Rookwood Pottery, produced in the company's Cincinnati factory from 1880 to 1960, is some of the most desirable and collectible art pottery there is, and examples can be found in private collections and art museums around the world. If you've been thinking of looking for a Rookwood piece to decorate your home or as an investment, it's important to know exactly what to look for at shops and auctions.
Anita J. Ellis is the Director of Curatorial Affairs and Curator of Decorative Arts at the Cincinnati Art Museum. She has lectured extensively throughout the United States, serves on the Board of Trustees for The American Ceramic Circle, and is the author of Rookwood Pottery: The Glaze Lines, published in 1995. Here she gives some tips for beginning Rookwood collectors:
- Read books.
Before you start buying Rookwood Pottery, you'll need to educate yourself. There are many books about Rookwood Pottery; reading these and studying the photographs is a good way to get started.
- Attend auctions.
Ellis also recommends attending auctions for six months to a year until you start becoming very comfortable with what you're looking at. Once you know what to look for, it doesn't take long to be able to pick out Rookwood on a table of pottery.
- Real Rookwood is heavy.
Because Rookwood pottery is so sought-after, there are plenty of fakes out there. One way to help spot a fake is to pick up a piece and weigh it in your hand. Rookwood pieces were heavily potted, so if the piece feels light it may well be an imposter.
- Look for a signature.
Of course, a genuine Rookwood signature, or the lack thereof, is a good way to separate the genuine Rookwood pieces from the pretenders.
- Simple lines.
Rookwood pottery is not typically ornate. You'll find simple lines and shapes, rather than the sorts of complicated designs you might find on fine art canvasses or pieces produced by rival pottery factories.
For more information about Rookwood Pottery, check out the following organizations or websites:
Cincinnati Art Museum
www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org
Just Art Pottery: About Rookwood Pottery
www.justartpottery.com/collectors_pottery
Collectics Antiques & Collectibles: History of Rookwood Pottery
www.collectics.com/education_rookwood
Arts & Crafts Movement: Rookwood Pottery
anc.gray-cells.com
North Harrison High School Visual Arts Department: Rookwood Pottery
nhcs.k12.in.us/staff/pbortka/Rookwood
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