The Jazz Series
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The Jazz Series The Cowan Pottery It was in the midst of this uncertainty that Schreckengost created his now famous icons of American Art Deco. The fi rst three New Yorker R. Guy Cowan was a 1908 alumnus of the New hired a few former students to work as full-time bowls were created in York School of Clay-working and Ceramics designers. response to requests at Alfred University. By 1913 he had built the from Eleanor Roosevelt. network and fi nancial backing necessary to start In 1930 Schreckengost was studying ceramics as They were large—even what would become the Cowan Pottery, initially a post-graduate student in Vienna under Michael for punch bowls—at focusing on tile contracts. After being drafted Powolny when he accepted an employment offer about 17” across and into a World War I project to develop higher developed by Guy Cowan: upon returning to the 12” high. Inspired by quality charcoal for gas masks, Cowan returned US, he divided his time between working as a his trips to Manhattan, to his pottery with an eye toward mass production staff designer in the Cowan Pottery studio and Schreckengost scratched of artistic wares. Several factors contributed serving as an instructor at the Cleveland School them with New York to his success, including experimentation with of Art (now Cleveland Institute of Art). themes: soaring buildings glaze and slip methods, innovations in casting and jazz motifs, ocean liners and fi ring, and working in a market larger than By the end of the 20s, in addition to producing and café scenes. He fi nished a few wealthy patrons. Cowan Pottery produced limited-edition sculptures by artists like A. them with a cobalt blue glaze a variety of fi gural fl ower holders, vases, bowls, Drexler Jacobson, F. Luis Mora, Paul Manship, to capture the “funny blue light ash trays, candlesticks, bookends, sculptures, and and Margaret Postgate, Cowan had taught and/or in New York in 1931 when Cab other art pottery objects that today are highly collaborated with many of the artists destined to Calloway’s band was playing.” He sought-after pieces. become the “Who’s Who” of Cleveland artists in originally called them New Year’s Eve the early 20th century—including Russell Barnett in New York, but Cowan retitled them New The 1920s was a period of continuing expansion Aitken, Alexander Blazys, Paul Bogatay, Edris Yorker. Now known commonly as Jazz Bowls, for Cowan’s pottery, with a move to a new Eckhardt, Thelma Frazier (Winter), Waylande these were a striking vision of New York City in the facility in Rocky River and a burgeoning staff Gregory, Viktor Schreckengost, and Walter Sinz. Jazz Age. that peaked over 40 in 1930, the same time that Though this was a period of intense creative a new display room was constructed. Also an collaboration, it was also Cowan’s darkest hour as The response to these fi rst bowls caused Schreckengost to create an entire Jazz Series, a collection of bowls instructor in ceramics at the Cleveland School the Depression took its toll on small businesses. In and plates bearing icons that depict the excitement of the jazz culture—dancers, instruments, cigarettes, of Art, Cowan encouraged his most talented December 1930 the studio received a bankruptcy cocktail glasses, music notes, and bright lights—and fi nished in Egyptian Blue Crackle glaze. The series hit students to spend time on Saturdays at the order, and one year later, after focusing in 1930 the market boasting at least 11 unique objects. Despite their taboo subject matter in an era of Prohibition, pottery studying fi rsthand the workings of an art and 1931 on innovative attempts to repay the several went into production. Schreckengost would etch the design onto the bowls and plates and supervise pottery manufactory. After their graduation, he fi rm’s creditors, the pottery closed its doors. the decorators who completed the fi ll work. 2 3 Into Obscurity And Rediscovery The letter suggests that, while Schreckengost Kripke’s query constitutes the only known had achieved national prominence and expression of interest in the Jazz Series for Holdings recognition, the Jazz Bowls were largely over forty years (see References on page 12). unknown. Schreckengost’s response provides Then in the mid-1980s, with a rediscovery Below is the current listing of known Jazz Series holdings. one of the earliest accounts of the commission: of Art Deco, the Series began to be featured in museum exhibitions. In 1985, it was Bowls According to my records you have one included in a major show on The Machine of a series of bowls which I made for Age, organized for the Brooklyn Museum of Cocktails and Cigarettes (fl ared) . Cleveland Museum of Art the Cowan Pottery Co., Rocky River, Art. Because no one knew the bowl’s title, it Firmament Ohio in 1930–31. A request was was nicknamed the Jazz Bowl; the term has . None known received from New York to submit since been applied to the entire Series. New Yorker (parabolic) While the Jazz Series had a strong initial a sketch for a Punch bowl which . Cleveland Museum of Art . Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum reception, over the course of the 1930s it showed a New York theme. Several Within a decade the New Yorker became widely recognized as one of the masterpieces . Cowan Pottery Museum faded from view as Schreckengost’s own sketches of mine were submitted and . High Museum of Art of the period—perhaps the most important career eclipsed his early success. From time this one selected. Upon completion, we . Schreckengost Collection to time a bowl or a plate would show with received a very nice letter stating that ceramic ever created in America. Museums . 5 privately held others of Schreckengost’s creations, but by the wife of the New York Governor, and collectors alike aggressively compete to New Yorker (fl ared) . Art Institute of Chicago 1940 the series had completely disappeared Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, was very acquire them. Since the 1980s, it has roughly doubled in value every fi ve years. Erie Art Museum from the public eye. well pleased with it. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Schreckengost also describes to Kripke how . Princeton University Art Museum On January 4, 1954, a lawyer in New York he made several more of these bowls with . 4 privately held Night Club (fl ared) wrote to Schreckengost, reporting that he had variations in subject matter. just purchased a large punch bowl inscribed . None known Poor Man’s with Schreckengost’s name and the word . Baltimore Museum of Art “jazz” from a decorator shop in Boston. Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University . Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Arts I have noted that there are . Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art innumerable articles on your work . 6 privately held in the Reader’s Guide to Periodical . Green glaze—2 privately held . Yellow glaze—None known Literature on the arts, and I have read Rhythm in Blue (parabolic) those which appear to deal with punch . None known bowls or vases but have not found any reference to this one. I should appreciate it if you can tell me whether Plates this is a unique piece or whether you Cocktails 1 did several like it. 1 privately held Cocktails and Cigarettes . None known Danse Moderne . Western Reserve Historical Society . Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Arts . Schreckengost collection . 3 privately held . Full-color version—Schreckengost collection New Yorker 1 Letter from Homer Kripke to Viktor Schreckengost, January 4, 1954, . 1 privately held Viktor Schreckengost Foundation. Kripke’s letter is mistakenly dated 1953, as the subsequent letters between him and Viktor are all dated 4 1954. Viktor’s reply quoted below, also in the Foundation archives, is 5 dated February 15, 1954. The Jazz Series from Schreckengost’s molds, but the motif is not his. It is a unique Alice in Wonderland bowl signed by Cowan contemporary, Waylande Gregory, bearing the Egyptian Blue glaze, and executed in the same sgraffi to technique. Alice was a popular theme among 4 5 Cowan’s potters, so it is no surprise to fi nd her on one of Schreckengost’s bowls. (This bowl is held in a private collection.) 9 11 When Schreckengost decorated yet another of his parabolic bowls called The Hunt, (this time instead of sgraffi to work he chose underglaze slip decoration), he painted four accompanying plates and exhibited the fi ve together as a set, now owned by the 10 Smithsonian. This ensemble parallels his 6 practice of designing matching plates to go with his jazz-themed punch bowls. 3 A promotional fl yer for Cowan Pottery reproduces three of these plates: the New Yorker, Cocktails and Cigarettes, and Danse 2 Moderne. All three carry motifs that pair them 1 with the bowls: the New Yorker and Cocktails The card Schreckengost kept for Rhythm and Cigarettes plates with the bowls by the in Blue states that the bowl was exhibited same name, and Danse Moderne with Night at a one-man show in Akron in 1931 and 8 Club. While these pieces were featured in then “returned to Cowan Pottery—destiny advertisements (see page 5), Cowan seems unknown.” The reference card for Night Club to have folded before some of them were put states that the bowl was damaged but sold by a gallery in 1937 for a reduced price. The into production. London Studio photo is not an advertisement serial bowl known to exist today, Cocktails but a report of “Fine Craftsmanship” Indeed, with the exception of Danse and Cigarettes (4), was executed on a fl ared and therefore does not mention sales Moderne, these plates have almost entirely bowl and received an award from the jury at information.