WAZON, Rookwood Pottery, USA, Ohio, Cincinnati, 1894

Glazed stoneware, underglaze paintings; height 45.5 cm
Signed: imprint in mass: trademark - letters RP (R in mirror image) surrounded by rays; T1030
The factory was founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth-Nichols-Storer (1849-1932). It operated until 1967, and was one of the largest art pottery factories in the U.S. until World War I, employing more than 200 workers, including women, and had some 130 artists working with it. It reopened in 2004. Japanese ceramics served as the inspiration for the factory's products, and later also Indian themes, landscapes or motifs of American nature. The factory had two basic types of glazes "standard" and "tiger's eye" (used on red clay) in shades of browns, yellows and greens, and in 1880-90 glazes were invented in ranges of blues, greens and purples. The Cincinnati Art Museum had more than 2,000 of the factory's products in its collection. The factory received a gold medal at the 1889 Paris World Exposition, and an award at the 1893 Chicago World Exposition, in 1901 a Grand-Prix at the St. Petersburg International Exhibition of Ceramics and Glass, in 1902 an honorable mention at the First International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts in Turin.
Asking price 1200
Estimate 2000 - 2500 inquire about the object