Pattern Affects Price of Pottery
WHAT IS IT?
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This is a 34 1/2-inch-tall jardiniere and pedestal by Weller Pottery that was made around 1904 in L’Art Nouveau pattern. L’Art Nouveau is characterized by figures of women with flowing hair in matte pastel colors.
WHAT’S ITS HISTORY?
In 1872, Samuel Weller opened a small pottery factory near Zanesville, Ohio. He sold practical pieces such as milk pans and sewer tiles door-to-door. In 1890, he built a new plant, and the business continued to grow. In 1894, he purchased the Lonhuda Faience Co., which produced art pottery.
By the early 1900s, Weller was involved in art pottery in a big way, and he hired new art directors.
Among them was Frederick Hurten Rhead, who created the L’Art Nouveau pattern.
The company continued producing art pottery, with well over 100 patterns, so that by 1915 it was the largest art pottery factory in the world. That status came to an end after World War II, when Japanese imports entered the market. The company couldn’t compete with the lower-cost Japanese items and folded in 1948.
WHAT’S THE LEGEND?
“I admired this in my great-uncle’s house over 70 years ago,” says Laguna Hills resident Dorothy Bernoff.
“I knew nothing about it except that they had bought it in the early part of the century in New York. About 10 years ago, a pottery collector came to my house and told me it was a piece of Weller pottery. At one point, I was going to use it for a table pedestal; now I’m glad I didn’t.”
WHY IS IT POPULAR TODAY?
Because there are so many different patterns, colors, sizes and shapes of Weller pottery, there is something for almost everyone’s taste.
The most popular patterns are Forest, Glendale and Woodcraft.
Prices are not as high for Weller pottery as for other pottery because so many pieces exist.
WHAT’S IT WORTH TODAY?
“I have never seen this pattern of Weller before,” says Sandra Hanke, manager of Castle Antiques in Costa Mesa. “The pedestal shape is very unusual, since it’s more often narrow. I would guess that this piece is probably worth around $1,200, because it isn’t one of the more popular patterns.”
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
There are sections on Weller pottery in books on American pottery. “The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Weller Pottery,” by Sharon and Bob Huxford (Collector Books, 1990, $29.95), is useful. The Web site is https://www.wellerpottery.com.
* To have an item considered for this column, send information, a photograph of it and a phone number to: What’s It Worth?, Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.