Vase (no. 2785)
Item
Title
Vase (no. 2785)
Creator
Rookwood Pottery
Date
1927
Object No.
2020.4.13
Credit line
Gift of Theodore M. Lytwyn
Marks
Conjoined RP flame mark; XXVII (for date, 1927); 2785 (shape no.)
Description
Unlike their contemporaries, Rookwood used an extensive system of marking pieces, introduced in 1886, that makes identification and dating easy. That year, the firm abandoned the various stamps they had used and switched consistently to a conjoined “RP” mark. Each year, a single flame was added around the monogram, up until 1900 when fourteen flames surrounded the central letters. For each year after, the firm simply impressed the date below the mark in Roman numerals. Also on the base of pots, one typically finds a shape number, a size code (a capital letter, usually to the right of the shape number), and occasionally an indication of the clay used (a capital letter often below the shape number). Hand decorated pieces were inscribed with the artist’s initials, and often glaze glaze instructions (such as light standard, Iris, Sea Green) were either incised or stamped by the artist.
As might be expected from a company as large as Rookwood, vases were hand modeled at first and subsequent iterations cast. This allowed them to economize production and control the size and shape of each vessel. Throughout the 1910s and later, there was a shift away from hand-decorated pieces towards cast production wares with a simple glaze, like the example here. As a result, these wares feature no artist signature.
As might be expected from a company as large as Rookwood, vases were hand modeled at first and subsequent iterations cast. This allowed them to economize production and control the size and shape of each vessel. Throughout the 1910s and later, there was a shift away from hand-decorated pieces towards cast production wares with a simple glaze, like the example here. As a result, these wares feature no artist signature.