Rookwood, Roseville and Weller Featured At Treadway's

From $50 to $50,000, you can have your choice of just about every artist, glaze and form ever featured at Rookwood Pottery this Sunday, June 11th, at Don Treadway's auction in Cincinnati.

All eyes will be focused, however, on lot #135, a monumental 20" tall 'iris' glazed vase, decorated by John Dee Wareham in 1903. Amazingly, this large, tapered vase has remained in the artist's family for the past 108 years. Described as being in perfect, original condition, it also features a silver-plated bronze base decorated with repousse dragonflies. Carrying a pre-sale estimate of $50,000-$70,000, it represents, as stated in the catalog description, "a rare opportunity to acquire a vase of this type."

While the bidding for this rare vase might be limited to a few collectors, others in the audience and on the phone lines will have the opportunity to select from scores of other pieces of Rookwood pottery ranging in price from less than a hundred dollars to $2500. Typical of the offerings Treadway's staff have selected is a 11.5" Vellum glazed vase done by artist Lenore Asbury in 1930 in a stylized floral design (est. $2000-$3000).

In addition to Rookwood, Sunday's auction will also include a large and varied selection of Weller and Roseville pottery, as well as representative pieces of Grueby, Van Briggle, Pewabic, Marblehead, Fulper and Wheatley.

Often called "poor man's Grueby," one particular piece of Wheatley pottery in this sale should cause its stock to rise in value. Teamed with a signed Tiffany Studios leaded glass shade in a classic Arts & Crafts leaf and vine motif, the stunning 20" high kerosene lamp (later converted to electricity) carries a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-$11,000.

Sunday's auction is scheduled to begin at 10:00am and will be held at the Cincinnati Hilton Netherland Plaza. The preview will continue to be held at the Treadway Gallery thru June 3rd, then will move to the Hilton on Saturday, June 4th, for a noon-8:00pm preview.

For a complete listing and photographs of the 439-lot sale, please go to www.TreadwayGallery.com.

- Bruce Johnson

Next Week - A Preview of David Rago's next Arts & Crafts auction.