Have you ever been to a home décor store and thought, “Those lines are really similar to that Roseville vase I have at home”? Maybe you’ve seen a decorative garden ceramic and wondered if it was inspired by the Weller Pottery Coppertone Fountain Frog? We thought we’d take a look at some of the big selling home décor pieces this season and see how they compared with some of our favorite American art pottery pieces. Take a look –
We found this green ceramic frog planter at a local Pier1. Right next to him is the Weller Pottery Coppertone Frog Planter. The high gloss looks great on the mass produced frog, but we’re drawn to the detail and decorative elements that can only be found on authentic Weller pottery. Plus, we’re quite sure we won’t see the Weller guy on our next door neighbor’s patio, although there’s a good chance our open mouth frog is adorning several patios in the neighborhood.
Beautiful tile is in big demand these days. They’re being used for anything you can imagine. We found 
this pretty tile, complete with a nature scene at Pier1, too. We’re sure it will look great in any home,
but there’s no denying the blues and greens, along with the detailing and beveled features, that really set this Rookwood Pottery 1924 Tile Trivet poles apart from today’s mass produced tiles. Note the blues used to depict the water scenes – big difference, right? Besides, there’s a certain charm that’s missing from the more recent tile.
Ah – now take a look at the vases we’ve put side by side. It’s remarkable how this Fulper vase has maintained it’s pristine gloss and lovely attributes. The pink vase was found in Wal Mart and while it’s pretty as a picture (no pun intended), when placed next to this classic, you can see how the details truly make a difference. You can be sure today’s 
decorative pieces have no original detailing at all, this of course, in an effort to keep every piece “perfect” as it travels down the assembly line. That’s the magic in American art pottery; the perfection is found in those slight nuances and tiny differences. It reminds us that originality counts and that imperfections are not a bad thing; they never have been. (If we could only convince our teenage girls of this mindset, right?)
So next time you’re browsing your favorite store, keep in mind, today’s trends are always inspired by yesterday’s art.
