weller pottery
Samuel Augustus Weller, founder of the seventy-year Ohio enterprise of Weller Pottery, began with simple stoneware jars and clay flowerpots in 1872. By 1893 he began making his first art pottery ware, which in a short twenty years became the world’s largest company of the subsequent Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Modernism movements.
Weller Pottery’s first prominent line was the high gloss floral Louwelsa, with other popular lines soon to follow such as author Charles Dickens’ inspired Dickens Ware and the hand decorated Eocean type with flowers, figures, and fruit under the glaze. Other lines of note include the unique Knifewood, metallic Sicard and nature-adorned Baldin, Forest, and Woodcraft lines.
Noted artists of Weller Pottery include John Lessell, Jacques Sicard, Dorothy England Laughhead and Charles Babcock Upjohn. Weller Pottery used various production marks on the bottom of most of their pieces that were stamped or hand incised. The marks used included “WELLER”, “Weller”, “Weller Pottery” and “LOUWELSA WELLER”.
