Each art pottery line includes a “favorite” of any collector. There’s no shortage of Van Briggle fans who appreciate the magical hues, especially the blues and greens, found in many of this pottery company’s lines.
Van Briggle Color Plates
Those who have mastered the glaze colors, especially in the Van Briggle collections, certainly know the distinctions behind every single one of those glazes. These glaze colors not only identify the various pieces, but also gives some clue as to any piece’s value. This is especially important in those pieces where the markings no longer exist and therefore can’t tell the history of a piece.
Many Van Briggle Pottery pieces are labeled in groups: “Plate 174” or “Plate 183”. Within these groups are the pieces. The blues and greens are striking- and that’s an understatement!
Plate 187 and Plate 184
I’ve paired these two because of the very distinct differences. Within Plate 184, you’ll discover very light hues of blue or green (some say blue, others insist they’re very light variations of green). The pieces were made in the early 1900s, around 1905-1906. They’re most often marked with “VB” for Van Briggle, along with “stp” for “stamped”.
The Plate 187 collection has much darker shades of blue. When you put any of the pieces of the two collections together, it’s almost magical. It truly is a remarkable contrast. These pieces will have similar markings, including the “VB” and “stp”. The one difference might be these pieces will have “CS” for Colorado Springs.
Plate 203
This collection of vases have a nice combination of various shads of blues and greens. The vases will often have several shades that begin in a really light blue around the neck of the vase and get darker closer to the base or vice versa. They will often incorporate the “VB”, the number associated with the vase and the “stp”.
Plate 207
I wanted to include this collection because of a specific bowl. If you’ll notice in the photo, the
outside of the bowl is a nice almost “sea foam” green while the bowl itself is a pretty sky blue. They contrast beautifully and the absence of any etchings or other decorative elements lends to its character. It’s the simplicity that defines it.
These are just a few of the many Van Briggle pottery pieces you’ll discover in the hlue and green glaze lines. If you’re a Van Briggle collector, you surely know how remarkable the presentations are. If you’re new to Van Briggle, you’re in for a treat as you discover those hues. A good place to start your research efforts is by exploring the very detailed information in the Collector’s Encyclopedia of Van Briggle Art Pottery: An Identification and Value Guide. It’s chock full of information on everything you need to know about this revered line of American art pottery.
