SIGNED SEAGROVE,NORTH CAROLINA ART POTTERY SPITOON,VASE

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Up for auction is a Seagrove Pottery of Seagrove, N.C. (1953 to 1991), Spittoon and / or Planter Vase, Hand Turned and Burned by the Famous Husband and Wife Pottery Team of Dot (Cole) Auman and Walter Auman, signed Seagrove and the exact date as to when this piece was made is unknown. It has been somew around 16 years ago that tragedy struck the Seagrove Pottery Community, when it was learned that Dot and Walter Auman had suddenly passed away from a fatal automobile accident. These 2 potters came from 2 families that had long time ties and major influences in the North Carolina Art Pottery Movement. They simply called their pottery and signed their wares "Seagrove". I do not think t are any other potters more deserving of this name that also represents a whole community devoted to the history and preservation of one very important part of American Art Pottery as a whole. The Aumans were the 1st to start a museum of North Carolina Art Pottery and they were truly dedicated to the revival and history of the Seagrove area potters and potteries. If this piece holds true to form with most of the "Seagrove Pottery" pieces, then Dot Auman did the turning or throwing on the wheel and her husband, Walter Auman was responsible for the rich beautiful brown glaze that is represented on this piece. I have seen quite a few Auman Seagrove pieces, but this is the 1st time I have ever seen a spittoon. In fact other than the very early wares from before the 1920's, I have not seen very many if any spittoons. Admittedly t is no reason it couldn't be used as a planter-vase, but it looks like something you could spit your tobacco in and this is what they have looked like for years. I will also add this, I know in the 1950's and 1960's the Brush (Brush-McCoy) Pottery offered a planter that looked like a spittoon, but it was smaller than an old timey spittoon and it was advertised as a planter in their catalogs. This piece seems to be a little on the small side as well, but in the end what you use it for is totally up to you. This is a beautiful and stunning shade of brown. Do I dare call it a tobacco spit glaze? To some extent it does have that look and within this brown are tiny darker brown or black specks and the piece just screams out, "Hey, look at me!". If the Aumans had a name for this glaze, I am unaware of what it is. This piece is in mint condition, but it does have a wonderful flaw that just gives you a little more of a reminder that it was hand made. The upper part of the spittoon w the huge lip attaches is actually a little bit crooked. I believe this happened in the kiln and you can see from the ample viewing photos that t was a slight natural seperation from the top rimmed sectioned w it meets the bowl part of the piece. This is not a chip or crack, t are none. The line you see is what I call a "fissure" in the clay and this can easily result from something being slightly off when the piece was fired. Meaning hotter on one side than the other causing an imbalance and abnormal firing of the piece. Like I said, t are no chips, cracks or glaze problems with this piece. I believe its imperfections just add to its handmade qualities and I assure you this piece is not going to come apart anytime soon. It won't be in our lifetime if it is properly cared for, that's for sure. T is a little crazing in the glaze and this is visible in the photos. This can be normal for an older piece and somehow, I think this probably was one of their earlier pieces. I should also add that t are no stains from the crazing. this piece is 4 1/8 inches tall and it sits on a base of 5 1/4 inches. The most bulbous part of the bowl section is about 6 inches in diameter and the upper rim is 6 7/8 inches in diameter. The actual opening inside the rim is 4 inches in diameter and this piece weighs 2 pounds, 2 ounces. This really is a great piece of pottery and the supply of wares from the Seagrove Pottery is only going to continue to dwindle as time passes. Unfortunately the Aumans are not with us anymore to bless us with... read more

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