Circa 1930/1940 Robertson Pottery Hollywood Whatnot Box With Lid

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Excellent Pre-Owned Condition. Pristine.

This sublime pottery art box with lid is done in Robertson’s signature crystalline crackle glaze in … Read more Excellent Pre-Owned Condition. Pristine.

This sublime pottery art box with lid is done in Robertson’s signature crystalline crackle glaze in pale turquoise. Robertson Pottery Hollywood distinguished itself by using native clays to produce graceful, wheel-thrown shapes with superb crystalline, crackle, matte and lustered glazes, as well as art tiles using a distinctive repertoire of soft color harmonies. The handle on the lid is a rose with a twisted stem that curves under and sits on top of a variegated leaf. The box’s interior is done in a crystalline creamy ivory with pale turquoise oval center. Lovely to look at, its charm is bound to enhance any table or vanity top on which it is displayed; the perfect trinket or whatnot box. In pristine condition, it measures 6” x 5½” x 3½” L/W/H (height is taken from tip of rose stem) and weighs 1 lb. This beauty is hand crafted from earthenware done in Robertson’s signature crystalline crackle glaze. For a collector of Robertson Pottery Hollywood, this whatnot box will be a great add to that collection. For a collector of whatnot pottery art boxes, this is a definite must have!

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Robertson Hollywood Pottery
Massachusetts native Fred H. Robertson hailed from a long line of clay artists. His father, Alexander W. Robertson, was a fifth-generation potter and established the Massachusetts-based Chelsea Keramic Art Works, as well as its successor, Dedham Pottery. Fred worked alongside his father at these potteries, as did Alexander’s brother, Hugh Robertson. In 1898, Alexander relocated to San Francisco and founded the Roblin Art Pottery; Fred joined him in 1903. Roblin Art Pottery was destroyed during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. The Robertsons moved to Los Angeles where Fred worked as superintendent of Los Angeles Pressed Brick. During his tenure, he also operated a small art pottery known as FHR Los Angeles, which produced crackle, matte, and crystalline glazes, along with experimental lusters. He became the superintendent of Claycraft Potteries in Los Angeles in 1921 and four years later, his son George, joined the firm as designer establishing the seventh generation of Robertsons in the pottery business. In 1934, the father-son team of Fred and George started Robertson Pottery in Los Angeles and moved it to Hollywood the following year. Robertson’s pottery art was well known for its crackle, matte, crystalline and lustered glazes. Fred was one of the founders of the Ceramic Society of Southern California. His ceramic work was included in the exhibitions “Made in California: Art, Image, and Identity, 1900-2000” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2000-2001 and “California Art Pottery” at the California State University Northridge Art Gallery in 1988. His work is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and in California in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. The company closed upon Fred’s death in 1952. See less