Maine Antique Digest May 2015

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26-B Maine Antique Digest, May 2015
- FEATURE -
staggering. Think about how
much Ohio art pottery you’ve
seen in the past few years—any
or all of it would have helped tell
my story,” he said.
“For Equal, for some parts of
the story, there was only one, or
perhaps a few objects that could
have sufficed. Here, there were
often hundreds.”
A Tradition of Progress posed
the challenge of “simply tell-
ing this big and complex story
that involves so many people
and companies with only 150
objects,” added Richmond.
Covering some aspects of that
story in little time and limited
space was also a test. It wasn’t
just a matter of what to add, but
sometimes what to leave out.
The numerous makes of Ohio
art pottery and glassware could
fill a museum until the contents
spilled out the doors and fell
from the windows.
Richmond relied on others for
help. “There are so many folks
out there who know Rookwood,
Roseville, Cambridge Glass, et
cetera, far, far better than I. To
tell their part of the story in a
way that I felt good about, and
in a way that I thought the real
experts would be pleased with,
that was not easy. I relied heav-
ily on the hard work of so many
of those experts, either their
writings or through talking with
them. I hope I did OK.”
From an initial list of about
225 objects, Richmond trimmed
his final selection by a third.
“Much of what I cut were other
examples by makers already
covered (but that illustrated the
breadth or depth of their pro-
duction), and certainly a few
lesser-known makers that I had
to sacrifice. It was a painful
process, to be sure. And even
still, the galleries feel fuller than
they did with Equal. But that’s
OK with me. Others might have
tried to tell this story with only
eighty ‘great’ objects, but I feel
very strongly that talking about
our past through objects is
not just about highlighting the
‘best.’”
In the end, he accomplished
what he started out to do, and
visitors might find the results
somewhat surprising.
“A big part of the story of Tra-
dition is the birth of the Amer-
ican middle class, and as such,
I needed to include some ‘com-
mon’ objects. And doing what I
do for a living, I like this as well
because that means that I can
point to objects that are readily
available in the market, and even
inexpensive. I wanted to engage
with as broad a cross-section of
visitors as I could, and so select-
ing a group of objects that are
diverse in a number of ways was
how I chose to accomplish that,”
he added.
“Ultimately, as I said, it’s a
big story, a complex story, and
a fascinating story. Innovation,
mechanization, the evolution of
production from maker-driven
to designer-driven. In truth, I
barely scratched the surface. But
I hope I am able to connect with
visitors. And I hope I’m able
to turn a few heads with some
unexpected choices (say, a vac-
uum). If you can’t find some-
thing you like in A Tradition of
Progress, then you simply aren’t
paying attention.”
Richmond said a third install-
ment in the series should hap-
pen, likely presenting Ohio
decorative arts from 1945 to the
present, but he noted “that’ll be
a project for someone else who
has more expertise with modern
and contemporary works.”
An accompanying catalog for
A Tradition of Progress is avail-
able from the gift shop at the
Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.
For more information, phone
(740) 681-1423 or visit (www.
).
Henry L. Fry was an instrumental figure in the art-carved movement in
Cincinnati. This mantel was made for Sunflower Cottage, a Gothic Revival
house built by Fry and his second wife. Decorative elements include sun-
flowers and lilies. The floral-motif andirons in wrought iron and bronze
were designed by Paul Feher for Rose Iron Works, Cleveland. On the man-
tel is a silver-plated salver produced by Homan Manufacturing Company,
Cincinnati.
Numerous rarities are show-
cased in the exhibition,
including these three Santa
miniature oil lamps, each in
a different color. The lamps
were made by Fostoria
Shade and Lamp Company
and Consolidated Lamp
and Glass Company in the
1890s.
Nineteenth-century porcelain in the exhibition includes this
pair of potpourri jars made by the Homer Laughlin China
Company, East Liverpool, Ohio. The company’s experi-
mentation with creating true porcelain was short-lived, as
these pieces date to 1886-89. Homer Laughlin then returned
its attention to earthenware, including the production of
Fiesta dinnerware in 1936.
Among the decorated stoneware in the exhi-
bition is this imposing water cooler from
Akron, Ohio. Note the jug-shaped motif
around the bung hole. The piece is dated
1876.
James Dollings of White Cottage in Muskingum
County, Ohio, made this face jug around 1860-70. Doll-
ings worked at the C.W. Stine Pottery and was also a
farmer.
Shop of the Crafters operated
in Cincinnati from 1904 to 1919.
Circa 1910, this is one of two
matching side chairs in oak with
inlay designed by Paul Horti.
One of the most iconic pieces of Art Deco ceramics is the
Jazz bowl designed by Viktor Schreckengost for Cowan
Pottery. The form was created when Eleanor Roosevelt
commissioned a punch bowl for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
victory as governor of New York. Produced in 1931
and having a flared rim, this is the second version of
the bowl. A third line was also
created. In all, approximately
70 to 150 examples were made
by Cowan.
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