Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Michael Schwegmann porcelain vase

In Pottery > Studio Art Pottery > Show & Tell.
Studio Art Pottery34 of 1190Iridescent vase - maker unknownVintage vase
19
Love it
0
Like it

Glenn12345Glenn12345 loves this.
AnythingObscureAnythingObscure loves this.
ho2cultchaho2cultcha loves this.
racer4fourracer4four loves this.
BlammoammoBlammoammo loves this.
BenBen loves this.
Alfie21Alfie21 loves this.
auraaura loves this.
fortapachefortapache loves this.
WatchsearcherWatchsearcher loves this.
RichmondLoriRichmondLori loves this.
CisumCisum loves this.
PhilDMorrisPhilDMorris loves this.
NewfldNewfld loves this.
dav2no1dav2no1 loves this.
vcalvcal loves this.
BHIFOSBHIFOS loves this.
Vynil33rpmVynil33rpm loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
See 17 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 2 years ago

    kwqd
    (1119 items)

    This porcelain vase by Illinois potter Michael Schwegmann is 16" high, signed (Schwegmann) and dated (05) in cursive on the bottom. It is in mint condition a $4.99 thrift shop find.

    I am not collecting at this time, but am haunting thrift shops in search of a few pieces of furniture, cooking implements, eating implements, etc., for my new house about 40 miles from my old house. I need to spend time there to get it cleaned up so that I can start moving into it so occasionally sleep and eat there. One thrift shop, the one where I found this vase, is about three blocks from the new house and I stop there fairly regularly, so it is kind of like an alcoholic sitting in front of a glass of whiskey on the bar in a pub and just looking at the glass and not drinking, except I occasionally drink the whiskey and then lick the design off of the glass.

    Mostly, though, I win the will power battle and just pass the cool stuff by unless it is truly remarkable like this vase. I AM looking for just a few pieces of art to provide a bit of interest in the new house so I don't feel like a complete barbarian before I start moving some of the art from my old house. Ahem. I am on the verge of moving my Japanese metalwork to the new house....

    Anyway, I was amazed to see this vase sitting on the top of a row of shelves and recognized it as a pretty good piece and then was even more amazed to see the signature on the bottom. MS is a regional artist who has attracted international attention over the past couple of decades. He seldom does work like this, nowadays, and has transitioned into making industrial themed pottery, paint cans, single action revolvers, nuts and bolts, etc. He does some really interesting work. His old work is very complex, though, and he used several techniques and glazes on each piece. This is a good example of that period of his work. He has a web site which is well worth spending a few minutes on:

    https://www.schwegmannstudios.com/

    I have never seen any of his later work in the wild and will probably not relax my grip on my cash long enough to part with any to buy some, so this vase was a great find for me.

    Even more fun was when an older woman with what I thought was a German accent walked ahead of her place in line to the counter where I had set the vase down while waiting to pay for it, and asked me if I minded if she took a look at it. She was very interested and as she turned it over to look at the signature, I told her what it was and she obviously knew who the artist was. I think she was a bit disappointed that I knew who it was. Anyway, she said, "Don't you just love it when you find a piece like this?" and got back in line. I agreed with her comment and noted that a lot of work went into this vase which she agreed to, as well.. later I realized that she was Antoinette Badenhorst a well known potter/instructor/blogger, etc., when I found a video interview she had done with MS! Small world.

    https://www.porcelainbyantoinette.com/#/
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar8vN56Ma5s

    Sorry for the poor quality of the images, composition of them, etc. I am limited in what I can do in my new house.

    I am not the first to post Schwegmann's work to CW:

    https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/269165-michael-schwegmann-ceramic-collection

    logo
    Studio Art Pottery
    See all
    3 Matte Green Doors Pottery 2007 Studio Signed Scott Draves Formerly Of Ephraim
    3 Matte Green Doors Pottery 2007 St...
    $20
    Signed Vivika Otto Heino Studio Pottery Bowl
    Signed Vivika Otto Heino Studio Pot...
    $133
    Massive 14
    Massive 14" Vivika & Otto Heino Stu...
    $466
    JAPANESE STUDIO POTTERY VASE POT MID CENTURY CERAMICS
    JAPANESE STUDIO POTTERY VASE POT MI...
    $51
    logo
    3 Matte Green Doors Pottery 2007 Studio Signed Scott Draves Formerly Of Ephraim
    3 Matte Green Doors Pottery 2007 St...
    $20
    See all

    Comments

    1. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for checking out my Schwegmann vase Kevin!
    2. BHIFOS BHIFOS, 2 years ago
      Lovely vase and a neat story to do with it :)
    3. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Glad you enjoyed the story that goes with this vase, BHIFOS!

      Thanks for loving my Schwegmann vase Cisum, PhilDMorris, Jenni, dav2no1, vcal, BHIFOS, fortapache and Vynil33rpm!
    4. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for taking a look at and loving my thrift shop vase Blammoammo, Ben, Alfie21, aura, fortapache, Watchsearcher, valentino97 and RichmondLori!
    5. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for checking out my vase, Karen!
    6. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for loving my Michael Schwegmann vase ho2cultcha!
    7. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thank you Glenn12345!
    8. AnythingObscure AnythingObscure, 2 years ago
      Certainly worth twice the $5 for the awesome THRIFT STORE STORY alone -- to be the one that grabs any "thing" first right before another 'interested party' does, then to conversate ever-so-politely about it while waiting to check out -- PRICELESS!!!
      <cheers><bows><applause>

      I'm also glad to know you've already stalked out the nearby treasure stores to your new home...did you really think any of us here would believe you wouldn't do that *first*, before considering a new abode...??? <LOLOL> :-) :-) :-)
    9. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for your comments AnythingObscure. Yes that was a good thrift shop experience! Actually, I had to find a new house very quickly and looked at many houses in several cities within driving distance of my current house and I picked the nicest house which suited my tastes and price range that I could find in a good neighborhood/location. I actually had no idea that there was a thrift shop in walking distance of my new house until I started looking for some used furniture for the new house so I could live there while I was getting it ready to move into. I was a bit horrified at the proximity of the thrift shop as I am committed to paring down my collection and not having so much stuff to deal with for future moves. It has been a test of my will power!
    10. Glenn12345 Glenn12345, 2 years ago
      nice write up ....and nice find.enjoy the day...
    11. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thank you Glenn12345!

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.