Most people know that the arts and crafts period was a significant movement in the history of decorative arts, both here and abroad. But did you know that it also represented an important social experiment as well? Check out this distinctive turn-of-last century vase I spotted at a recent New England Antique Show. Not only is it charming all unto its own - it also very well could have been instrumental in helping a family transition from new immigrant to engaged citizen status. Let's take a look at this pretty pottery and see what makes it so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.
You can't help but get in a mellow-yellow frame of mind when it comes to this tall arts and crafts bud vase. It is bulbous shaped with a narrow neck and a flared rim. Overall, the piece is about 8 inches tall and 3 inches wide at the fullest point of the base. The vase is glazed in a soft, somewhat dull yellow finish. What makes this piece especially distinctive is the inch-wide floral band around the top. This features larger, cream colored dogwood flowers beautifully integrated into a collage of simple greenery. These elements are outlined and then
and filled with flat tones harmonizing with the background of the piece - giving the decoration a distinctive 3D look and feel. The vase is signed "SEG" and "FL" on the bottom. The vase is a terrific example of "Saturday Evening Girls" pottery; it was made in 1914 and signed by decorator Fanny Levine.
The arts and crafts movement, although international in scope, had strong ties to the Boston, Massachusetts area. This period, whose influence was felt from 1860 through the 1930's, advocated for authentic craftsmanship and emphasised traditional materials, earthen tones, and decorations based on idealized, natural themes. The movement also championed economic and social reform as part of the manufacturing process. And that's were the "Saturday Evening Girls" come into the picture!
The Saturday Evening Girls (SEG) was a project set up under the auspices of The Paul Revere Pottery company
in Boston, Massachusetts. This company was in business from 1906 through 1942. SEG was formed in 1907 to help the children of poor immigrants in the North End of Boston. It was initiated by Mrs. James J. Storrow, a founding member of
the North Bennett Industrial School in Boston’s North End. This socially progressive and philanthropically focused woman wanted to provide underserved teens with lectures on Saturday evenings at the North end branch of the
Boston Public Library. Instead of charging dues, participants "paid" for their membership by providing one hour per
week of decorating service to the The Paul Revere Pottery Company. In addition, some girls worked part time at the company to earn money for their families or to pay for school; others painted pottery to learn a trade or to keep off the streets.
As business at the pottery grew, and SEG wares started gaining visibility, Mrs. Storrow purchased a house in Boston
which would become the retail outlet for the company. It was called "The Bowl Shop of the Paul
Revere Pottery." The company's extensive product line now included cereal, salad, fruit, and nut bowls, as well as tiles, plates, pitchers, cups and
saucers. Any item could be specially ordered or customized with a name or monogram. Here on the left, you can see a three piece SEG set personalized to lucky recipient "Emily." Due in part to the quality and appeal of the pottery, as well as the story behind it, business continued to expand nationwide.
Only three years after moving into The Bowl Shop, the company again moved to a larger pottery in nearby Brighton, Massachusetts. This fully staffed and well designed facility was better able to serve up the up to 200 "Saturday Evening Girls" who worked part time for the company. You can see the women at work here on the left. The company had a solid reputation for good working conditions, fair management, reasonable pay, and a positive employee culture. Despite the company closing its doors for good in 1942, Saturday Evening Girls pottery today is recognized as a gold standard in Arts and Crafts craftsmanship of the early twentieth century - and has enthusiastic collectors worldwide.
I would like to thank Meg Chalmers and Judy Young from Crone's Collectibles for this historical and stylistic introduction to Saturday Evening Girls pottery. Crone's Collectibles is located in Northwood, NH. The company specializes Arts and Crafts era American Art Pottery of the
Stickley era including Rookwood, Grueby, Marblehead, Early Van Briggle,
Newcomb, and especially
Saturday Evening Girls (SEG) or Paul Revere Pottery (PRP). They can be reached at (508) 237-3799 or crones@capecod.net. Meg and Judy are regular exhibitors at New England Antique Shows and will be bringing many marvelous examples of SEG pottery to the upcoming show on October 21st and 22nd, 2012. They are, however, retiring soon after 18 years in the business, so the time is NOW to connect with them if you are interested in this item or others by SEG! Learn more about New England Antique Shows and their upcoming events by clicking here!
So pull up a chair and check out this 1930's-era cup and saucer to see what makes it so noteworthy from a design and historical perspective.
I'm certain you are thirsty to learn more about these charming ceramics. What we have here is a matching cup and saucer in the "Autumn Crocus" pattern by artist Clarice Cliff. This design was in production between 1928 and 1964 and appeared on a full range of decorative and household
items, including planters and vases, pictured here on the left. The beverage set itself is petitely scaled: the saucer is about 4 inches in diameter while the cup is roughly 3 1/2 inches tall. The design features a series of blue, purple, and orange sprouting flowers on a light yellow background. The base of the cup has a band of orange on the bottom, and a band of darker yellow along the inner rim. Sprouts of green foliage complement the design; these were painted on by holding the piece upside down and stroking the brush between the colored flower blossoms. The cup handle is a solid triangle, giving the piece a very art deco look. This same angular accent can be seen in the vase second in from the left on the photograph above.
Here's (another) interesting angle on the piece... its name! Cliff gave it her own proprietary name, calling it a "solid conical." In the United Kingdom, a cup of this size and shape is known as a "coffee can." Here in the United States, it would be called an "espresso" or "demitasse" cup.
It is no surprise Cliff "created" her own shape names, as she truly was a innovative genius. She was considered one of the preeminent ceramic artists of her time. Cliff was born on January 20, 1899 in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, England to a working class family. She started working in the ceramics industry at 13. She quickly mastered the painting and decorating basics and moved on to the A.J. Wilkinson pottery factory a few years later to keep building her skills. Her talent there was quickly recognized and by the 1920's, she was given additional responsibilities including product design and her own studio to decorate "factory seconds." To cover up the defects on these seconds, she used bold, bright colors in a triangular pattern. She called this her "Bizarre" technique; you can see an example of this style on the tea set pictured above. These pieces became incredibly popular and basically launched her career as an artist. In 1928, she introduced her Crocus pattern; this proved such a hit that the company allocated a separate area for its production and employed twenty young women who painted nothing but Crocus 5½ days a week, for much of the 1930's. As a result of her success, she was appointed Art Director to Newport Pottery and A. J. Wilkinson, the two adjoining factories that produced her wares.
Over the course of her career, Cliff had many highlights and successes. These included projects with other notable artists and celebrities, the department store Harrods in London, and the BBC. She and her work were featured in over 360 published articles, including trade, women's magazines, and national and local newspapers, an astounding accomplishment for a woman at the time. She told the Pasadena Evening Post...
"Having a little fun at my
work does not make me any less of an artist, and people who appreciate
truly beautiful and original creations in pottery are not frightened by
innocent tomfoolery."
After a very long and successful life, Cliff died on October 23, 1972. Despite her passing, her name and influence continue on, even to this day. Wedgwood produced a series of her highly desirable 1930's era items from 1992 to 2002 as reproductions; this vase here on the left is an example of that collaboration. More recently, she has been featured in museum exhibits, books, and prestigious industry lectures.
I would like to thank Judith Lesser, owner of Antiques From Home from Frederick, Maryland for hostessing this Clarice Cliff inspired coffee klatch. Antiques From Home specializes in antique ceramics, mauchlineware, and deco era ceramics, including Clarice Cliff, Gray's, Paragon, Grindley, vintage Cornish Ware from T.G. Green, peasant art czech pottery, French quimper, and Shelley china teacups. Judith is a regular exhibitor at New England Antique Shows events and will be attending the upcoming Antiques at Elm Bank Show in Wellesley, MA on June 9th and 10th. For more information on this set, please contact Judith directly at 301-461-0499 or judithlesser2.0@gmail.com.
According to abolitionist and activist Henry Ward Beecher, "Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house." And nothing could be closer to the truth when it comes to this recent discovery I had at New England Antique Show's Boston Book, Paper, and Photo Expo and Sale. Check out this absolutely beautiful late 19th century tome - the quality and attention to detail are just astounding.
If you haven't "red" this book already, it is safe to assume that you just may be interested in doing so. What we have here is The Book Of Ballads by Bon Gaultier. It was published by the London based binding firm
of Kelly & Sons in their "Kelliegram" style. The red cover, back, and spine are incredibly and intricately detailed with multicolor mosaic style leather pictorial work and are complimented by gold colored gilt stamping. The front show a pensive looking man, sitting in a chair and wearing a "fez" style hat; the spine has a few people and animal vignettes; and the back features a rotund man who appears to be looking out at an expansive venue. The book from every angle is truly a work of art.
Books in the "Kelliegram" style are one of the signature products of the English
commercial binding firm of Kelly & Sons, one of the earliest book binderies in London. Kelliegram bound books were introduced in the 1880's. Most often, an illustration found within the book was reproduced on
the cover with leather onlays (a thin piece of leather glued on top of
another piece of leather) or inlays (a thicker piece of leather glued
next to another). The Kelliegram name was also imprinted in gold on an inside cover. Here on the left is another example of a "Kelliegram" book, this one is Gulliver's Travels from around 1894. Overall, Kelly & Sons was founded in 1770 by businessman John Kellie. Over time, the family changed the spelling of their name to "Kelly" which was later reflected in the company's identity. Kelly & Sons continued doing business into the 1930's.
And just what is The Book of Ballads, and who is Bon Gaultier? The book itself was actually penned by two writers, William Edmondstoune Aytoun and Theodore Martin. Together they wrote under the pen name "Bon Gaultier", and first published The Book of Ballads in 1856. According to writer and academic George Kitchin, the book consisted of...
"...a mannequin's parade of Victorian modes: parodies of national ballads, of the Eastern tale, of the philosophical poem, of the reflective poem, of the "poetical puff," of the epigram, of thieves' literature, of young ladies' literature, and of the leading stylists of the day."
The book itself was extremely popular at the time - and holds an important role in the evolution of literature even today. According to historical records, in England alone it ran through at least thirteen editions. It is interesting to to note that the number of ballads increased from thirty-nine in the first edition to fifty-six in later editions. And, from an historical perspective, this book served as a template and litmus test for future parodists, as it laid the foundation for what elements of society could be "made fun of" while still maintaining social mores.
I would like to thank Jack Freas of Tamerlane Books, Havertown PA, for bookending this discussion on Bon Gaultier and the Kelliegram binding process. Tamerlane Books specializes in only in the finest quality rare books, prints, with an emphasis on the visual - illustrated books, fine bindings, color plate books, etc. -
as well as prints, ephemera, paintings, and drawings and related graphics.Jack will be attending the upcoming Boston Book, Paper, and Photo Expo and Sale at the Shriner's Auditorium in Wilmington, MA on May 5th. Pre-register on the website and save $3 off the normal admission. For more information on this book, please contact Jack directly at (610) 449-4400 or
tamerlanebooks@verizon.net. Learn more about New England Antique Shows and their upcoming events by clicking here!
Some things are twice as nice, just by sharing their beauty and precious legacy with us! And such is the case with these "twin" English Minton antique accessories from around 1880. Take a look at these lovely period vases that I found at a recent New England Antiques Show event.
What we have here is a twin (more fraternal than identical) set of Minton porcelain vases hand painted by well known artist W.S. (William Stephen) Coleman. Each vase is circular, about 7 inches tall, and 3 inches wide. The top and edges are finished with gold paint. The front of each features a nymph-like nude young lady, who seems to be contemplating her beautiful, idealized setting - complete with birds, wildflowers, and butterflies. (It is good to see in both cases, she is wearing a hat to protect her from the sun's harmful rays.) The back of each vase is detailed with two adorable baby cherubs who are on the hunt for butterflies.
Let's take a minute and talk about Minton's. The company was started by Thomas Minton (1765-1836) in 1793. Minton's produced earthenware, bone china, and eventually tiles, and was located in Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The company was very innovative, and always looking for new product ideas, partnerships, and ways to stretch their technologies and production techniques. As such, their artists found ways to use their materials to replicate pure white marble for replica statues; created the Victorian Majolica technique which featured molded surfaces and colorful clear lead glazes; and mastered the Pâte-sur-pâte method, a form of decoration in which a relief design is created on an unfired, unglazed body by applying successive layers of white liquid clay with a brush. In the 1870's,Minton's began experimenting with influences from Chinese cloisonne enamels, Japanese lacquer, and Turkish pottery. And, in around 1880, Minton's expanded its operations by opening an art pottery studio in Kensington, London, and hired W.S. Coleman as director. He was charged with elevating the role of artists in pottery decoration and design. It was at this point that the Art Nouveau moment really started gaining traction; the influences of this period - including natural forms, plants, and curved lines - can be seen in the twin vases under discussion. Fast forward, Minton's was purchased by Royal Doulton Tableware Ltd. in the 1950's. Today, Royal Doulton still produces a few specialty item under the Minton's brand name. For a guide to Minton's marks over time, please click here.
And what about the artist, William Stephen Coleman? WS was born in Horsham, England in 1829. Although he studied to be a surgeon, his real passion and talent was in art, so he pursued a career as an illustrator and painter. He was a contributor to the Illustrated News and the
London Almanac. On the left is an original drawing he did for Minton's dinner service entitled "The Naturalist". If you look closely at the illustration, you can see the outline of the dishes and plates, and how the design is placed upon them. Below is the "butterfly" plate from the set. According to the National Archives in the United Kingdom...
"This design is usually referred to as the
'Naturalist' service. These striking designs were prepared for Minton by
the artist WS Coleman [William Stephen Coleman]. Minton paid Coleman a
fee of £200 for the designs. Using the retail price index £200 in 1870
would be worth over £12,000 today. Compared with average earnings in
1870, £200 would be worth over £100,000, a significant amount to be paid
for one design. This design is illustrated Joan Jones Minton, The First
Two Hundred Years of Design & Production, Swan Hill Press, 1993,
page 67."
I would like to thank John Prunier, owner of 20th Century Design from Warren Massachusetts, for helping to make it a doubly beautiful day for all of us with this set of Minton vases. John, a full-time show dealer since 1987, has a large inventory featuring modern design, European and American Art
Deco, Art Nouveau, Scandinavian and 1950s design, as well as Asian
antiques and scientific collectibles.John
is a regular exhibitor at New England Antique Shows eventsand
will be attending the upcoming Spring Fever Antiques and Design Show and Sales
in Concord, MA on April 21st and 22nd. For more information on these vases, please contact John directly at 413-436-5608 or johnrprunier@yahoo.com.
