Large Pacific Stoneware vintage ceramic pitcher / mid century style / studio pottery / 1970s fashion / birds
This is a really great vintage ceramic studio pottery pitcher.
Nice and weighty.
Large capacity.
From Pacific Stoneware. I have not identified the maker's mark. I Will update if any info on the specific artist is found.
Measures:
11 1/2" tall
7" from handle to the opposite side
4" opening
5 1/2" base
*Pacific Stoneware may have been the longest-running commercial pottery manufacturer in Oregon. Begun as Pacific Pottery in 1890, the company produced ceramic and stoneware at its headquarters near Guild's Lake in Northwest Portland and later in Kenton (North Portland), until it closed in 1986. Pacific Stoneware boasted that it was the first steam-powered pottery manufacturer on the West Coast and, according to a letter to customers, produced “more stoneware than all other Coast plants combined, and more flower pots than any other plant in the Northwest.” It was fashion also reportedly the first pottery manufacturer in the West to incorporate modern machinery and processes into its production.
In 1959, Pacific Stoneware filed for bankruptcy and shut its doors. The following year, Bennet Welsh, a thirty-seven-year-old ceramicist at Tektronix, bought the company for $33,000. He had studied pottery at the Museum Art School (now the Pacific Northwest College of Art) and had aspirations to be a studio potter. Welsh put much of the old line of butter churns, crocks, and flowerpots back into production and began to manufacture artistic homewares such as vases, casserole dishes, and mugs in the folk style popular in the 1960s and 1970s. The wares were made by beginning and student potters who worked at Pacific Stoneware to learn production pottery.
In the mid-1960s, under Welsh's leadership, the potters of Pacific Stoneware used fifteen tons of Clatsop County clay every day—nearly one million pounds per month. Wares were distributed through local retailers Fred Meyer and Meier & Frank, as well as through national chains Neiman Marcus and May & Co. The company also operated two retail stores in Portland, one in Eugene, and another in Seattle.
In 1964, ceramicist Florence Jean Ellsworth designed the People Lovers line for the company. Consisting of flat slabs of clay cut into the shapes of people and animals and colorfully decorated, People Lovers wares were intended to be hung on walls or under overhangs. It was a breakthrough design for the company, as the pieces were not only wildly popular but also were quick and inexpensive to produce, and the company's focus shifted away from flowerpots and crocks to People Lovers products.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These items are vintage. As such, vintage items may have some wear in accordance with age. I do my best to show any flaws in my photos. I include details on item condition in the description as well so I try to be clear about any scratches or marks that the items may have.
Feel free to ask for additional photos, measurements or any other information you may need before purchasing. I am more than happy to provide you with the best representation beforehand.
I clean most items I purchase for my shop with soap and water (with the exception of wood, baskets, and artwork). I leave all of my items in vintage condition so that the buyer can determine whether or not they choose to polish an item. Silver plated and brass items occasionally do have tarnish, so please see photos for information on item condition.
USA Shipping - Can combine shipping. Shipping is estimated using the farthest shipping point and packaging scale varies based on each item, its size, and fragility. If there's a large difference in actual shipping costs, you will be refunded the overage. If there is a large difference in shipping where I will pay much more than estimated, due to oversized or items that require special handling, I will contact you to discuss your shipping options.
In an effort to reduce, your item may be packaged with clean, reusable materials.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fragile items like this will always be carefully packaged and likely double-boxed, which may add to their shipping weight and cost. I want every piece to arrive to my shoppers in excellent condition.