Judith Miller on Fulper’s art pottery

The limited production of Fulper’s art pottery makes it an interesting subject for a collection.

In 1814, in New Jersey, American potter Samuel Hill founded the company that would become The Fulper Pottery Co. Then named Hill Pottery, the firm initially produced utilitarian earthenwares – drain pipes, and storage crocks and jars – from the area’s rich supply of red clay. In the 1860s, the business was acquired and renamed by Abram Fulper, who continued the tradition of utilitarian manufacture, but as stoneware. Some 40 years later, his grandson, William H Fulper II, was responsible for the move towards art pottery: the company’s first line, produced from 1909 until World War I, was known as ‘Vasecraft’.

ABOVE (left-right): Urn in Chinese Blue and Amber flambé glaze; ovoid vase in Cucumber Crystalline glaze; bullet vase in a dripped Cat’s Eye flambé glaze

While products were slip moulded rather than thrown by hand, Fulper became renowned for its varied range of rich and complex glazes, including ‘mirrored’, ‘mottled’ and microcrystalline. Examples include Copperdust Crystalline over Flemington Green or Mirrored Black flambé, Cat’s Eye flambé, Cucumber Matt or Cucumber Crystalline, Mustard Matt and Mouse Grey. Many early forms were Germanic in their architectural feel; however, after c1914, these became more curvaceous, with inspiration drawn from oriental ceramics. Vase designs range from a ‘corseted two-handled’ design to the simple ‘bullet’ or ‘melon’ shapes; and from the short ‘squat’ vessel to the tall ‘ovoid’ or ‘baluster’ styles. During the late 1920s onwards, the Art Deco movement influenced forms but these suffered a decline in standards. Lamps were made for a limited time from c1910- 1915; however, they were produced under strict guidelines so quality was high.

In 1924, the pottery’s ceramic engineer Martin Stangl became vice president, and he rebranded the business in the 1930s. The company focused on dinnerware until its demise in 1978, when Stangl Pottery closed its doors for the final time.

ABOVE (left-right): Squat vessel in brown crystalline glaze dripping over Mustard Matt; lamp base in Mouse Grey to blue flambé glaze; baluster vase in Cucumber Matt glaze.

Tips for collectors

• Prices range from around £250 to £2,500.
• Consider the glaze: every piece was hand decorated by a skilled decorator, making each unique. The more complex and interesting the glaze, the higher the value is likely to be; mirrored and microcrystalline finishes make an object particularly desirable.
• Large vessels (around 40.5cm tall) are worth significantly more than smaller vases, and have superb visual impact.
• Although heavy objects are not necessarily better quality, lightweight examples are almost always lower quality.
• Lamps with their original shades featuring glass inserts are very attractive, and even more so if they have geometric or naturalistic motifs.
• Find good examples at online auctions – try liveauctioneers.com, ragoarts.com or ebay.co.uk.

FEATURE JUDITH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHS CLASSIC AUTOMOBILIA & REGALIA SPECIALISTS; GARDINER HOULGATE
Featured in the February 2011 issue of Period Living

Buy Judith Miller’s Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2012-2013