Wow! These are exceptional examples of Rookwood Arts and Craft Pottery. These two beautiful vases have been together for a long time, so we are selling them as a pair. One is in a sea green gloss glaze and date marked 1928 with form number 2963. This one is a long neck bottle shaped vase that is void of decoration letting its classic silhouette be the star. The second one has a turquoise matte glaze and is date marked 1922 with form number 2283. It has a bulbous urn shape with a band of incised geometric design around the lower third of its body. Both are in fabulous condition and will be lovely on a shelf or in a table-scape.
Rookwood Pottery was founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Nichols and has the unique distinction of being the first manufacturing company in the United States founded by a female. It is also known for having many women artists on staff over its long lifespan. The name Rookwood was Maria’s brainchild after noticing the rooks, or crows, populating her father’s estate and combining that with “wood” for a nod to the fame Wedgwood wares. Maria ran the company for three years. Then in 1883, after she attained much success in earning medals for the company’s work, she turned over the management of and transferred her interest in the company to William W. Taylor. Under Taylors command the business went from a young award-winning pottery company to a thriving entity. It was a very successful operation over the following decades. But in 1941, after the Great Depression took its toll, Taylor closed-up shop. Until a brief few years later a group of investors bought the company and began production once again. The new Rookwood changed hands many times and even moved to a different state but could still never be the pottery it once was. They subsequently closed their doors for good in 1967.
Whether you are a collector of Arts and Crafts pottery or Rookwood in particular…or you just love beautiful things….you need to make this pair yours.
