(Winter 1985), pp. 60-67 // Idem, “Regaining appearance, are adaptations of eighteenth 1939), was born the following year. In 1869, Paradise,” Art and Antiques, Mar. 1985, pp. 60 century French forms decorated with French after the death of his wife, Low was married a 65 // James L. Yarnall, “John La Farge’s Por Renaissance details. second time, to Cordelia Ann Lothrop. trait ofthe Painter and the Use of Photography There are some documented pieces of Le Low worked as a, scene and decorative in His Work,” American Artjoumal 18, no. 1 jambre furniture in the English reform style, painter in fresco for several years; the painted (1986), pp. 4-20 // Idem, Washington, D.C., however, such as the chest of drawers with éta backdrop for the Chelsea Academy of Music and New York, conversation, Apr. 1986 // gere now in the collection of the Museum of was one such commission. By the early 1870s, National Museum of American Art, Washing Fine Arts, Houston, which features the recti however, Low was employed by James Rob ton, D.C., The Art ofJohn La Farge, by Henry linear silhouette, stylized carved sunflowers, ertson and his sons at the CHELSEA KERAMIC ART Adams et al. (exhib. cat., 1987), forthcoming and incised details typical of objects inspired WORKS as an accomplished painter of vases in by CHARLES LOCKE EASTLAKE and BRUCE J. TAL the ancient Greek manner (P10. 7.1). BERT. A delicate three-tiered mahogany occa The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposi Karl Langenbeck, see American sional table of about 1880, its surface inlaid tion inspired Low to capitalize on a growing Encaustic Tiling Company with a sparse composition in copper and ' popular interest in ceramics and tiles. In 1877 mother-of-pearl, shows the influence of En Low and his father started their business, lo glish art furniture by E. w. GODWIN, with ele cated at 948 Broadway in Chelsea. Known by William Leighton, Jr., see Hobbs, ments-such as its scalloped arch-derived Brockunier and Company the name ofJ. and J. G. Low until 1883, and from more than one non-Western source (PIGS. J. G. andJ. F. Low thereafter-when John F. 5.16, 5.17). Low replaced his grandfather in the firm-the William Leighton, Sr., see Hobbs, Anna Lejambre died in 1878, leaving her company was among the first to combine ar Brockunier and Company share of the partnership to her daughters tistic designs with mass production, specializ Cora—Henri’s Wife-and Elizabeth. In 1887, ing in decorative tiles, although vessels were five years after Elizabeth's death, her heirs re also manufactured by 1883. Low soon per A. and H. Lejambre linquished their interests in the Lejambre con fected the so-called natural process, for which I865-ca. 1907 cern, making Henri and Cora Lej ambre its sole he received a patent in 1879, even though the Philadelphia owners, presumably as a result of diminished technology be employed had been used in En Furniture profits: an 1888 report of R. G. Dun and gland since 1840. Low’s version of the tech Company stated that Lejambre “is doing a nique involved creating impressions of leaves, This cabinetmaking firm was the outgrowth of small business under light expense, and is grasses, flowers, and fabrics on clay tiles (FTC. an older company established in Philadelphia probably making a living. Is manufacturing in 7.39). Soon he discovered that the same design about 1825 by Jean Pierre Alphonse Lejambre a small way a fine grade ofgoods” (Strickland, could be made in relief by pressing a second (1786-1843), a French craftsman who emi 1978, p. 602). Henri Lejambre ran the com clay tile against the intaglio one. grated to America during the second decade of pany until about 1907, assisted by his son Eu While Low continued to design tiles during the nineteenth century, after serving as a sol gene and various nephews. Numerous changes the 1880s, much of the firm’s production is dier in the Napoleonic Wars. Lejambre spent a of address in its last years hint at the firm’s fi attributable to other talented artists, among brief period of time near Bordentown, New nancial decline. them Arthur Osborne. Osborne, a British Jersey, where in 1820 he married Anna Rainier sculptor and graduate of the design school at (1799-1878), then settled in Philadelphia and REFERENCE South Kensington, London, who joined Low’s set up his shop, styled simply as “A. Lejambre, Peter L. L. Strickland, “Furniture by the Le firm at its inception, had previously worked Upholsterer.” There is no evidence that Le jambre Family of Philadelphia," Antiques 113 for the Chelsea Keramic Art Works. Not all of jambre himself was a cabinetmaker, although (Mar. 1978), pp. 600-613 Osborne's designs are marked with his A0 sig he provided furniture to his clients; he may nature, but it is generally agreed that he was have employed cabinetmakers in his workshop responsible for most of the modeled tiles (E105. for this purpose. His inventory at the time of Walter Scott Lenox, see Ott and 7.40, 7.41). Osborne created motifs based on his death, in 1843, included some two hundred Brewer historical styles and nature. “Plastic sketches" chairs, tables, étageres, and screens, which his Joseph Locke, see New England Glass of mythological and historical figures, includ Wife inherited along with the other assets of Company ing several American presidents, were also the firm. very popular. With the help of George W. Rob Anna Lejambre continued to operate as an ertson (1835-1914), whom Low hired away “upholstress” under the name ofA. Lejambre, J. and J. G. Low Art Tile Works from the Chelsea Keramic Art Works in 1878, taking her son Alexis as a partner about 1853. I877-1907 Low tiles appeared in a rich spectrum of col Alexis, who was related by marriage to Ben Chelsea, Massachusetts ored glazes that included creamy white, choc jamin Randolph, the esteemed eighteenth Ceramic tiles olate brown, olive greens and earth tones, century Philadelphia cabinetmaker, seems to amber, orange, turquoise blue, and rose. Un have been responsible for expanding produc TheJ. and]. G. Low Art Tile Works of Chel like other tile manufacturers in the United tion to include furniture. An 18 5 3 billhead de sea, Massachusetts, was without question one States, such as the AMERICAN ENCAUSTIC TILING scribed the Lejambre concern as importing and of the outstanding American tile manufactur COMPANY, the Low Art Tile Works did not is manufacturing French furniture as well as cur ers of the 1880s. Within a few years of the com sue hand-painted, printed, or encaustic tiles. tains, trimmings, and cornices. By 1858 the pany’s founding in 1877, the firm of J. and Low’s first successful firing of tiles took billhead read “French Cabinet Maker and Up J. G. Low attained international acclaim to place in 1879. A silver medal received later that holsterer,” a designation that remained unal match that of the most renowned British year at the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition tered for the next twenty-five years. firms, such as MINTON AND COMPANY and Maw and a gold medal awarded by a prestigious In 1865, three years after her son’s untimely and Company. British competition in 1880 were harbingers death, Anna Lejambre entered into a partner John Gardner Low (1835-1907) was born in of Low’s international reputation. More than ship with her son-in-law and cousin, Henri Le Chelsea. His father, John Low (1808-1894), thirty distributors marketed Low tiles from jambre, who had been employed by the firm later his partner in the tile works, was a civil coast to coast, and even the British paid hom since the 1850s; the name of the business was engineer. In 18 58 the younger Low com age: Frederick Leighton and members of the officially changed to A. and H. Lejambre in menced a three-year study of painting in the royal family were among the visitors to an 1867. The company’s financial success during Paris studios of Thomas Couture (1815-1879) 1882 exhibition of Low tiles at the Fine Art the 1860s and 1870s resulted from the popular and Constant Troyon (1810-1865); a one-man Society in London. ity of its furniture in the French taste, which show and sale of his work was held in Boston In addition to fireplace surrounds and wall was greatly in vogue in Philadelphia during in 1861. That year Low returned to the United decorations, Low tiles were adapted to a va this period. Most of the known examples States and married Charlotte Jane Farnsworth; riety of ornamental uses. The works of Low of Lejambre furniture, massive and solid in their only son, John Farnsworth Low (1862 art-tile clocks (E10. 8.30) were probably con

Dictionary 449 tracted from other manufacturers, such as the 1885), p. ccxlv // S[ylvester] R[osa] Koehler, 1972), pp. 36, 86-88, 109, I66, figs. 31, 7o New Haven Clock Company, which adver “American Art Industries, 1: Heating. Appa 71, 77, 79, 81, 95, 97 // Barbara White Morse, tised a similar timepiece-identified as the “Al ratus," Magazine ofArt 8 (1885), pp. 37-40 // “Chelsea Ceramic Charm and Comfort,” An batross”—in its 1888 catalogue. The clock case “Trade Catalogues,” Clay-Worker 3 (Jan. tiquesjournal 27 (Oct. 1972), pp. 13-15, 40 // itself may have been produced under the aus 1885), pp. 117-18 // [Amanda B. Harris], Idem, “Low ‘Art Tiles’ Today: A Primer for pices ofJ. andJ. G. Low, who applied in 1884 “Fire-place Stories,” Wide Awake 22 (Dec. the Novice Collector,” National Antiques Re for a patent on a similar design, which they 1885), pp. 42-50 // “Lee and Shepard’s New view 5 (Oct. 1973), pp. 26-29 // Idem, “Low received two years later. The firm often con Books: ‘Plastic Sketches of J. G. and J. F. Art Tiles Illustrating the Victorian Japanesque tracted with other manufacturers, such as the Low,’” Critic 9 (Nov. 27, 1886), p. xiii // Ar Vogue,” Antiques Journal 28 (Nov. 1973), pp. Magee Art Castings Company of Chelsea, chitectural League, New York, Catalogue of the 20-22, 49 // Paul Evans, Art Pottery of the Massachusetts, to produce brass and metal Third Annual Exhibition. . . (exhib. cat., I887) United States: An Encyclopedia of Producers and work objects—umbrella stands and picture [advertisements], p. 57 //J. G. andJ. F. Low, Their Marks (New York, 1974), pp. 151-53 // frames, for example—which were retailed Plastic Sketches (Boston, 1887) // Illustrated Ralph and Terry Kovel, The Kouels’ Collector’s under the Low name. Low tiles also adorn the Catalogue of Clocks Manufactured by the New Guide to American Art Pottery (New York, Art Westminster cast-iron stove (ILL. 8.23) Haven Clock Company (New Haven, 1888), 1974), pp. 76-85 // Barbara White Morse, made by Rathbone, Sard and Company of Al “Albatross” // Clarence Cook, “The Exhibi “John G. Low and Elihu Vedder, AS Artist bany, New York, itself symbolic of the mar tion of American Pottery and Porcelain,” Art Dreamers,” Spinning Wheel 32 (May 1976), pp. riage of utility and beauty sought by design Amateur 20 (Dec. 1888), pp. 5-6 // Pennsyl 24-27 // Idem, “The Low Family of Chelsea, reformers. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, vania Museum and School of Industrial Art, Massachusetts, and Their Pottery,” Spinning Low manufactured elaborate ceramic soda Philadelphia, Exhibition of American Art Indus Wheel 33 (Sept. 1977), pp. 28-33 // Idem, “Art fountains, which were patented in 1889. try of1889, Including a Competition for American Tiles,” American Antiques 5 (Nov. 1977), pp. During his last ten years, John Gardner Low Workmen (exhib. cat., 1889), pp. 26-29 // 24-29 // Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, resumed his interest in painting (he held mem L. W. Miller, "Industrial Art: The Exhibition American Art Pottery, 1875-1930, by' Kirsten berships in both the Allston Club and the Paint of Art Industry at Philadelphia,” Art Amateur Hoving Keen (exhib. cat., 1978), p. 23 (fig. and Clay Club of Boston), leaving the man 21 (Nov. 1889), p. 134 // Emile Molinier, “Un 39) // William Benton Museum of Art, Uni agement of the firm to his son, a chemist ed Décorateur américain: J. G. Low,” L'Art 49 versity of Connecticut, Storrs, American Deco ucated at the Massachusetts Institute of (1890), pp. 138-40 // Edwin AtLee Barber, rative Tiles, 187o-1930, by Thomas P. Bruhn Technology. Production of Low ceramics “Recent Advances in the Pottery Industry,” (exhib. cat., 1979), pp. 8-9, 30-35 // David stopped in 1902, and the Worcester Art Mu Popular Science Monthly 40 (Jan. 1892), pp. A. Hanks and Donald C. Peirce, “The Vir seum commemorated the firm’s achievement 308-9 // Idem, The Pottery and Porcelain of the ginia Carroll Crawford Collection of Ameri with an exhibition in 1903. The company’s as United States (New York, 1893), pp. 346-53 // can Decorative Arts,” Antiques 124 (Oct. sets were liquidated upon ]. G. Low’s death [Karl Langenbeck to John F. Low, correspon 1983), p. 746 (ill.) // Barbara White Morse, four years later. dence, Aug. 17, 1893], Pottery Collectors’ Springvale, Maine, correspondence, Mar. 23, Newsletter 3 (Aug. 1974), pp. 156-60 // Karl‘ Apr; 6 and 15, May 8, I0, and 23, 1985 REFERENCES Langenbeck, Mosaic Tile Company, to F. “American Tiles,” Crockery and Glass Journal 10 Lowe [sic], correspondence, Jan. 5, 1897, col (July 31, 1879), p. 30 // “ReliefTiles,” Crock lection of Barbara White Morse, Springvale, John Low, see J. and J. G. Low Art ery and Glassjournal 10 (Oct. 2, 1879), p. 5 // Maine // William P. Jervis, “Low Art Tile Tile Works [Household art rooms-Boston], Art Amateur Company, Boston,” in Encyclopedia ofCeramics 2 (Feb. 1880), p. iii // [Description of Low’s (New York, 1902), pp. 356-57 // R. S., “The John Farnsworth Low, see J. and J. G. art-tiles showroom], Art Amateur 3 (July Field of Art—American Pottery,” Scribner’s Low Art Tile Works 1880), p. 44; and [advertisement], p. iii // Magazine 32 (Nov. 1902), pp. 637-40 // “J. G. “Menu and Guest Cards,” Art Amateur 3 (Oct. Low, Chelsea, Dead,” Boston Herald, Nov. 11, John Gardner Low, see J. and J. G. 1880), pp. 106-7 // “Miscellaneous: American 1907, p. 12 // “John Gardner Low” [obituary], Low Art Tile Works Tiles in England,” pt. 2, American.Art Review Boston Daily Globe, Nov. 11, 1907, p. 8 // (Boston) I, pt. 2 (1881), p. 552 //J. andJ. G. “Death of John G. Lowe [sic],” Chelsea Cath Low, Art Tiles (Chelsea, 1881) // Idem, Illus olic Citizen, Nov. 16, 1907, p. 4 // “Low, John Will H. Low trated Catalogue of Art Tiles (Chelsea, 1881 Gardner," in The National Cyclopaedia ofAmer 1853-1932 82) // [Praise for Low art tiles], Crockery and ican Biography, vol. 14 (New York, 1917), p. New York City Glassjournal 13 (Jan. 20, 1881), p. 14 // [Cri 239 // “Low, John Gardner,” in Dictionary of Painter tique of an article in Harper’s Magazine of Feb. American Biography, vol. II (New York, 1933), 1881], ArtAmateur4 (Feb. 1881), p. 47 // [Var p. 447 // Everett Townsend, “Development of The American figure painter Will Hicok Low ious showrooms], Art Amateur 4 (May 1881), the Tile Industry in the United States,” Bulletin is best known for his mural paintings dating p. 129 // [Expansion of Low Art Tile Com of the American Ceramic Society 22 (May 15, from the 1890s and the first two decades of the pany], Crockery and Glass journal 13 (May 5, 1943), p. 129 // Lura Woodside Watkins, twentieth century; his most important com 1881), p. 20 // “Is Our Art Only a Fashion?” “Low’s Art Tiles,” Antiques 45 (May 1944), pp. mission comprised thirty-two murals of alle ArtAmateur 5 (June 1881), p. 2 // “New Dec 250-52 // Idem, Early New England Potters and gorical subjects created for the New York State orative Metal Castings,” Art Amateur 5 (June Their Wares (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. Education Building in Albany, New York, be 1881), p. 12 // J. andJ. G. Low, Plastic Sketches 227-30 // Barbara White Morse, “Tiles to tween 1913 and I918. As a student in France (Boston, 1882) // Frank D. Millet, “Some Treasure: Low Art Tiles,” Spinning Wheel 25 during the mid-1870s, Low witnessed the re American Tiles,” Century Illustrated Monthly (Mar. 1969), pp. 18-22 // Regina Soria, Elihu vival of monumental decorative painting in Magazine 23 (Apr. 1882), pp. 896-904 // [An Vedder: American Visionary Artist in Rome that country. Intent on establishing himself as enthusiastic believer in pottery], Art Amateur 6 (1836-1923) (Rutherford, NJ, 1970), pp. 151 a decorative painter, he returned to the United (May 1882), p. 127 // “Low’s Art Tiles” [ad 63 // Barbara White Morse, “Letters from States in 1877, but nearly two decades passed vertisement], Art Amateur 7 (Nov. 1882), p. Our Mailbag: ‘Esmeralda’ Low Tiles” [correc before an equivalent demand for large-scale vi // “Low’s Art Tiles” [advertisement for tion to Mar. 1969 article], Spinning Wheel 26 mural painting developed in this country. Caryl Coleman, agent], Art Interchange 10 (July-Aug. 1970), p. 50 // Idem, “Buying a Throughout the intervening years Low partic (Mar. 29, 1883), p. 86 // “Tiles,” Crockery and Low Art Tile Stove,” pts. 1, 2, Spinning Wheel ipated in many other kinds of decorative proj Glassjournal 18 (Dec. 13, 1883), p. 23 //J. G. 26 (Nov. 1970), pp. 28-31; (Dec. 1970), pp. ects, which included the design of stained Low and F. Low, Illustrated Catalogue of 12-15 // Idem, “John Gardner Low and His glass windows and book illustrations. Art Tiles [Chelsea, 1884?] // Isaac Edwards Original Art Tile Soda Fountain,” pts. 1, 2, Born in Albany, New York, Low was first Clarke, Art and Industry: Education in the Indus Spinning Wheel 27 (July-Aug. 1971), pp. 26 exposed to art in the studio of the sculptor trial and Fine Arts in the United States, pt. 1, 28; (Sept. 1971), pp. 16-19 // Julian Barnard, Erastus Dow Palmer (1 8 17-1904), the father of Drawing in Public Schools (Washington, D.C., Victorian Ceramic Tiles (Greenwich, Conn., one ofLow’s boyhood friends. For a short time

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