Book Review Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago) (Hardcover) By Judith A. Barter (Editor, Contributor), Sarah E. Kelly (Contributor), Brandon K. Ruud (Contributor), Monica Obniski (Contributor), Ellen E. Roberts (Contributor)

The Arts and Crafts Movement began, largely in Britain and Scotland, in response a perceived notion that society had lost the dignity of handwork and design excellence. It was the aim of notable proponents of handwork and design excellence such as William Morris and Charles Rennie Mackintosh to reintroduce such qualities into the society in which they found themselves, i.e., post industrial revolution. Their intent was that architecture and crafted objects should reflect the idealist concept and spirit of the Movement in that they would embody high aesthetic quality and exceptional craftsmanship.

Christopher Dresser added a Japanese influence to the Movement by visiting Japan in 1876 to help modernize Japan’s industrial art production and then writing a book about his experiences “Japan: Its Architecture, Art and Art Manufacturers” exerted a powerful influence upon the Arts and Crafts Movement in America. The success of the Arts and Crafts Movement is revealed not only in the way the Movement was accepted and embraced in its own time but in the way contemporary society continues to value it.

Most especially, the contemporary value of the Arts and Crafts Movement is evidenced by the response and enthusiasm it engenders in collectors and the museums in which its examples are found. This book, Apostles of Beauty, is an excellent introduction to the Arts and Crafts Movement as well as a great refresher for those who are already knowledgeable about the topic. It seems quite natural that the Movement found exceptionally fertile soil in Chicago, and once planted, grew and thrived there as evidenced by the collections and scholarship of the Art Institute of Chicago. To one’s pleasure and gratitude the Arts and Crafts Movement embraced a very broad range of artistic endeavors – architecture, lighting, stained glass, art pottery, furniture, hardware, tableware, textiles, photography and metalwork.

Specifically, we note that Arts and Crafts homes employing stained glass designs, art tiles of the era, and light fixtures are enthusiastically embraced today. Further, Arts and Crafts furniture such as clocks, dining tables and chairs, complete with tableware, and candle wall sconces grace these homes. Frank Lloyd Wright and Gustav Stickley are only two of better known names associated with the homes of the period and their contents but are widely admired for their contributions to the Movement.

This book is exceptional for its writing, scholarship and illustration. It should be added to the library of any student or collector of Arts and Crafts Movement genre. Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago can be ordered here at an excellent price

Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago)

Please enjoy the video below for further information about the Arts and Crafts Movement.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page

Antiques

Throughout history the term “antiques” has had different
meanings to different people in different societal contexts.
In 19th and 20th century Europe an antique may have been
an object considered to be hundreds if not thousands of years
old.  It would have represented extraordinary design,
craftsmanship or cultural value.  In today’s context, particularly
in America, an antique may be also be only a few years old, a
manufactured object, and not of a particularly special design or
exhibit great craftsmanship.

In America, in the early to mid 20th century, antiques were
considered to be objects of exceptional quality or craftsmanship
and represent a special cultural value.  Examples were fine early
furniture, custom automobiles, clocks, exceptional needlework,
woven textiles such as coverlets and tapestries, metalware such
as fine silver or pewter, pottery and early lighting.  Great
collections were formed around special objects of a particular
type or those made by a certain craftsman, or on a regional
basis such as New England or Southeastern Pennsylvania origins.

Today, antiques or, as they a sometimes referred to, collectables,
may only be a few years old.  Most newer “antiques” are collected
on the basis of nostalgia or fond memories of childhood rather
than quality, craftsmanship or intrinsic value.  Numerous collectors
of high quality classic antiques remain however and more are
beginning to collect.  Collectors have been encouraged by high
profile exhibitions of classic antiques and even later collectables
by museums and institutions. The establishment and publication
of well written and well illustrated publications representing both
the scholarly and the commercial aspects of antiques and
collectables has significantly added to collector’s interest. One
excellent example is the magazine Antiques and Fine Art.

Due to the highly restricted availability of classic antiques and the
number of them at least semi-permanently entering individual
and museum collections, their values have steadily risen for
noteworthy examples.  The market value of collectables has,
however, been subject, in many cases to sharp increases and
corresponding steep drops – resulting in significant disappointment.
An excellent current resource is

Miller’s Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2010-2011

This site is about adding video, in an organized and searchable
way, to the body of knowledge available to collectors.  Enjoy it
and please let us know what you like and would like to see more
of.  Let us know too what you don’t like – it’s a great help to us
in improving this site.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page

Clyfford Still

A founder and leading figure of Abstract Impressionism and
color field painting, Clyfford Still was born November 30, 1904
and died June 27, 1980. The Abstract Impressionist movement,
a dynamic new approach to painting, took root and flourished
in the years immediately after World War II. Some of the other
notable artists deeply involved in the development of this
powerful art form were Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko, Robert
Motherwell, Franz Klein, Phillip Guston and Barnett Newman.

All of these artists had very different approaches to their work
and developed highly individual styles. However, there were
common characteristics that marked Abstract Impressionism.
That is, the forms were quite abstract, the brushwork very
expressive and the scale large and imposing.

Still’s early work (pre 1938) was representational as evidenced
by the painting associated with the construction of the Grand
Coulee Dam which is depicted in the accompanying video.
Although this work is, indeed, representational it none-the-less
shows early signs of Still’s transition from a representational
style to Abstract Impressionism. Pay particular attention to
the boldness of the brushwork and the color. The period
1938-1942 saw Still take the lead in the movement in making
the transition to the abstractness of the forms, the presence of
rich color fields and the use of expressive brush strokes in
his paintings.

After first teaching at Washington State University from 1935-
1941, where the artwork depicted in the accompanying video
was painted, Still taught at several different art schools and
universities. He then moved to New York City where he lived for
most of the 1950’s at the height of the Abstract Impressionist
movement. Despite several well received solo exhibitions and
relationships with major art galleries, he became disenchanted
with the commercial art establishment in the early 1950s.
Subsequently, Still moved to Maryland where he and his second
wife remained until his passing in 1980.

At full fruition, Still’s work largely consisted of abstract
formations of different colors and surfaces that were placed
in a variety of adjacent formations. His formations were
developed in complex ways with jagged flashes of color
placed in thick impasto. The result was a shimmering, subtle
effect with shades of color on the surface of the painting.
Still’s mature work suggests, in a very mysterious way, natural
forms and phenomena. Using one’s imagination, one can
see caverns and their components of stone flows, drip-formed
stalagmites and other wondrous formations. Black and yellow
with patches of white and small amounts of red along with
dark blue and purple are found in his work.

At his passing, all non public domain works were withdrawn from both scholarly and public study and view and privately housed. This unfortunate situation will be remedied when the Clyfford Still museum opens in Denver, Colorado in 2010. The body of works available for view and study will consist of over 2400 paintings and works on paper that will span the artist’s career. Still’s complete collection of sketchbooks, notebooks, journals, library and other resources will also be housed at the museum.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page

Owl Mechanical Bank

Toy banks were conceived and designed as novel ways to take advantage of an emerging toy market. They were promoted and sold as a device to amuse children and to promote thrift. Largely made from cast iron and lithographed sheet tin, still and mechanical banks became immensely popular. Still banks had no discernable action other than the clink of the deposited coin, when the money, usually a penny, was placed into the slot. That is the reason they are called still banks. Mechanical banks, on the other hand, performed some sort of action, visual or audible, upon placing the coin in and subsequently triggering the mechanism. Their actions are mechanically actuated. Ergo, the name – mechanical bank.

Still banks are found in almost infinite variety and were constructed from a broad spectrum of materials – cast iron and tin being some of the most desirable. Approximately 3000 or so still banks have been identified, cataloged and published but there are very likely many more awaiting discovery.

Mechanical banks also exist in a very wide range of styles, subjects, mechanisms and colors. Again, most of them were manufactured of cast iron but some were of tin, tin and cardboard or aluminum. All are quite collectible but those of aluminum are very rare and desirable. Many fine examples were manufactured in the United States, Europe and Britain, with majority coming from the United States.

The best of the cast iron mechanical banks employed fascinating designs, clever mechanical concepts and highly sophisticated casting techniques achieving remarkable detail. These banks reflected the interests and attitudes of the times especially with respect to politics, existing social prejudices, humor in daily life and concerns of the times.

Many banks, especially mechanical banks, have achieved substantial value and continue to escalate in value as fewer and fewer great examples become available. The primary factors that affect value are design, rarity and condition with their order of importance determined by the eye and mind of the individual collector. To achieve super value status a mechanical bank must have all of its original parts with no replacements, a mechanism in excellent working order and its paint in excellent condition. To top off the value proposition, it would be ideal to have the original box accompany the bank.

Today’s video is of the Owl mechanical bank. Although not the rarest and most desirable of mechanical banks, the owl is typically fun and available, making an good starting point for a collection.

To view the video please click on the link below.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page

Rookwood Art Pottery

The Rookwood Art Pottery was founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Nichols as a means to market the products of her hobby of painting blank pottery forms. Eventually, she built her own kiln after years of experimenting with glazes, decorating techniques, and kiln temperatures. Her chemists and artists were able to create exceptional glazes and colors that surpassed anything previously available on the mass market.

Rookwood’s production covered many different design eras – each with its own defining characteristics. As with any successful enterprise, changes were constantly being planned for and accomplished.

Done in relief in natural colored clay, the earliest era designs stamped, carved or gilded on purchased green ware. Their colors were gray, olive green, sage or pink and could be generally termed as non-descript. These early production pieces are generally of interest to collectors with a historical bent and not to those who collect the very special decorated and glazed later production pieces.

The next period of production was one in which the glazes were a deep red, orange or gold over dark brown an fired to create a very glossy finish. Frequently the images painted on the ware were flowers or leaves. Some of the flowers that appeared were wild roses, poppies, carnations, daffodils, dogwood or dandelions. Other images were also used with this particular glaze. Those images were of certain historical figures including portraits of Indians.

Other periods of production saw the introduction of other glazes and designs – mat glaze, sea green, and vellum glazes and iris and tiger eye designs among others. The video you are being invited to watch features American Indians on Rookwood Pottery from the collection of the Cincinnati Art Museum.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page

Halloween History

Halloween has its origins in two ancient celebrations, the Christian holy day of All Saints and the Celtic festival of Samhain. Celebrated on October 31, Halloween is today largely a secular holiday. Fleeing the great potato famine of 1846, Irish immigrants brought versions of the traditional celebration with them to America. Here they took root and grew into an American tradition that is still active and growing today.

The symbols of Halloween are jack-o-lanterns, witches, skeletons black cats, bonfires, ghosts and costume parties. These harvest season symbols derive from the Celtic belief that October 31 was the end of the old year and the beginning of the new; a time when the boundary separating the dead from the living was thinnest. In Celtic lore this was the most dangerous time of year because the dead could cross the separating boundary and create grievous mischief and potential harm.

Our modern day celebrations of Halloween and the collectibles and costumes that commemorate it derive from the symbols that previous cultures associated with the holiday. The associations with the dead, evil and horror clearly derive from the Celtic traditions and beliefs and fear associated with the Sabbat of Samhain. This is likewise the case for bonfires, ghosts, witches, and their associated black cats and skeletons which the Celts placed upon their windowsills.

Spectacular collections of Halloween collectibles can be assembled and displayed. Consisting of paper lanterns, bobble-heads, pressed cardboard flats, candy containers, masks, noisemakers, plastic figures, and other fascinating forms they are easily displayed in a small space and are very colorful. Notable collections abound and there several really excellent books available.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page

Limoges Porcelain

The generic term porcelain refers to a ceramic material that is made by mixing various raw materials, including clay and kaolinite, together with water to create a paste. Forming the resulting mass into a desired shape and then firing the shape at between 1200 degrees C (2192 F) and 1400 degrees C (2552 F) produces porcelain. At these very elevated temperatures glass and the mineral mullite form, giving the body great strength and translucence. There are many significant properties associated with porcelain. Among them are: great strength, brittleness, low elasticity, and permeability, translucence, a ringing resonance, high resistance to thermal shock and resistance to chemical attack.

Porcelain is used to make decorative objects, table and kitchenwares, fine art objects, tiles, laboratory ware, dental forms and electrical insulators. Decorative porcelain was made in two ways; under glaze decoration and over glaze decoration. The under glaze decoration was accomplished by bisque firing the form, applying metal containing decorative pigments (frequently gold, cobalt or copper), then applying the top glaze and finish firing the form. The over glaze decoration consisted of applying various colored enamels over glazed and fired forms.

Examples of so-called hard paste porcelain wares are Limoges and Meissen in Europe and Tucker in the United States. It is widely thought that porcelain originated in China, flourished in the Islamic world and gradually made its way to Europe in approximately 1708 from which it evolved to the United States.

The subject of today’s video is Limoges Porcelain, hard paste porcelain that was produced in factories in and around Limoges, France beginning in the late 1700’s. Limoges does not refer to a specific manufacturer but rather to the general location in which it was made. The discovery of economically mineable quantities of the mineral kaolinite near Limoges made manufacturing of beautiful high quality ware possible. Haviland and Company, a major manufacturer of Limoges porcelain was established and flourished after the French revolution. Production from the approximately 45 factories that produced Limoges porcelain at one time or another, continued until 1930 or so.

Much of the production from these factories was sold and exported as undecorated “white wares” or blanks. The blanks were subsequently decorated. To a certain extent they were decorated by professional artists but many of the blanks were used in popular crafts activities in the late 19th century. Although some pieces of Limoges are decorated and signed by known artists many are not. Therefore Limoges ware must be judged on its merits with particular attention paid to the quality of the decoration and the level of detail depicted. Obviously, those pieces of Limoges that bear factory and studio marks represent greater value than those which cannot be authenticated.

To view the video please click on the link below.

 Link to this page

 Link to this page