The 11th annual Wisconsin Pottery Show was held on August 26, 2006 in Madison, Wisconsin. The show which is put on by the Wisconsin Pottery Association featured over 50 dealers offering antique, original, and contemporary art pottery by makers such as Roseville, Weller, Rookwood, Teco, Van Briggle, Grueby, Marblehead, Amphora, Gouda, Ephraim, Door, dinnerware, and much more.
The pottery show featured steady customer traffic throughout the day with over 500 pottery shoppers attending this year’s one day show. Dealers reported solid pottery sales for contemporary and antique art pottery. Several dealers reported particularly strong sales for Roseville, Van Briggle, Rookwood and contemporary pottery. Most European art pottery sales seemed somewhat slower than at previous shows although French Pottery did seem relatively strong.
In addition to the impressive art pottery displays by dealers, the Wisconsin Pottery Association also puts on a notable and unique ceramic exhibit each year. This year was no exception with the exhibit titled “Art Deco & Modern Style Ceramics, 1910-1940”. The exhibit provided an excellent historical perspective of the art deco style, which peaked in the United States in the 1930s. Art deco pottery is typically characterized by stepped, angular, and or zig zag forms in bright, bold colors which was in contrast with European art nouveau pottery from the early 1900s with its sinuous lines and curves.
The exhibit included displays of modern, art deco, and streamline pottery from makers ranging from Abingdon, Cowan, Muncie, Roseville, Rookwood, and Weller. Hall China, Homer Laughlin Fiesta ware, Redwing, and others represented the dinnerware side of the exhibit.
The pottery exhibit did an excellent job of displaying the transition from what is typically considered art deco pottery to what is becoming more commonly known as the streamline modern style. Streamline American deco is characterized by softer, curved edges rather than sharp deco angles. Many art collectors consider the streamline style as the definitive look of American deco. Many of today’s collectors are seeking this streamline style and it is having a significant impact on interior design and home decorating.
For information about joining the Wisconsin Pottery Association or next years art pottery show visit their website at www.wisconsinpottery.org.
Greg Myroth
