Rookwood Art Pottery

About Rookwood Art Pottery

Founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Nichols, Rookwood pottery is a favorite of collectors for the quality of its pieces, which were hand-decorated by a diverse group of artists (though some simpler pieces were mass-produced, especially during the Depression).

Rookwood pieces were sold at the factory showroom and at jewelry and department stores nationwide. Drawing from European and Asian styles, the company was very involved with the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements, and its pieces are still prized as some of the best examples of those styles...

In addition to its signature vases, Rookwood also produced architectural tile and smaller items such as bookends, paperweights and figurines. There were between 20 and 25 artists decorating pieces at the Rookwood factory at any given time (some of the most notable included Kataro Shirayamadani, Albert Valentine, Sara Sax, and Jens Jensen).

Rookwood’s artists were innovative and helped change the way art pottery was created and designed. Kataro Shirayamadani covered the entire piece with decoration versus just the front as was previously done, and Laura Fry created the atomizer, allowing artists to evenly apply glazes and use color gradations. In the early 1900s, Rookwood began using matte finishes and vellum glaze, a translucent matte glaze.

Collectors should note that the vast majority of Rookwood pieces are very clearly marked. Very early pieces say “Rookwood,” and later pieces (starting in the mid-1880s) feature the Rookwood logo: a backwards R and P side-by-side. Rookwood closed its factory in the 1960s, but the copyright has been continuously enforced.

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Continue reading

Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Rookwood Art Pottery Collector Riley Humler

I don’t remember the first Rookwood piece I ever bought, that’s getting close to 40 years ago. But I must… [more]

Rookwood, Pioneer American Art Pottery

The Rookwood Pottery has gone to war. This pioneer among American art potteries, founded by Maria Longworth S… [more]

An Interview With Roycroft Arts and Crafts Metalwork Collector David Kornacki

I started collecting Roycroft around 1992 when I visited the Peter Roberts Gallery in New York City. That was… [more]

An Interview With Gouda Pottery Collector Stuart Lonsdale

I think it all started with a small pottery vase my mother obtained from the art pottery shop where she worke… [more]

An Interview With Arts and Crafts Silver and Jewelry Collector Paul Somerson

How did I get started collecting Arts and Crafts silver? My wife and I had been collecting Arts and Crafts it… [more]

An Interview With Cowan Art Pottery Museum Curator Carol Jacobs

I’m the curator here at the museum in Rocky River, a suburb west of Cleveland. I look at Cowan pottery from… [more]

An Interview With Howard Coutts, Ceramics Curator Of The Bowes Museum

I’m the curator of the ceramics bit of the Bowes Museum. It’s a big museum with 30 galleries of which thr… [more]

▼ Expand this section

Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Gouda Design

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]

LACMA Arts and Crafts

LACMA Arts and Crafts

This microsite from the LA County Museum of Art provides a good overview of the Arts and Crafts movement in Europe … [read review or visit site]

Modernism

Modernism

An overview by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts of the design movements between 1880 and 1940 that comprised Moder… [read review or visit site]

Piggy Banks and Famous Potteries

Piggy Banks and Famous Potteries

Roger Owen's showcase of over 180 beautiful 20th century British and European piggy banks, with background on their… [read review or visit site]

Chicago Silver

Chicago Silver

Paul Somerson's incredible reference on handwrought metalwork from the American Arts and Crafts movement of the ear… [read review or visit site]

Cowan Pottery Museum Associates

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

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]

1910 Metal

1910 Metal

A detailed tribute to the lesser-known artistic metalwork craftsmen of the Arts and Crafts movement. In addition t… [read review or visit site]

Benedict Studio

Benedict Studio

Dedicated to art metalwork produced in Syracuse, New York during the height of the Art and Crafts movement, this si… [read review or visit site]

Clarice Cliff Collectors Club

Clarice Cliff Collectors Club

A good reference resource for anyone interested in the pottery of Clarice Cliff (1899-1972), who had her heyday in … [read review or visit site]

Potsherd

Potsherd

Paul Tyers' reference site on pottery and ceramics from the Roman period in Britain and Western Europe. Includes a … [read review or visit site]


Got a site to suggest? Let us know.




Clubs & Associations: Art Pottery


Discussion Forums: Art Pottery


Other Great Reference Sites: Art Pottery

Are we missing one? Tell us.

Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Rookwood Art Pottery email

Sorted by        
1918 Rookwood Vellum Scenic Art Pottery Vase S.e. Coyne$1,266 Ends Tuesday 18 bids 52 watchers
Antique Rookwood Pottery Mat Glaze Vase M Mcdonald$600.00 Ends Sunday 5 bids 26 watchers
Superb 1914 Rookwood Charles Stewart Todd Jardiniere$355.11 Ends in 20 hours 15 bids 37 watchers
Exquisite 1921 Rookwood Matte Vellum By Charles S. Todd$331.99 Ends in 21 hours 13 bids 65 watchers
1922 Rookwood Art Pottery Vase~plum Matte Glaze~#2314$295.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 14 watchers
Rookwood Vase W/rooks;crows-- 6-1/2" Blue Matt Glaze$280.00 Ends in 15 hours 3 bids 19 watchers
Exquisite 1926 Rookwood Matte Vellum By Charles Todd$213.61 Ends in 21 hours 7 bids 46 watchers
Arts Crafts Antique Vintage Rookwood Pottery Rooks Vase$202.50 Ends Wednesday 15 bids 22 watchers
Rare 1909 Rookwood Craftsman Design Vase$199.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 12 watchers
Scarce Rookwood Art Pottery Vase Signed And Dated$197.50 Ends in 20 hours 22 bids 38 watchers
Fabulous 1911 Large Blue Rookwood Vase Arts & Crafts$169.49 Ends in 16 hours 21 bids 71 watchers
1921 Matte Green Rookwood Vase W/ Floral Incised Floral$160.50 Ends Thursday 15 bids 32 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Jewel Box #2456 Circa 1943 $155.00 Ends in 10 hours 17 bids 16 watchers
Vintage Rookwood Pottery Vellum Vase Rothenbush 1929$152.50 Ends Thursday 3 bids 22 watchers
1910 Rookwood Vellum Iris Vase Sara Sallie Coyne Nr$152.50 Ends in 13 hours 7 bids 16 watchers
Antique Rookwood Pottery Vase Perfect Signed Peaches$150.02 Ends Sunday 4 bids 12 watchers
Rookwood Arts And Crafts Vase Buy it Now$112.50 Ends in 15 hours 5 bids 22 watchers
Louis Abel Rookwood Vase 10.5" X 6" X 4" Large$105.05 Ends in 20 hours 7 bids 7 watchers
2 Lot Rookwood Floral & Cherub Vases$102.50 Ends Wednesday 10 bids 18 watchers
Fine Deco Pink Rookwood Art Pottery Vase W/ Deer$99.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 2 watchers
Vintage Rookwood Art Pottery Arts And Crafts Era Nice!!$90.01 Ends in 23 hours 9 bids 37 watchers
Floral Design Rookwood Vase$81.00 Ends in 13 hours 12 bids 10 watchers
1909 Light Green Rookwood Bowl W/ Deep Incised Design$79.00 Ends Thursday 8 bids 34 watchers
Arts & Crafts Vintage Rookwood Pottery Vase$77.99 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 38 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Art Deco Style Vase 1927$77.99 Ends in 15 hours 3 bids 13 watchers
Lovely Rookwood Pottery Blue Matt Vase 1927$70.01 Ends in 22 hours 3 bids 19 watchers
Rookwood Art Pottery Vase With Raised Ribbed Band$70.00 Ends in 11 hours 4 bids 10 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Cincinnati Ohio Sterling Souvenr Spoon$66.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 15 watchers
Fascinating Rookwood Vase - Burgundy - Figures$57.99 Ends Tuesday 11 bids 12 watchers
Rookwood Vase Dated 1928 Artist Signed$56.99 Ends Thursday 3 bids 18 watchers
1926 Gray Green Rookwood Vase W/incised Tulip Design$56.00 Ends Thursday 8 bids 19 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Vase 1925 #23311 Perfect Condition!$53.00 Ends Thursday 8 bids 14 watchers
1924 Artist Sgd V.t. Rookwood Vase-blue/purple Floral$51.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids 23 watchers
Rookwood Aqua Deco Scrolled Handle Vase 6096 Xxix$49.99 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid 9 watchers
Vintage Rookwood Art Pottery "black Cat" # 6402$49.00 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 10 watchers
Rookwood Art Deco 1923 Vase #2284 No Damage 5"$42.99 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 22 watchers
Rookwood 2870 Dark Mauve Pottery Vase Matte Finish 1926$41.01 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 9 watchers
Rookwood Sea Foam 1916 Bowl$35.00 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid 7 watchers
Beautiful 13 1/2" Blue Rookwood Vase 1653b$35.00 Ends in 20 hours 2 bids 7 watchers
1923 Rookwood Arts Crafts Candle Holder Candleholder$31.00 Ends in 10 hours 6 bids 14 watchers
Green Floral Rookwood Pottery Vase$27.99 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 8 watchers
Rookwood 1927 Vase With Arts & Crafts Design$26.00 Ends in 20 hours 3 bids 34 watchers
Rookwood Fluted Plate Kate Matchette Signed Kcm 549$24.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 6 watchers
1926 Gray Green Rookwood Vase W/incised Tulip Design$21.00 Ends Friday 3 bids 20 watchers
Artist Signed 1947 Rookwood Holy Water Font/wine Madder$17.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids 15 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Inspired Arts & Crafts Artwork$9.99 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid 12 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Inspired Arts & Crafts Painting$9.99 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid 9 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Inspired Arts & Crafts Oak Tree Art$9.99 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid 7 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Inspired Arts & Crafts Landscape $9.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 4 watchers
Vellum Rookwood Harold Bopp Sailboats Mug$9.99 Ends in 23 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Rookwood Pottery Art Vase 6434 $5.50 Ends Monday 3 bids 9 watchers
Marblehead Rookwood Newcomb Grueby Roseville Booklets$0.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 10 watchers

»» Get our weekly Rookwood Art Pottery email
Right now on eBay



Recent News: Rookwood Art Pottery

Source: Google News

Rookwood adds auction arm
Cincinnati.com, November 7th

In this May photo, Rookwood chief Chris Rose (left) speaks to art director Allan Nairn about the kiln firing of tiles at Rookwood Pottery,...Read more

Cincinnati Art Galleries is home for the Holiday Sale, Nov. 7-8
Auction Central News, November 3rd

Sunday morning the chairs will begin to fill for the Rookwood Pottery portion of the auction, which always evinces a lot of interest due to its Cincinnati...Read more

The art of collecting originals
Cincinnati.com, November 1st

He also suggests checking out Cincinnati Art Galleries' Rookwood Pottery sale and auction coming next Saturday and Sunday. "It's a good way to train your...Read more

Antique Helper
Antiques and Arts Weekly, October 22nd

Pottery: Rookwood, California 1920's tiles, San Polo +nude fountain. Porcelain and China: Capo di Monte, Swansea English service...Read more

Morse Museum updates its galleries
Orlando Sentinel, October 19th

John La Farge, Rookwood Pottery, and others that reflect the transforming influence of Japan on late 19th- and early 20th-century Western art...Read more

Jim Wroda Auction Services
Antiques and Arts Weekly, October 16th

This will include over 400 pieces of Czech glass and Pottery; Furniture;EAPG; limoge; over 100 Sebastian figures; collector plates; Needle Point pictures;...Read more

Gar Wood powerboat ready to make waves at DuMouchelles, Oct. 16-18
Auction Central News, October 14th

Saturday's sale begins at 11 am Eastern with an early Rookwood Pottery vase decorated with the calla lilies by Matthew Daly followed by signed Handel...Read more

Talkin' Antiques with Larry Koon: A House Full of Antique Treasure
Marietta Register Online, October 14th

She said she had several pieces of Rookwood Pottery made years ago in Cincinnati and decorated by artists Sally Coyne, Edward Diers, ET Hurley, and others,...Read more

Art Pottery

Arts and Crafts

See also

Tools