Mahogany Iridescent Glazed Earthenware Vase by Scheiers, c.1960s
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Edwin and Mary Scheier (USA, 1910-2008 and 1908-2007), Large vase, c.1960s, glazed earthenware vase of cylindrical shape supported by a tall foot, with mahogany Iridescent surface decorated with incised figures whose faces and hands are in relief, potters' signature incised to the base, Height 31 cm. Provenance: passed by descent to the current owner.
Other Notes:
Edwin Scheier (1910-2008) and Mary Goldsmith (1908-2007), met at the Big Stone Gap Federal Art Gallery in Abingdon, Virginia, where Goldsmith was director. After their marriage in 1937, they became travelling puppeteers, designing and building their own puppets, and in 1938 the Scheiers worked with the Federal Art Project in Norris, Tennessee where they learned about ceramics, eventually setting up their own pottery shop in Glade Spring, Virginia.
In 1941, they were invited to the University of New Hampshire to teach ceramics. During their employment at UNH, the Scheier's visited Mexico several times and became interested in both the archaeological artifacts they saw and the weavings done by the Zapotec Indians, for whom Edwin began to create designs for weaving. After they retired from UNH in 1960, the Scheiers lived in Mexico for ten years before finally settling in Arizona.
The Scheiers' work has been exhibited in a number of American museums including the Currier Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the New York Museum of, The Museum of Modern Art, Worcester Art Museum, Walker Art Center, the University of Arizona Museum of Art, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Addison Gallery. Works by Scheier have also appeared in The International Museum of Ceramics, Fenza, Italy; Royal Ontario Museum, Canada; Instituto Mexicano Norteamericano de Relaciones Culturales, Mexico City; and museums in Japan and Germany. (Source: https://library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/edwin-mary-scheier-pottery-collection)
Other Notes:
Edwin Scheier (1910-2008) and Mary Goldsmith (1908-2007), met at the Big Stone Gap Federal Art Gallery in Abingdon, Virginia, where Goldsmith was director. After their marriage in 1937, they became travelling puppeteers, designing and building their own puppets, and in 1938 the Scheiers worked with the Federal Art Project in Norris, Tennessee where they learned about ceramics, eventually setting up their own pottery shop in Glade Spring, Virginia.
In 1941, they were invited to the University of New Hampshire to teach ceramics. During their employment at UNH, the Scheier's visited Mexico several times and became interested in both the archaeological artifacts they saw and the weavings done by the Zapotec Indians, for whom Edwin began to create designs for weaving. After they retired from UNH in 1960, the Scheiers lived in Mexico for ten years before finally settling in Arizona.
The Scheiers' work has been exhibited in a number of American museums including the Currier Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the New York Museum of, The Museum of Modern Art, Worcester Art Museum, Walker Art Center, the University of Arizona Museum of Art, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Addison Gallery. Works by Scheier have also appeared in The International Museum of Ceramics, Fenza, Italy; Royal Ontario Museum, Canada; Instituto Mexicano Norteamericano de Relaciones Culturales, Mexico City; and museums in Japan and Germany. (Source: https://library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/edwin-mary-scheier-pottery-collection)
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- Mahogany - Mahogany is a dense, close grained red-coloured timber from the West Indies and Central America. It was first imported into Europe in the the early 18th century and its use continued through the 19th century. It was popular for furniture making because of its strength, the wide boards available, the distinctive grain on some boards, termed flame mahogany and the rich warm colour of the timber when it was polished.. The "flame" was produced where a limb grew out from the trunk of the tree, and this timber was usually sliced into veneers for feature panels on doors, backs and cornices.
Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin. - Earthenware - A basic ceramic material that is fired at a low temperature. Earthenware is the basis of almost all ancient, medieval, Middle Eastern and European painted ceramics. After firing, the colour is the colour of the clay when it is dug from the ground: buff, brown and red. It is not waterproof until glazed. Creamware is a type of earthenware covered with a transparent lead glaze. Majolica, faience and delft are also earthenware covered in an opaque white tin glaze.
- Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
- Iridescent Decoration of Porcelain - Iridescent decoration of porcelain is a technique in which a thin layer of metallic glaze is applied to the surface of porcelain to create a shimmering, rainbow-like effect. The metallic glaze is usually made with a mixture of metal oxides, such as gold, silver, or platinum, that are fused to the surface of the porcelain during firing.
This technique was first developed in the late 19th century, and was particularly popular in Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles of decorative art. Iridescent decoration of porcelain can create a wide range of colours and patterns, depending on the types of metal oxides used and the firing techniques employed. It is a highly skilled and labour-intensive process, requiring a great deal of technical expertise and attention to detail. Today, iridescent porcelain remains a popular and highly valued form of decorative art.