Shawnee Tales
Feb 2021
by Lin Romberg
Already a month of the new year gone by! Arizona had it's driest year with hardly any rain - over six months with none and no substantial moisture - well, this week we had torrential rain AND lots of hail and even snow in the Valley - a rarity!
Had several friends contribute information for the newsletter - so greatly appreciated as I have had so many issues going on with my elderly Dad and his girlfriend!
I had mentioned last month about an addition to a collection - talk about an amazing selection of pieces! In her own words
"One of the first dinnerware lines for Shawnee was designed, not long after it's opening in 1937,by Louise Bauer. It was named Valencia and closely resembled Fiesta ware.
Sears Roebuck Company gave away a 20 piece set of Valencia to customers that purchased a new refrigerator. Additional pieces were sold in their store and their catalog.
The initial colors produced were orange, blue, green, and yellow. Around 1938 burgundy items were added. Some collectors have reported finds of turquoise and pink Valencia items.
Typically most Valencia is unmarked. Yet you will find some marked U.S.A. or Valencia (see photos). If you look closely at the back of many pieces you will see 3 small circle indentations. These were left from the mold posts.
Production of Valencia ended around 1940. It's difficult to find more than 1 or 2 piece here and there, considering it is over 80 years old!
I connected with a fellow Shawnee collector and was able to purchase their entire collection of Valencia! I feel so lucky that my collection of Valencia has been greatly enhanced!!"
Another collector sent information on the origin of the Potters Wheel bookends - an amazing history that I had never heard of before - Louise Bauer had such an extensive influence on our beloved pottery. These bookends are an absolute treasure! I was lucky to preview the auction at Pottery Festival in Ohio but had to fly home the morning of the auction itself. There was so much original art work done by Louise - she had quite an assortment of art work for Walt Disney and Little Red Riding Hood as well. I recall seeing experimental pieces for Regal China as well.
"This set of bookend were purchased at the personal auction of Louise Bauer twenty years ago (July 2001). The owner paid $125 for the set back then as they resembled the set of Shawnee Potters Wheel bookends and believed their was a connection based on these being designed by Bauer Studios. The bookends are marked on the bottom Bauer Studios, Zanesville, Ohio. Louise Bauer designed the Shawnee Potter's Wheel bookends, which were never offered for sale.
These bookends were presented to VIPs or large Shawnee customers, according to The Shawnee Pottery Encyclopedia by Pamela Duvall Curran. These bookends are highly sought after and are considered rare. Louise is credited for the design of the Rumrill Potters wheel bookends originally. The design was resurrected in 1960 when the Shawnee Potters Wheel bookends were created. Perhaps this set was a prototype, or first impression, of her work for the highly desired Shawnee bookends. Regardless of the original intent, they are a fine example of Louise Bauer's work and contribution to many wonderful pottery designs."
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Shawnee production Potter's Wheel Bookend.
Another friend sent a picture of an assortment pieces that were coming up at a local auction - interesting shamrock Smiley with a bug on his nose - we speculate it is a recent artist enhanced piece as usually these additions only show up on gold trim pieces - also this auction is in the vicinity of the seller who keeps adding pieces on Ebay with hair and butterflies - on this jar if the price were cheap enough it would still be a nice display piece! Do any of you have non gold jars with bugs, bees - if so we would love to show them!
Have some interesting variations to feature next month - as always I appreciate the participation - more of you are welcome to share!!!!
