I don’t believe I have ever seen such a beautiful color blue! And I adore the matte Van Briggle Pottery glazes. So, here is a set of seven Van Briggle tumblers circa 1990s. Or, if you don’t want to use them as tumblers…make them vases! You know how sometimes you just like the feel of something in your hands? These are that.
Although they are a set of seven, they bear the initials of five different etchers at Van Briggle. Two sets of initials with two tumblers each are unknown etchers, but their initials, in case you may know, are JD and TE (with the E looking like a backward 3). The three remaining tumblers have three different sets of initials. The first one is HVM and belongs to Hilde Manuszak who was at Van Briggle from 1988-2002. The second one is LS and belongs to Loretta Short who was at Van Briggle from 1987-1997. And, the third one is CLC belonging to Cristina Crispi who was at Van Briggle for only one year in 1994. In addition to the etchers initials these seven pieces all have the scratched in XI mark of the “Glaze Sprayer”. This mark could be attributed to two different sprayers, Garoid (Gary) Dhondt who was with Van Briggle from 1995-closing or Annette Moody who was there from 1994 to 1997. Whew! That is a lot of information I know. But it is important if you are a collector. If you aren’t and you just like these because they’re handsome…I don’t blame you. So do I!
Van Briggle Pottery was founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado circa 1901 (some say 1899) by Artus and Anne Van Briggle. Artus was an accomplished painter and had studied abroad while working for Rookwood Pottery. It was there he garnered an appreciation for the Art Nouveau styles and the Oriental matt glazes which he incorporated into his style and techniques established for Van Briggle Pottery. Thus, making them a fundamental force in American Art Pottery and the Arts and Craft movement. In1904, after only three years at the helm of Van Briggle, Artus died from tuberculosis at the young age of 35. But the designs and glazes he produced in those three years carried the pottery into the 21st century. After his death Anne continued their work until 1912. For many, many years Van Briggle Pottery was a mainstay for tourists visiting Colorado Springs. They toured the workshop and bought souvenir treasures which spread Van Briggle pieces throughout the world. Van Briggle finally closed their doors for good in 2012, 111 years after opening.
These might be just the pieces to start a collection. Make them yours.
