pewabic pottery
In the 1880s, Mary Chase Perry gained an interest in naturalistic Chinese painting, which was at the time a popular art form internationally. Perry attended art schools in Cincinnati and New York, perfecting her artistic ability.
After school, Mary opened Pewabic Pottery in partnership with Horace James Caulkins. Caulkins was an accomplished kiln-maker, and provided Perry with several “Revelation” pottery kilns (used by famous art potters such as Van Briggle and Newcomb).
The original firm was located in Detroit. Stratton, another artist, worked on forms and glazes, and Caulkins was the resident clay expert. Early lines all utilized matte green and the forms were simple bowls, vases, and jars. By 1904, Perry began adding sleek, yellow/brown matte-glaze designs atop the standard finish. By 1911, the renowned Persian or Egyptian blue was added to the mix. Early decorations were often representative leaf forms, sometimes dichromatic, which were pressed into the work while still malleable. The 1910s continued rolling, and a new pottery was built and outfitted with even more production necessities - including a laboratory. Pewabic would go on to develop countless famous glazes, including their renowned volcanic, crystalline, iridescent, and luster glazes.
Detroit arts and crafts expert, Charles Freer, noticed the work coming out of Pewabic and introduced the company to many more artists and architects. Through this diversity, Pewabic entered into the tilery business, which is arguably their most famous division. This new tilery was commissioned to tile several famous buildings, including St. Paul’s Cathedral in Detroit and the Shrine of The Immaculate Conception in D.C. One of their most famous mosaics, “The Seven Ages of Man”, was designed by Frederick Wiley for the reading room of Detroits city library.
Pewabic prided itself on its artists and craftsman, leaving design choices and even business decisions in the hands of the employees who actually produced the pottery. This proved fruitful, as Pewabic kept the same core designers and potters throughout the lifespan of the company. Perry married Stratton, and continued to work at Pewabic as well as teach ceramics at the University of Michigan until her death in 1961. Holding true to their values, the Stratton family donated their pottery to the University, ensuring that future generations of potters would have a place to design and craft their works.