Friday, January 19, 2007
Specialty Collections
Once the GMcB bug hits, each person charges off on their own special thrilling hunt. Sometimes, it's collecting *all* of some pattern, or gathering up enough of some special pattern to host dinner for 6,8,or 12.
Collections have been made from all the patterns created on a certain shape ('Eclipse' patterns, or EHP patterns), from all the production items in certain years, or all the production pieces by certain artists.
There are collections that range from the simplicty of Teapots- ALL the teapots- to those that encompass only the beauty of a particular glaze.
Of all the glazes, Oxblood glaze is probably the most singularly prized of all the colors. It's depth, warmpth, and unique tone with each firing makes it unsurpassed for collectors of quality pottery.
Good Oxblood needs to be seen in sunlight, to appreciate the rich tones, subtle striations, and verify that there is no cracking or marring under the glaze.
There are collectors who have specialized in Ball jugs, in just Artware, in cigarette boxes, trivets, Toastmaster products, and more than one ferverant collector out there works hard finding unknown "experimentals", those elusive pieces that have no documentation, but whos shapes, glazes, and markings all make them obviously GMcB creations. Some were serious tests by the creative staff, while others were "one-off's" or 'employee specials' created by workers for themselves after hours.
Vases are a wonderful beginning, or finding "tea sets" for small groups of friends. Garden ware- pots for flowers, benches for the garden, frogs for arraingments of flowers can also become the focus of the hunt.
Whatever you love, from creamers to luncheons, lamps to commercial wares, mixing bowls to wall tile, sea shells to dainty boxes, there is always something new to begin collecting from the GMcB products.
Once the GMcB bug hits, each person charges off on their own special thrilling hunt. Sometimes, it's collecting *all* of some pattern, or gathering up enough of some special pattern to host dinner for 6,8,or 12.
Collections have been made from all the patterns created on a certain shape ('Eclipse' patterns, or EHP patterns), from all the production items in certain years, or all the production pieces by certain artists.
There are collections that range from the simplicty of Teapots- ALL the teapots- to those that encompass only the beauty of a particular glaze.
Of all the glazes, Oxblood glaze is probably the most singularly prized of all the colors. It's depth, warmpth, and unique tone with each firing makes it unsurpassed for collectors of quality pottery.
Good Oxblood needs to be seen in sunlight, to appreciate the rich tones, subtle striations, and verify that there is no cracking or marring under the glaze.
There are collectors who have specialized in Ball jugs, in just Artware, in cigarette boxes, trivets, Toastmaster products, and more than one ferverant collector out there works hard finding unknown "experimentals", those elusive pieces that have no documentation, but whos shapes, glazes, and markings all make them obviously GMcB creations. Some were serious tests by the creative staff, while others were "one-off's" or 'employee specials' created by workers for themselves after hours.
Vases are a wonderful beginning, or finding "tea sets" for small groups of friends. Garden ware- pots for flowers, benches for the garden, frogs for arraingments of flowers can also become the focus of the hunt.
Whatever you love, from creamers to luncheons, lamps to commercial wares, mixing bowls to wall tile, sea shells to dainty boxes, there is always something new to begin collecting from the GMcB products.
# posted by Renaissancewriter @ 4:26 AM 
