Traditional Early 20th Century Tableware at NCPC

Date: September 19 2008Contact: Paulette BadgettIn a tribute to the long heritage of making and using functional tableware the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove North Carolina recently opened an exhibit of tableware made by many of the leading North Carolina potters of the early-to-mid 20th century. The pieces on exhibit include place settings and serving pieces and come mostly from the Center’s permanent collection. Many are on view to the public for the first time.The centerpiece of the exhibit is a complete malachite glazed dinner service by J. B. Cole Pottery including a dazzling variety of plates cups casseroles servers vases and candlesticks. Two additional tableware sets by Jacon B. Cole’s children Waymon and Nell are included in the exhibit one in a pea green glaze and another in ”cream of brown”. Other works by the Cole family include a robin’s egg blue Sunset Mountain Pottery tea service by J. B. and blue and white spatter ware by A. R. Cole.The venerable Owens family is represented in the exhibit by early 20th century “accidental orange” tableware by J. H. Owen and “cardinal red” glazed pieces by J. H.’s son M. L. Owens and granddaughter Nancy Owens Brewer. Ben Owen I is represented by early mirror black and tobacco-spit glazed bowls platters plates and candlesticks. Vases pitchers two-handled cups and other table pieces produced under the North State Pottery signature and made by Walter and Jonah Owen are also on display.Walter and Dorothy Auman are represented in the exhibit by a set of matte blue dinnerware. An historic Hilton Pottery dogwood pattern tea set is included as is more contemporary red tableware pieces made by Graham Chrisco of Chrisco Pottery. The exhibit will be of interest to both collectors and potters who want to see in one place the wide range of shapes glazes and treatments used by the master potters of everyday functional tableware of the early-to-mid 20th century in North Carolina. The exhibit is open to the public through January 10 2009. More information is available about the Pottery Center at its website at http://www.ncpotterycenter.com/.###

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