CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE CALIFORNIA ART POTTERY, 1895-1920 a Thesis Submitted in Partial Satisfaction of the Requ
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE CALIFORNIA ART POTTERY, 1895-1920 A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Maste~ of Arts in Art by Jeffrey Allen Herr Januar:y 1988 The Thesis of Jeffrey Allen Herr is approved: - . -------~ . M[.J... -+·K~~on '..::..:..J. 1 ..o....JJ-~-ea~e-1~L. Ct ...... California State Universi~y, Northridge i i For lilma iii . the art of the potter is not merely interesti~g; it is fascinating; it bewitches and captivates all those who betray any desire for knowledge in any of its branches. Frederick Hurten Rhead iv ACKNOWLEDGE:tt'.£NT S Contrib~tions from many individuals have made ~~is thesis a reality. I am, foremost, indebted to 1ny comrnittee, M. Kenan Breazeale, Louise Lewis and Phil ~Orrison for the timely and pertinent advice, willingly given. They t.ave been invaluable asseLs contributing to the ideas expressed herein. The assistance of the University Inter-Library Loan Department staff has been indispensable. Their efficient and tireless help in locating obscure material made researching this project much easier. Additionally, I would like to note with appreciation the support given by my friends . especially to Allen and Eileen Herr for their encouragement. It is also a pleasu~e to recognize the reassurance extended by Bill Alban, Paul. Wilhoit and Dorothy and Charles Miller. I am particularly indebted to Imie Lane Camelli and Christopher Sales for thei~ crucial assistance in the final stage of this project. I-''"eqrettably, it is impossible to list every na;1ie but rr;y g~atitude is extended to all who played a role in this effort. Thank you. Jeffrey Herr v CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGE~11ENTS ••••••••••.•••••••••••••.•.••.•.•••••..•• v LIST OF PLATES •••••.•.••••.•••••.•.•••••••.••.•.••••.•••• vii ABSTR..A.CT ••.••••...•••.•.•••••••.••.•••••...•••••..••••••. viii INTRODUCTION •••••••.•.••••••••••••••••.•••••.••••••••••.• 1 Chaoter 1 ................................................ 3 ~BACKGROUND INFOR111ATION ..••••••••••••••.•••••.•••••.•• 3 The British Arts and Crafts Movement ............. 3 The American Arts and Crafts Movement ............ 5 Jl...meric.an Arts and Crafts Pottery ................. 8 Chapter 2 ................................................ 12 A..."'ZT POTTERY: DE~-'INITION .•.•.••.••.••••.•..•••.•.••• 12 Chapter 3 ................................................ 19 CALIFORNIA ART POTTERY: DEFINITION •...•••••..•••. 19 Chapter 4 ................................................ 27 CALIFO?.NIA .ART POTTERY OPER..A.TIONS ••.••..•.••••••••••• 27 Stockton Art Pottery ............................. 29 Roblin Art Pottery ............................... 34 Redlands Pot.tery ................................. 39 Batchelder Tile Company .......................... 43 Halcyon Art Pottery .............................. 48 Arequipa Pottery ................................. 51 Valentien Pottery ................................ 55 Alberhill Pottery ................................ 59 Grand Feu Art Pottery ............................ 63 Markham Pottery .................................. 66 Rhead Pottery .................................... 70 California Faience ............................... 75 CONCLUSION ••••••..•...•.•..•••..•••.•.....••••••....• , .. , 78 PLATE CREDITS ••.•..•••••..••.••..••.•.•••••..•..•.•.•.•.• 80 BIBLIOGRJ\.PEY •••••••••..••.••••••••••..••...••••.•••.••.•• 81 INDEX ..•.•••.....••..••...•.•••.............•........•••• 90 vi LIST OF PLATES I Map: California Art Pottery Operations 28 II Stockton Art Pottery 33 III Roblin Art Pottery 38 IV Redlands Pottery 42 v Batchelder Tile Company . 47 VI Halcyon Art Pottery . 50 VII Arequipa Pottery 54 VIII Valentien Art Pottery . 58 IX Alberhill Pottery 62 X Grand Feu Pottery 65 XI Markham Pottery . 69 '7/.i XII Rhead Pottery . I - XIII California Faience 77 vii ABSTRACT CALIFORNIA ART POTTERY, 1895-1920 by Jeffrey Allen Herr Master of Arts in Art The origins of California art pottery produced during the A~ts and Crafts movement (1876-1916) are relatively obscure when compared to the better known art potteries east of the Mississippi River. Even so, it is clear that California potters cre~ted a unique art pottery of superior quality. Although subjected to the same influence, primarily Arts and Crafts philosophy, California art pottery has a different sensibi!ity. It is one that re~lects the emigrant backgrounds of the potters, their preoccupation with the domina~t Cal~fornia landscape and their efforts to promote Cali r-·o:rz·l_i a V'i i i This special set of circumstances made California art pottery possible. It is this same set of circumstances that gives it a viable place in the chronicle of Arts and Crafts art pottery. ix INTRODUCTION The quantity of California art pottery produced during the Arts and Crafts era is relatively small compared to the prolific output of art pottery operations located east of the Mississippi River. It has, consequently, received a proportionately smaller amount of attention. However, as more pieces find their way into collections, it becomes increasingly obvious that the quality of California art pottery equals the best of its east coast and midwest counterparts. It deserves more recognition than has been accorded by past research. Although geographically remote from the eastern Uni~ed States, California art potters were directly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, adhering to many of its tenets. They were also indirectly influenced by eastern art pott2ry production. Due, in part, to vast native clay and mineral deposits, and a burgeoning industrial cerawic industry, California provided an ideal situation for art potters. Impelled by the American Arts and Crafts movernent, these potters used this opportunity to create ar~ pottery with its own ~nique flavor. A major obstacle in defining art pottery is an indiscri~inate use of the term to designace almost any clay vessel used for decorative purposes, produced during an unspecified period of time. A formal or stylistic definition is also inadequate. The philosophy that guided ~he Arts and l Crafts movement must be included because it had an impact that determined the 'look' of art pottery. Within this paper, the term will be restricted to art pottery made during the Arts and Crafts era (approximately 1875 to 1920) with the additional provision that it incorporate aesthetic criteria demanded by Arts and Crafts philosophy. The term 'pottery' can be correctly used to designate both the clay vessel and the place of origin. In the interests of clarity, 'pottery', used within this text, will refer only to the clay vessel. The term 'operation' or 'art pottery operation' will be used to identify the place where the clay vessel was made. The role of California art pottery that falls within the scope of this definition poses many questions. l\_nswers, in the absence of very much information, are difficult to come by. Initially, however, it must be understood in the context of the Arts and Crafts movement. Therefore, a brief review of the Br·itis11 and Arne:-cican Arts and Cra.fts mc)vernents is necessary before a definition of art pottery can be attempted. Having done this, it will then be possible to gain a clearer understanding of California art pottery. Chapter 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION The British Arts and Crafts Movement The Arts and Crafts movement originated in nineteenth century England as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. Among the first, and certainly the most influential, to react against the harmful influence of the Industrial Revolution was Thomas Carlyle. His writings condemned shoddily made consumer goods and substandard working conditions. Reformers follo~ing Carlyle found an antidote in emulating the craft guilds of medieval Europe; a pre-industrial era when r:.he joy of labor was consummated by the creation of useful items designed and made by an individual. This idealized view of medievalism resulted in agitation for social and aesthetic reform in England. Socially, it engendered a concern for the welfare of the co~~on worker. Aesthetically, it set out to completely change popular attitudes by 2.ttemptir:.g raise the status of 'craft' to a position equaling that of fine -. -y-of Q_J... ~-. Victorian scholar and polymath John Ruskin, ~N'ho vJrote, lectured and painted, also had an active interest in botany, geology and politics. This wide range of interests, and the urge to educate his contemporaries, fostered his criticism of British society and all the arts. He believed that this society had cast off spirituality in favor of a mechanical, materialistic universe. Consequently, Ruskin \<Tas driven to 3 subs~itute nature for divine unity. The effort to harmonize society with nature soon led to criticism of industrial progress and the subsequent indictment of all factory made decorative objects that denied the assembly line laborer the satisfaction in pride of accomplishment. This social criticism was always linked to art. In fact, he judged society by the quality of art it produced. His negative assessment of Victorian art caused Ruskin to take on the task of changing the society in which he lived. John Ruskin 1 s socialist views and art criticism found a sympathetic ear in William Morris, the guiding spirit of the British Arts and Crafts movement. As both designer and socialist, he insisted on aesthetic dignity in the most insignificant aspects of everyday life which, in turn, gave human dignity. Morris 1 socialism was based on the ideal of labor as enjoyable handicraft with the laborer