Carol Seidman on thu 21 jan 99
Hi Clayart Friends:
I found something pottery related at an antique shop and had to get
it.
It is a ceramic souvenir plate, on the back is stamped;
"The American Potter", joint exhibit of Capitol and Labor,
New York Worlds Fair 1939.
The plate is about 7" in diameter with a raised design of a male
potter throwing a large pot on a kickwheel. It is glazed in a light
blue glaze. Any ideas how to research this?
Maybe Mel remembers it.
Carol Seidman, in New Jersey. I only go back as far as the 1964 New
York Worlds Fair.
Mike Gordon on sat 23 jan 99
Hi,
You might try looking in the internet, worlds fair, ceramics. Or under
antiques, worlds fair, or something like that. At least you might find a
collector who can shed some light on it. Maybe the "Antiques Roadshow" ?
Mike
arturo m devitalis on sat 23 jan 99
Contack\t the antique appraisal show on PBS..bet they can tell you lots.
Arturo DeVitalis
devpot@juno.com
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Barbara Brown on sat 23 jan 99
Dear Carol,
I also have that Worlds Fair plate with a potter using a kick wheel to
throw a pot. Mine is reddish tan. I also have another plate that is in
the series and it is a man decorating a large pot and it is light blue.
After I read your message, I phoned Mark Wiskow (an antique dealer and
very knowledgeable about pottery) of Twentieth Century Ceramics in San
Francisco. He told me is it is by Homer Laughlin China Co. I have
forwarded your message to him and he will tell you a great story about
this worlds fair.
Barbara
ps I also collect anything with a picture of a potter on it. One of my
best buys was a Delft plate with a potter making a pot on the wheel for
$10 in a flea market in Amsterdam
Barbara Brown phone/fax 408-736-3889
1225 Manzano Way,Sunnyvale,Ca. 94089
http://www.silverhawk.com/crafts/bbrown97
Jim Horvitz on sun 24 jan 99
Terry and Ralph Kovel the antique experts have written about the Worlds Fair
souvenire plates several times. A group of potters like Homer Laughlin and
other American firms did a demonstration of making ceramics at the Fair. They
made these plates in a variety of colors. They were sold at the Fair. They
are not too rare--sell for about $ 50 retail. You might want to look at the
Kovels web site www.kovel.com.
Jim Horvitz Rancho Mirage Ca.
Robin McGregor on sun 24 jan 99
Hi Carol, and any other Clayarters who are interested in this type of
trivia.... March yourself right to the nearest Barnes and Nobles Bookstore.
They have books there on Worlds Fair Memorabilia (which is VERY
collectible!!). Find one, have a seat, and read on!! But please be sure to
share any information you get!!
Robin McGregor
Manchester, NH
In a message dated 1/22/99 8:31:38 AM Eastern Standard Time, cseidman@home.com
writes:
<< The plate is about 7" in diameter with a raised design of a male
potter throwing a large pot on a kickwheel. It is glazed in a light
blue glaze. Any ideas how to research this?
Maybe Mel remembers it.
Carol Seidman, in New Jersey. I only go back as far as the 1964 New
York Worlds Fair.
>>
Ric Swenson on mon 25 jan 99
Carol Seidman wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi Clayart Friends:
> I found something pottery related at an antique shop and had to get
> it.
> It is a ceramic souvenir plate, on the back is stamped;
> "The American Potter", joint exhibit of Capitol and Labor,
> New York Worlds Fair 1939.
> The plate is about 7" in diameter with a raised design of a male
> potter throwing a large pot on a kickwheel. It is glazed in a light
> blue glaze. Any ideas how to research this?
> Maybe Mel remembers it.
> Carol Seidman, in New Jersey. I only go back as far as the 1964 New
> York Worlds Fair.
I remember in Grad school at Univ of Puget Sound in 1975-6 I heard F.
Carlton Ball tell about one of his first jobs in the arts. He sat and
threw pots at the 1939 NY World's Fair.
I think he had done some crafts and jewelry work at Carbondale where he
trained. He did summer work, as I recall, for F. L. Wright..... making
custom window hardware and working on roof detailing(?)
He might have written something of that NY World's Fair experience, but
I do not have that bit of info.
You might check with the American Ceramic Society in Westerville, Ohio.
They may info on that. Their Journal actually covered more art and
design issues before the 50's when CM splintered off.....
HTH
Ric
Carol Seidman on mon 25 jan 99
Thanks to all who responded to my search for information about a Potters
Plate from the 1939 Worlds Fair.
I'd like to share what I learned:
There are internet sites about Worlds Fairs, organizations and books
just for collectors of its memorabilia. The history is....
Several American pottery companies -- including Homer Laughlin, Fiesta
Ware's parent company--joined forces and built a working kiln and an
"American Potter" exhibit at the 1939 New York Worlds Fair. They
produced and sold many items at the fair while demonstrating the craft.
These plates (I know of two styles, one of a potter at the wheel and
another of a potter decorating a large pot) are not considered rare but
one Clayart member saw one appraised on the Antiques Roadshow on PBS.
I found two such plates for sale on EBAY, the internet auction site. The
day I looked there were 174 Worlds FAir things for sale, everything from
maps to pickle pins.
Thanks again for all the help and ideas. Carol Seidman in New Jersey
Bob Stryker on wed 27 jan 99
It's always nice when two of your interests collide. In my case, I've
always been fascinated by the 1939 World's Fair and have picked up some
fair souvenirs from time to time at antique shops. This is from the
"First Edition Guide Book" regarding the pottery exhibit in the Home
Furnishings Building:
"UNITED STATES POTTERS ASSOCIATION AND NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF OPERATIVE
POTTERS:
-A major feature of the Exhibit is a reproduction of a pottery plant
with a gas-fired kiln in actual operation. Here you see all the
operations from the mixing of clay to the finished product. The
National Brotherhood of Operative Potters Union contributed to this
exhibit for the purpose of aiding the industry."
A handful of ceramic manufacturers got in on the commemorative item game
including Lenox. Most used multi-colored decals portraying the
centerpiece structures of the fair: the Trylon and Perisphere. Engelhard
and Ferro had exhibits at the fair as well.
Bob Stryker
Minnesota Clay USA
http://www.mm.com/mnclayus/
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