Manufacturer: Rookwood Artist: John Dee Wareham Description: Rare “Sung Plum” twin handled vase made at Rookwood by John Dee Wareham in 1937. Marks include the Rookwood logo, the date, S for Special shape and the incised last name of Mr Wareham. Height 6 1/8 inches. What do we know about Sung Plum. We know that in 1938, John Dee Wareham had a well publicised kiln opening to promote Rookwood’s still being in business at which, Cincinnati Enquirer reporter, Mary Alexander, describes five pieces of Sung Plum done by “celebrated decorator” Wareham. Alexander describes the glaze as “...not just a plain plum color but rather has overtones of blue and red that give it its singular plum color and orange peel texture as well as its deep surface of glaze.” She adds, “...it is an irregular clotted glaze that flows and curtains down over the body form like a thick skin that is rich and unctuous.” The only other extant example is pictured and described in Anita Ellis’s “Rookwood Pottery The Glaze Lines” on page 142 and 143. We feel the line is aptly named and that is a derivative of Rookwood’s Black Opal glaze. Keep in mind that Wareham was ever the promoter and this is certainly one of the last “named” glaze lines from the golden days of the pottery. An original Rookwood photo shows some of the Sung Plum pieces including this lot and the one pictured in Ellis.
Manufacturer: Rookwood Artist: John Dee Wareham Description: Rare “Sung Plum” twin handled vase made at Rookwood by John Dee Wareham in 1937. Marks include the Rookwood logo, the date, S for Special shape and the incised last name of Mr Wareham. Height 6 1/8 inches. What do we know about Sung Plum. We know that in 1938, John Dee Wareham had a well publicised kiln opening to promote Rookwood’s still being in business at which, Cincinnati Enquirer reporter, Mary Alexander, describes five pieces of Sung Plum done by “celebrated decorator” Wareham. Alexander describes the glaze as “...not just a plain plum color but rather has overtones of blue and red that give it its singular plum color and orange peel texture as well as its deep surface of glaze.” She adds, “...it is an irregular clotted glaze that flows and curtains down over the body form like a thick skin that is rich and unctuous.” The only other extant example is pictured and described in Anita Ellis’s “Rookwood Pottery The Glaze Lines” on page 142 and 143. We feel the line is aptly named and that is a derivative of Rookwood’s Black Opal glaze. Keep in mind that Wareham was ever the promoter and this is certainly one of the last “named” glaze lines from the golden days of the pottery. An original Rookwood photo shows some of the Sung Plum pieces including this lot and the one pictured in Ellis.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
