Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon–An Illustrated History

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Published to coincide with Rookwood’s 140th anniversary, this beautiful, collectible, fully illustrated volume tells the rich story of this female-founded, female-owned great American art pottery company.

*2021 Independent Press Award Winner in the Category of Fine Arts*

Author and historian Bob Batchelor tells the compelling story of this artisanal ceramics company, still operating in the heart of the Ohio River Valley from its founding to present day. Filled with behind-the-scenes artist and creator interviews, stories of Rookwood’s avid collectors, as well as never-before-seen images and documents from the company’s historic archives, you will see why Rookwood remains a pillar of true craftsmanship.

About Rookwood:

The Rookwood Pottery was the most famous company making art pottery in the United States in the late nineteenth century into the twentieth century, achieving an international reputation and consistently promoting artistic innovation. Proud that the pottery was “an artist’s studio, not a factory,” Rookwood Pottery is known for its exceptionally fine glazes and successful experimental designs. By assimilating the strengths of myriad aesthetic movements from the American Art Pottery Movement to Art Nouveau and Art Deco, Rookwood Pottery encouraged decorators to try unusual subjects and to explore new techniques.
 
The Rookwood Pottery Company is located in the bustling Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio—and it has been for decades. Pioneering artist Maria Longworth Nichols Storer founded the studio in the Queen City in 1880, building the business and laying the foundation for what Rookwood is today: a world-renowned artisanal ceramics company, operating in the heart of the Ohio River Valley.

From New York’s Grand Central Station to The Louvre in Paris, contemporary boutique hotels to historic homes, Rookwood has truly made its mark on the world in the past three centuries. And now, it’s embarking on the next chapter.

Today, Rookwood continues to build upon its rich heritage, creating high-quality pottery and architectural tile in the United States. With a team of just over 70 employees, Rookwood is deeply committed to its mission: cultivating artistic inspiration, giving back to the community, and balancing its rich legacy with forward-thinking momentum—ideas that are central to the Rookwood brand. The company takes pride in their process, their people, and their product, ultimately creating premier pieces with a story—and a one-of-a-kind luxury experience that can only be Rookwood.

From the Publisher

Foreword

In the business world, there aren’t many “firsts” that go on to also be symbols of durable longevity. But Rookwood Pottery proudly breaks that rule, just as Maria Longworth Nichols Storer broke the unspoken rule of her day when she became the first female owner of a large manufacturing firm in the United States. From having a female-majority workforce (which is true at Rookwood to this day!) to having proprietary glazes and processes that have commanded the respect of the entire industry for generations, there is much that make Rookwood Pottery stand out from its peers, as you’ll see in the pages that follow.

The Birth of American Art Pottery

In 1880, a fiercely determined young woman defied societal norms and founded America’s first female-owned and female founded manufacturing business in Cincinnati. Maria Longworth Nichols Storer named her burgeoning company Rookwood Pottery and set out to fulfill her vision of an American art pottery factory that could not only make “home art” to beautify and elevate people’s everyday lives, but create artworks that would rival the best European and Asian ceramics in the world.

The World’s Foremost Design Studio

Maria Longworth Nichols Storer envisioned Rookwood as America’s answer to the celebrated art pottery made in Europe and Asia. Moreover, she believed her company might utilize new technology and artistic ingenuity to exceed the traditional stalwarts. Rookwood transformed from startup to powerhouse under the leadership of William Watts Taylor, Maria’s handpicked business partner. By 1900, Rookwood won top honors at several international expositions, essentially establishing itself as one of the world’s premier art pottery studios.

Melding Art and Industry in the Twentieth Century

Rookwood’s top honor at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair was a stunning achievement, solidifying its place atop American art potteries. Yet the company was unwilling to rest on its global reputation. Rookwood aggressively searched for new markets, most notably architectural faience, a burgeoning marketplace as American technology and industrial might pushed buildings skyward and stretched its urban centers. Rookwood adapted to the new world by introducing stunning glazes technical innovations, and new ways to expand its consumer and architectural trajectory.

Simplicity and Style

Fame and international accolades paved the way for Rookwood to build an architectural division. Yet factory expansion costs and a shaky American economy dampened Taylor’s enthusiasm and cut into profits, but the pottery department offset the losses by hitting an artistic stride on the wings of innovations in glaze lines. These day-to-day efforts came to a screeching halt on November 12, 1913, when William Watts Taylor unexpectedly passed away. A new Rookwood would emerge.

Evolution of Form and Style

During Rookwood’s World War I era, the pottery and tile divisions took on somewhat separate identities. The decorating team diligently—often quietly—went about its business, hardly slowing in the transition from William Watts Taylor to the team of J. H. Gest and John D. Wareham. In architectural faience, Rookwood continued working on high-profile installations, marrying design efforts with tile production and glaze science.

Rookwood in the Jazz Age

With two hundred employees and fifteen kilns, Rookwood hit the Jazz Age with momentum from forty years of research, experimentation, and success. The pottery pushed into new designs, produced wares that met consumer demands, and was unwilling to simply rest on past accolades. Across a range of traditional styles and new innovations, company artists created ceramics for a wide range of consumers and the architectural marketplace that met demand and the height of artistic expression.

The Weight of the Great Depression’s Crushing Blow

The Great Depression transformed consumer culture across the globe. American stalwarts, such as Tiffany glass and Rookwood pottery, were viewed as luxuries by families struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis. As a luxury brand, Rookwood stock fell as dramatically as Wall Street’s, despite the quality of the pottery and tile produced during the long era of economic collapse.

Desperate Measures to Save an Icon

Rookwood faced numerous financial challenges as a result of the Great Depression, including a debilitating debt burden. The transformation to a wartime economy did little to help the pottery. Not even postwar prosperity would pull Rookwood from its financial instability. Cincinnati business leaders made desperate attempts to save Rookwood based on civic pride. Despite decades of machinations, its last local owner ultimately moved Rookwood to Mississippi, eventually shuttering operation

Collectors Seek Treasures

When Rookwood ceased production, the meaning of “Rookwood” changed from a business entity to an idea. What people meant when they considered the name Rookwood ran the gamut from “antique” and “museum” to “masterpiece.” “Rookwood” transformed into a concept its meaning continuously evolved to fit the representation imagined by the collector, curator, consumer, or auctioneer. It was once an iconic name of American art pottery that filled public spaces nationwide, but others now dictated what the brand meant.

Rediscovery and Revival

In the twenty-first century, consumers have returned to classic ideals—valuing things that symbolize quality and authenticity while shifting to handcrafted, unique products made by people, not by machines. A resurgence in the appeal of craftsmanship has emerged, even as—perhaps in contrast to—the tech-based world that grows more interconnected every moment. Since returning to Cincinnati, Rookwood has embraced these values, creating handcrafted art pottery and tile that bring beauty and elegance into people’s daily live

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rockport Publishers
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 15, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1631598635
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1631598630
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.5 x 0.88 x 11.63 inches
Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool and up
Best Sellers Rank: #908,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #104 in Antique & Collectible Pottery & Ceramics (Books) #196 in Ceramic Art #6,830 in Women’s Biographies
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