Not only artistic creations of glazes but even shapes that were inspired by magazines combined with the potters imagination. Even an oriental influence spread through the community of potters by way of a couple of revivalists from Jacques and Julianna Busbee from their nearby Jugtown pottery. Among these transitional potter’s were James H. Owens was among the pioneer artisans solely responsible for capturing many of the new shapes in both stoneware and earthenware. His son Jonah, cousin Ben, and Cole family members such as Jason, Herman, as son-nephew Wayman came up in the age of this “hey day” of these icons. A genius in glazing from Indiana names Charles Masten coupled with Charlie Auman in the 1930s to produce abstract designs that to this day have never been produced.
Of course Georgia captured the McLaughlin’s interest with face pieces by Lanier Meaders of national
acclaim and his brother Edwin of whose elegant artsy works are renowned and was included with this wonderful offering.
So former caretakers now pass onto their future caregivers comes a new era of adopted homes where works of art in clay will now open a broadening hearts eye to the next generation.
Catawba Valley, NC Isaac Lefevers, ca. 1850s, $14,300
|
Fayetteville, NC Gurdon Robins & Co. ca. 1819-1823, $11,000
|
Catawba Valley, NC Daniel Seagle, ca. 1830s-40s, $6,050
White County, Georgia Lanier Meaders,
ca. early 1970s, $3740 |
Catawba Valley, NC Burlon Craig,
ca. early 1980s, $1650 |
Catawba Valley, NC Burlon Craig,
ca. early 1980s, $3080 |
Lee County, NC Rainbow Pottery,
ca. late 1930s, $1760 |
Moore County, NC Jugtown Pottery,
ca. 1930s, $4400 |
Guilford County, NC Log Cabin Pottery,
ca. 1926-32, $1760 |
Moore County, NC Jugtown Pottery,
ca. 2004, $1210 |
Moore County, NC J H Owen,
ca. late 1910s, $1045 |
Moore County, NC Ben Owen III,
ca. 2003, $1430 |
Randolph County, NC E. S. Craven,
ca. mid last half 19th century, $3960 |
Catawba Valley, NC Henry Ritchie,
ca. 1850, $3300 |
Catawba Valley, NC Burlon B. Craig,
ca. late 1970s early 80s, $1100 |
Moore County, NC Teague's Pottery,
ca. 1920s, $1320 |
Moore County, NC Jugtown Pottery,
ca. 1930s, $1485 |
Moore County, NC Craven's Pottery,
ca. late 1910s early 20s, $990 |
White County, Georgia Edwin Meaders,
ca. late 1970s early 80s, $1375 |
Moore County, NC Charles Moore,
ca. 2004, $3080 |
Catawba Valley, NC Charles Lisk,
ca. 1985, $605 |
- Collectors Vision Catalog.
- Google: Southern Folk Pottery Collectors Society to view a follow up that was inspired from a March 16, 1990 article from the founding years of the Society.