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The art pottery movement began in the 1870s in America and Britain, coinciding roughly with the beginning of the Arts and Crafts movement, which gained momentum in the 1880s. Art pottery was more elaborate than utilitarian pottery, and early pieces were usually hand-decorated, signed by the artist, and produced in limited numbers.
Many companies known for their art pottery, like Rookwood, Roseville, Frankoma, and Weller, were founded in the American Midwest in the 1880s and 1890s. Drawing on local deposits of clay and minerals, most of these companies started by making simple, decorative pottery pieces or utilitarian pieces such as flowerpots and other garden ware.
What ultimately set these companies apart were their ornamental designs. Rookwood and other Midwestern companies took inspiration from Asian designs and Art Nouveau styles, creating pieces that were both functional and beautiful. They worked in a variety of popular forms, from vases to bowls to wall sconces and decorative tiles...
Some art pottery makers, like Rookwood, eventually grew into large operations, producing pieces in quantity and marketing them nationally via department stores and catalogs. But many smaller studios also thrived in the heyday of hand thrown and decorated art pottery.
Other noteworthy makers of art pottery include Hull, McCoy, Charles Volkmar, Chelsea Keramic, Lonhuda, George Ohr, Newcomb College, Grueby Faience, Adelaide Alsop Robineau, Artus Van Briggle, and the Saturday Evening Girls.
In the U.S., interest in art pottery waned in the 1940s and many once-famous companies disappeared.
Interviews & Articles
Diablitos in the Details: The Curious Tale of Mexico's Most Peculiar Pottery
In the rural Mexican state of Michoacán, devils, mermaids, saints, sun gods, and drunks can all be found mixing it up and having a… [more]
Who Killed American Kitsch?
For home-front America, World War II was a time of shared sacrifice, when people gave up simple pleasures to support those fightin… [more]
Stuart Lonsdale Explains the History and Design of Gouda Pottery
I think it all started with a small pottery vase my mother obtained from the art pottery shop where she worked in the early 1920s … [more]
Cowan Art Pottery of the Art Deco Era
I’m the curator here at the museum in Rocky River, a suburb west of Cleveland. I look at Cowan pottery from a historian’s angle be… [more]
American Art Pottery
Art pottery may be defined as intentionally decorative or ornamental ware but while the term "pottery" is usually limited to clay … [more]
Bowes Curator Howard Coutts on Meissen, Staffordshire, and Sèvres
I’m the curator of the ceramics bit of the Bowes Museum. It’s a big museum with 30 galleries of which three or four are devoted to… [more]
On the Trail of an Art Pottery Mystery
Back in 1996, I picked up this small pottery display plaque/sign advertising Rozart Pottery's Twainware line. I love Mark Twain—an… [more]
Pennsylvania Pin-Decorated Slipware
A goal for the collector is old pin-decorated slipware. Even run-of-the-mill slipware does not grow on trees, since its value was … [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Gouda Design
Stuart Lonsdale and Kim Lindley's excellent tribute to and reference on Gouda Dutch Art Pottery and Delftware. The … [read review or visit site]
Cowan Pottery Museum Associates
Dedicated to raising awareness of the ceramic art work of R. Guy Cowan and his Cowan Pottery Studio in northeastern… [read review or visit site]
The Pottery Studio
This 7,000-plus page site lives up to its self-billing as a 'knowledge base' with examples of work from all major a… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Art Pottery
Discussion Forums: Art Pottery
Other Great Reference Sites: Art Pottery
Top eBay Auctions
Exceptional Quality Finely Carved Antique 19thc Chinese Yixing Teapot - Shimei 
Stunning Rozenburg Eggshell Vase
Museum Piece - The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe - Beatrix Potter
Lucie Rie And Hans Coper English Art Pottery 1950's Cup And Saucer 
Stig Lindberg Horses 1950-60
1905 Van Briggle Vase Large 13 Inch Rare Shape 280 Two Color
1918 Newcomb College Pottery Sadie Irvine Vase
Antique 
Roseville Cosmos Blue Jardiniere & Pedestal Set 649-8 - 26"
Signed Robert Lallemant French Cubist Art Pottery Deco Zodiac Vase Museum 1930's
Rare Antique English Majolica Bird On A Water Lily Minton Or Jones ? Number 2
Antique George Jones Majolica Strawberry Server Signed No Reserve
C1930 Moorcroft "eventide" Landscape Vase
Outstanding Rare William Moorcroft Red Wisteria Vase Made For Tiffany 1905
Rare Historical Gen Lafayette Landing Blue Staffordshire Pottery 21.5" Platter
Saturday Evening Girls Seg Pottery Paul Revere Antique Tea Caddy
Moorcroft 1st Class Vintage Pansies Very Impressive Large Vase Truly Stunning 
Large C1900 Austrian Signed Amphora Teplitz Art Pottery Vase W/ Rooster Cock Nr
Clarice Cliff Forest Glen Pattern Preserve -- Jam Pot. Good Condition.
North Carolina Art Pottery 1941 Pisgah Forest Pottery White Vase
Jim Rumph Zolthar The Wizard Planter Vintage 1974, Very Rare! Mind Circus
Midcentury Modern Lagardo Tackett Charger Eames Raymor Era
Roseville Pottery Green Bushberry Jardiniere And Pedestal Set
Troika Helmut Lamp Base 'alison Brigden'
Stig Lindberg - Springare - Horse - Sweden - Gustavsberg
English Holdcroft Majolica 4 Pink Well Oyster With Pond Lilies - No Reserve!
Anna Pottery Pig Flask -- Circa 1880
Rare Large 1873 Mintons Majolica #526 Figural Mermen Seaweed Cobalt Vase Nr
Old Face Jug
Extremely Rare Stunning Vintage Beswick Chestnut Colorway Arab Xayal Horse #1265
Rare Antique 1910 Booths Real Old Willow Large Tray (full Gold) *
Catawba Valley Signed Propst Pottery Swirlware Teapot Rare
Very Rare Nippon Coralene Tiny Unique Vase Chamberstick #242 Excellent
Large Weller Pottery Woodcraft Cat Fishbowl Holder Vintage
Gouda Pottery 13 Pieces Tea Set Zuid Holland Decor Rhodian, 1910 - 1927
Royal Doulton Blue Flambe Seated Fox ( Rare )
Vintage Weller Hudson Vase Lamp Claude Leffler Design 25" Rare Excellent
A Beautiful W Moorcroft 6 1/4" Pansy Pattern Baluster Vase In Pristine Condition
Lovely William Moorcroft Pansy Vase 6 1/4 Ins Perfect 1925-1930 No Reserve
Full Set Of Antique Scottish Pottery Spongeware Carpet Bowls
Rare Large Bartmann Bellarmine Jug Circa 1650 Germany
Rare Antique Historical 17.25" Staffordshire "landing Of Gen. Lafayette" Platter
Two Michael Simon Three-legged Vases - Exhibited - Warren Mackenzie Prot
Troika Early Chimney Vase
Superb C.mid 19thc Staffordshire Leopard Spill Vase Figurine
Vintage~shearwater Art Pottery~rare Older Handcrafted Decorated Plate~vgc~
George Jones Majolica Oyster With Turquoise Coral & Raised Shell - No Reserve!
English Wedgwood Majolica Bamboo Handled Cobalt Basket - No Reserve!
Saturday Evening Girls Bowl Mint White-blue Rabbits 1918 Nr Mint
Gustavsberg - Extraordinary Berndt Friberg Vase
Very Large Antique Staffordshire Colorful Hen On Egg Nest Covered Dish
Midcentury Modern Lagardo Tackett Dish Eames Raymor Era
Rare ! Poole Pottery Csa Three Wise Monkies Bookend
Early Moorcroft Macintyre Cornflower Aurelian Vase C.1899
Saturday Evening Girls Bowl Mint Yellow Cuerda Seca Ducklings 1909 Nr Mint
Pillin Plate 9 & 3/4 Inches
Art Pottery Walter Moorcroft Hibiscus Centerpiece Pedestal Compote 1950
Stoneware Pitcher - 1 Gallon Sw Pitcher W/cobalt Floral Dec, Prob Balt, Mid-19th
Huge Monumental 26" Art Nouveau Amphora "three Maidens" Figural Vase~no Reserve
Roseville 2 Handled Bulbous Sunflower Vase Urn Striking Color 1930 Mint!!
Recent News: Art Pottery
Source: Google News
Jacksonport: Maifest celebration returns next weekend
Green Bay Press Gazette, May 18thFarm Gallery open. Whitefish Bay Farm Gallery opens its 32nd season today. The gallery exhibits a variety of fiber art, pottery and locally produced yarn. Tree Beautification. The Jacksonport Women's Club sends a huge thank-you to all those who made...Read more
Edmonds Rotary Waterfront Festival ready to launch May 31-June 2
My Edmonds News (registration), May 16thGlass art, pottery, paintings, jewelry, clothing, and much more. MUSIC AT THE PIER Sea Jazz will kick off in conjunction with the Edmonds Rotary Club Waterfront Festival and will feature live jazz at the Pier on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2...Read more
Linthorpe Art Pottery collection to be sold at auction
Gazette Live, May 14thART lovers from the USA are expected to be among the bidders when one of the biggest private collections of Middlesbrough's 19th century “secret” pottery is auctioned. Linthorpe Art Pottery only existed from 1879 to 1889 but pieces are highly prized by...Read more
Linthorpe Art Pottery from Middlesbrough saved from toddler's grasp by going ...
The Northern Echo, May 12thAN art lover is reluctantly selling off his highly prized collection of pottery due to the other precious possessions in his life – his young family. About 80 pieces of Linthorpe Art Pottery belonging to Mike McGeary will go under the hammer at an...Read more
Laurel Historical Society to offer locally made pottery at May 18 festival
Cape Gazette, May 11thWe owned, operated, and built the pottery from 1972 until 1988. In that time we formulated our own glazes and clay bodies, equipment, and built our own kilns. We made utilitarian pottery, vases, art pottery, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, wall...Read more
American Art Pottery
East County Magazine, May 8thMay 8, 2013 (Spring Valley) – David and Mary Cuzick will be holding a Mother's Day show and pottery sale at their studio at 9204 Campo Road, Spring Valley on May 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featured artists are David Cuzick, Mary Cuzick, Evan Lopez...Read more
'How It's Made' to feature Rookwood Pottery
Cincinnati.com (blog), May 1stRookwood, founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Nichols, makes art tile, art pottery, corporate gifts and special commissioned products for designers, architects, homeowners and businesses. For more info, go to Rookwood.com here. Posted in: Local Events,...Read more
Washington art festival offers visitors outlet for 'expression'
Peoria Journal Star, April 27thFestival activities, food and a Kid's Clay Corner hosted by Wheel Art Pottery Studio in Peoria will be in the parking lot at McKenzie River Pottery, 308 N. Main St. The gallery and studio inside will be open. There's no charge for children to work in...Read more