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BAUER ART POTTERY(1945)
This line came in many different shapes and sizes; vases,
ashtray, mantelpiece bowl, centerpiece bowl, square
flower pot, tall flower pot, centerpiece bowl with
candleholder ends, long low bowl, oval vase, and bulb
bowl. Usually the inside was one colored glaze while the
outside was another colored glaze. White and bronze is a
common color combination. Black and coral are difficult
glazes to find. The Greens, Rust, Blues, and Cinnamon
have not been found, but are listed as colors of glazes in
the catalogues.
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GLASSWARE
Bartlett Collins (1957) - These were glasses to be placed
in discount stores and were priced so low that breakage
was not a great loss. Instead of replacing a glass, they
were inexpensive enough that they could replace the set.
Some of the designs included: Gay Nineties scenes,
cowboy motifs, and bottoms-up graphics. However, there
are two designs that were quite successful; "Eclipse" and
"Sunburst". "Eclipse" was a polka dot motif with
overlapping solid circles. "Sunburst" was a geometric
pattern with rays of color in vertical shoots. Both patterns
came in Yellow, Turquoise, Green, and Flamingo Pink; all
combined with gold. Ice buckets and other bar-related
items were also available in these patterns.
Duncan Miller Imperial Flair (Flare)(1959) - Believed to
have been produced for about 5 years. It had a smooth
inside and a granular outside. Since it was textured to the
touch on the outside, it was called "Seed". Colors found
are pink and crystal. They were to be made in Yellow,
Blue, Smoke, Turquoise, and Amber Brown.
Imperial Pinch(1951) - It was designed to accompany
"Iroquois Casual". There are three sizes of tumblers. It is
named "Pinch" because of the bottom depression. It was
made in Seafoam, Verde, Smoke (a warm brown), and
Canteloupe (a light amber), Chartreuse, Ruby, Pink, and
Crystal.
Imperial Twist (1949) - These are footed tumblers.
Included ice teas, water tumblers, juice, and old fashioned
glasses. They were found in Smoke, Seafoam, Coral and
Crystal.
Old Morgantown/Modern (1951) - This was a handmade
glass. It included three sizes of tumblers, five stemmed
items, a dessert dish, a pilsner, chilling bowl and a double
old fashioned. It was made in colors to complement the
American Modern line. The colors included Coral,
Seafoam, Chartreuse, Smoke and Clear Crystal.
Snow Glass (1948-1953)- A crystaline glass with minute
flakes of opaque white resembling snow flakes scattered
randomly in the crystalline body. It was textured in feel
and appearance. There were three sizes of tumblers,
salad plates, saucers, fruit bowls, various lids, a 2-pint
pitcher, a round vegetable bowl, shakers, and candle
holders. When identifying "Snow Glass", remember there
are look-alikes. One is designed by Paul A. Lobel and sold
by Mary Ryan, an early Wright supporter. The line was
called "Benduro" and was advertised as an American
Expression in Glass. It was made in several colors, but has
been called "SnowFlake". There is a "Bubble Glass", which
is similar to "Snow Glass". It was designed and made by
Irving Richards in 1942. It was made in Mexico and came
in a 5 oz. juice glass and a 10 oz. cocktail size. Also, a
small amount of Fostoria Glass was produced. It may have
been a prototype of "Snow Glass" and is now part of a
collection of The Huntington Museum in Huntington, West
Virginia. It has a thinner body and is darker than "Snow
Glass".
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SPUN ALUMINUM - 1930's
One of the most successful of Wright's lines. It was
divided into three categories; stove to tableware group,
informal serving accessary group, and an interior
accessory group. Though the customers were told of the
ease of keeping their items bright, they were easily bent
and dented. Because of that, items are hard to come by in
good condition for collectors. Typical items were: ice
buckets, casseroles with ceramic inserts, fruit bowls,
lamps, ashtrays, canister sets, bun warmers, vases, etc.
Up until the time of the war, sales were doing quite well.
But, the material for the items was no longer available for
consumer use. After the war, the line never quite
recovered.
The mark for the spun aluminum pieces was signed with
the Russel Wright name in block letters. A red inked stamp
is sometimes found on the wood and there were navy and
white labels as well as string tags. The mark on the
aluminum is sometimes hard to find and if a piece, like a lid
is missing where the mark might be, a collector may not
ever know who the maker is.
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PLASTIC - (1951)
Meladur was made in pink, mint green, yellow, and blue.
Pieces made before the sale to General American are
marked with Russel Wright's signature. Pieces after are
not marked. "Residential", was another line of Melmac by
Russel Wright. Original colors were: Sea Mist, Grey, and
Lemon Ice, Black Velvet (black with aluminum dust) and
Copper Penny (brown treated with copper dust). Later
White, Light Blue and Salmon (orange red) were added.
Another line, "Flair" was patterned and was produced in
1959. It had several designs: Golden Bouquet (puffs of
white on golden stems), Spring Garden (blossoms of pink
and blue on stems), Ming Lace (actual leaves of the Jade
Orchid Tree imported from China, cleaned, tinted, and
permanently molded into the body), Woodland Rose (pink
roses and green leaves on eggshell background),
Arabesque(swirl pattern in two tones of gold or gold and
turquoise on eggshell).
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To view some of the many marks of Russel Wright items,
Click Here
Marks #1 & #4 - Usually found incised but is also found in
raised relief. One of two marks Sterling used on the early
line. Some Sterling is not marked and some which is, the
glaze filled the incised letters.
Marks #2 & #3 - One of several marks used for Russel
Wright's synthetic dinnerware.
Mark #5 - Bauer items are marked, lightly incised with the
signature filled in with heavy glaze. Vase bottoms can be
heavily irregular.
Marks #6 & #8 - The two earliest marks for Iroquois, with
#6 being the earliest and #8 next. They will be found in
dark blue and brown.
Mark #7 - Found on early Century Metalcraft items.
Mark #9 - One of six Paden City/Justin Tharaud/Highlight
marks.
For more information on Russel Wright:
Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center Click Here
Decorama And Here
The Houston Chronicle Here
REFERENCES:
Official Price Guide to Pottery and Porcelain - 8th Ed. -
Harvey Duke
Garage Sale and Flea Market Annual - 3rd Ed.
Warman's Americana & Collectibles - 8th Ed.
Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide - 18th Ed.
Kovel's Antiques & Collectibles Price List 1991 - 23rd Ed.
The Collector's Encyclopedia of Russel Wright Designs -
Ann Kerr
The Houston Chronicle - Feb. 8, 2002, 2:17PM "The power
of Wright Midcentury designer's vision shapes modern
home front" By Renee Kientz
The next Nancy's Antiques & Collectibles Newsletter will feature Blue Ridge Pottery.
