January 12, 2015

Congratulations to the Winning Bidder!

Posted by robertkelley under ANNOUNCEMENT, AUCTIONS | Tags: john bennett, sugar bowl |
[2] Comments

Congratulations to the winning bidder of the teapot and sugar bowl on ebay.com!

After 30 bids the bidding concluded at at $1,950.00! Considering they won 2 John Bennett pieces, that was a bargain! They also now own something no other Bennett collector has (that I know of), a teapot and sugar bowl!

When I scour the net for John Bennett pottery, The term I use most is “John Bennett vase”. I have an order of search terms: John Bennett: vase; pottery; charger; plaque; chalice; jardiniere; lamp; tile; art tile; watercolor; bowl; pitcher; ewer and sketch.

Now I will add the terms teapot and sugar bowl! Again, congratulations!

January 10, 2015

Tea Time with John Bennett on EBAY!

Posted by robertkelley under AUCTIONS
[2] Comments

I was very excited to come across this on ebay as it is the only teapot and sugar bowl I’ve ever seen from John Bennett! They are extraordinary and would certainly start a conversation when serving guest in your home or gallery! One lump or two?

I’m sure a John Bennett collector, family member or museum will be thrilled to have it in their collection. They are stunning!

This lot will conclude tomorrow, Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 9:22 pm. I apologize for the late notice. I just came across it last night. On the site the lot is referred to sometimes as a “teapot and creamer”. This is an easy-to-make mistake. It’s clearly a teapot and sugar bowl and there isn’t a creamer. The description has it correct but some of the titles have the mistake. It would be great to get a picture of the teapot and sugar bowl in its new home! Good luck with the bidding!

DESCRIPTION

NO RESERVE! Fresh from an estate on Bangor, Maine. The sugar bowl measures 6″ tall and 5″ at its widest diameter. The teapot also measures 8.25″ at its widest overall point (spout to outside edge of its handle) while the sugar bowl measures 5″ tall and 4.5″ at its widest diameter.

The set is being sold on ebay.com by seller “ryanjordan71”. “ryanjordan71” is the ebay.com arm of Gould Auctions, from Smithfield, Maine. The owner, Tim Gould was kind to share his images with us.

ryanjordan71 shows zoomed-in pictures of the pieces and describes the condition as:
“The teapot has a hairline crack at an area of its main body directly atop where its spout enters the pot (see photos)… otherwise the teapot is SUPERB and without damage throughout. The top finial of the sugar bowl has been at one time detached and “glued back” into place… otherwise the sugar bowl is SUPERB and without damage throughout.”

I don’t believe these areas should effect the price much.

All of the large images are linked to this sale and the links will probably quit working soon after the bidding concludes. I inserted a gallery near the bottom which isn’t.

GALLERY

I do not have the rights to any of the images used in this article. The images of the pottery were shared for this article.

Special thanks to Tim Gould for sharing the images, ebay and Gould Auctions in Smithfield, Maine.

EBay_logo www.ebay.com

Gould Auctions 947 Village Road, Smithfield, Maine 04978
Email: auctions@gouldauctions.com • 207-362-6045

www.gouldauctions.com

November 19, 2014

The Met Scores a Perfect 10!

Posted by robertkelley under MUSEUMS
[2] Comments

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is home to an impressive collection of John Bennett pottery.

In the past I have I’ve discussed eight pieces in their collection that I was aware of. I would like to thank to New York collectors Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack for sending me photos and bringing to my attention 2 additional John Bennett vases!

The two vases are part of the Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection, displayed in the American Wing. I knew of the beautiful blue vase (25 1/2″ h) from the same collection. The large blue vase is juxtaposed with two petite Bennett vases on the shelf above it. Both small pieces are typical for John Bennett in the way the painting is applied. The surprise to me was the scale of the pieces! Displayed with the stunning and larger blue Bennett, it showcases the range in scale in which John Bennett worked. The contrast in size makes the display more interesting than just beautiful pottery.

The Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection of Ceramics at the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases the collection of artistic ceramics in the United States from 1876 to 1956. The earliest examples date to the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. The Centennial Exhibition was the first time John Bennett’s work would be displayed in the United States. At the time he was with H. Doulton & Company.

The works are displayed in the Mezzanine Gallery 707 of the American Wing. Gallery 707 is one of 73 galleries in the American Wing. The American Wing houses 17,194 examples of American Decorative Arts. More information about the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art can be found here.

Gallery 707 – American Ceramics, 1876–1956

____

: John Bennett, Vase; Date: 1878

New York, N.Y., 1882.

Earthenware. H. 25-1/2 in.

Promised Gift of Robert A. Ellison Jr.

L.2009.22.50. Photograph Robert A. Ellison Jr.

On view in Gallery 707

_______________

A wonderful video with collector Robert A. Ellison Jr. and Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, the Metropolitan Museum’s Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang Curator of American Decorative Arts, discussing his gifted collection of American ceramics from 1876 to 1956 can be seen here or by clicking the image below (Almost 4.5 minutes. I’m not sure how long this link will last).

_________________________

7 more John Bennett pieces at the Met

: John Bennett, Plaque; Date: 1879

Geography: Mid-Atlantic, New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: Painted and glazed earthenware

Dimensions: Diam. 16 in. (40.6 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1983

Accession Number: 1983.262

On view in Gallery 774

: John Bennett, Charger detail

: John Bennett, vase; Date: 1879

Geography: Mid-Atlantic, New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: Painted and glazed earthenware

Dimensions: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm); Diam. 6 3/8 in. (16.2 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1985

Accession Number: 1985.168

On view in Gallery 706

: John Bennett, Charger

: John Bennett, Charger detail; John Bennett, Charger

Date: 1877

Geography: Mid-Atlantic, New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: ceramic

Dimensions: 17 in. diameter x 2 in. deep (43.2 x 5.1 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Purchase, Barrie A. and Deedee Wigmore Foundation Gift, 2008

Accession Number: 2008.176

On view in Gallery 743

: John Bennett, Vase; Date: 1878

Geography: Mid-Atlantic, New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: Earthenware

Dimensions: H. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm); Diam. 7 in. (17.8 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. I. Wistar Morris III, 1984

Accession Number: 1984.448.3

On view in Gallery 774

: John Bennett, Vase; Date: 1882

Geography: Mid-Atlantic, New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: Earthenware

Dimensions: H. 11 in. (27.9 cm); Diam. 11 in. (27.9 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1984

Accession Number: 1984.425

On view in Gallery 743; ____

John Bennett, Vase

Date: 1877

Geography: New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: White earthenware

Dimensions: 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm)

Classification: Glass

Credit Line: Gift of Emma and Jay Lewis, 2011

Accession Number: 2011.321.1

On view in Gallery 774

John Bennett, Vase

Date: 1880

Geography: New York, New York, United States

Culture: American

Medium: Red earthenware

Dimensions: 11 in. (27.9 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Gift of Emma and Jay Lewis, 2011

Accession Number: 2011.321.2

On view in Gallery 774

I do not have rights to any of the images or video in this article. Images used belong to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack and the You Tube video was produced by Gruvelocity. I try to maintain links from images used to their respective owners. Thank you Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack and Gruvelocity.

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November 17, 2014

Romantic Bennett Vase Sells on Ebay

Posted by robertkelley under AUCTIONS
[2] Comments

This evening a charming John Bennett vase sold on ebay.com. Flying under the radar the bidding was quiet until just before closing when it it rose to when it rose from $99 to $1,475! I’m sure the lucky buyer will be happy with this beautiful vase. I believe the price to be modest in comparison to other Bennett pieces that have sold that were similar. The body of the vase is classical but simple. Congratulations to the new owner!

www.ebay.com

October 11, 2014

John Bennett Vase at Auction… TODAY!

Posted by robertkelley under Uncategorized
[2] Comments

I just came across a beautiful John Bennett vase which is at auction today! If you’re interested, I hope it’s not too late.

The auction is the Fine and Decorative Art: Catalog Session
Live Salesroom Auction Day 2

www.cowansauctions.com

Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. (formerly Cowan’s Historic Americana) is one of the nation’s leaders in the sale of Historic Americana, American & European Furniture, Decorative Arts, and American Indian Arts.   Cowan’s Auctions is owned and operated by Wes Cowan, an internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in the PBS television series History Detectives and is a featured appraiser on Antiques Roadshow. He writes an antiques column for the Cincinnati Enquirer and is a frequently requested speaker at antiques events around the country. Wes is licensed as an auctioneer in Ohio and holds a BA and MA in anthropology from the University of Kentucky, and a PhD in anthropology from the University of Michigan.

Lot #1226 – John Bennett Tall Bottle Vase

EST: $3,000.00 – $5,000.00

A tall bottle vase rising above a round foot with a bulbous body and slender neck, having all-over white and green floral decoration against a dark blue ground, signed on underside in blue J Bennett / ?(obscured when drilled through)? / N.Y., below marks in black 6 MC (monogram) 79; ht. 15.25 in.

Condition: Vase was previously drilled as a lamp, obscuring the address line of Bennett’s signature.

The monogram stated by Cowan’s Auctions is actually a conjoined M,A,C,E. It was from John Bennett’s assistant, Mary Adaline Edwarda Carter. Her services were later secured by Louis Tiffany and she was a very accomplished decorative artist.

I wrote about her back in February 2012. The article, “Mystery Initials” can be found here.

The vase can also be viewed and bid on at

www.liveauctioneers.com

While I was confirming this I saw another John Bennett vase (previously pulled from auction) coming back in a week at Rago Arts Auction Center. The Early 20th Century Design Auction begins at 8 AM, October 18, 2014.

The catalog can be viewed here.

www.ragoarts.com

Perhaps if we’re too late to bid today we can bid next week! Good luck!

Special thanks to Cowan’s Auctions, Live Auctioneers and Rago Arts Auction Center.

June 9, 2014

The Perfect Father’s Day Gift

Posted by robertkelley under ANNOUNCEMENT, AUCTIONS, MUSEUMS, PRIVATE COLLECTION | Tags: American art Pottery, Arts & Crafts Movement, Decorative Arts, John Bennett pottery |
1 Comment

2 John Bennett vases are on the auction
block Saturday, June 14, 2014, the day before Father’s Day!

The vases are to be auctioned by Rago Arts Auction Center in Lambertville, NJ.

Click on the Early 20th image below to link to this particular auction at Rago Arts Auction Center. The vase images are each linked to their respective page at www.ragoarts.com. The Live Auctioneers graphic that follows each picture is linked to the individual lot’s bidding page at www.liveauctioneers.com.

Good luck! I’m sure someone is going to be happy with their John Bennett vase.

Early 20th: June 2014
Lot 25: JOHN BENNETT (1840 – 1907)
Small vase painted with wild roses, New York, 1882
Signed BENNETT NEW YORK R/82
7″ x 4″ $1500-$1500
Two small chips to rim.

Auction Date: Sat, June 14, 11:00AM
Estimate: $1,000 – $1,500

to bid on Lot 25 click on liveauctioneers below

The next Lot, 26 is beautiful and I can’t help thinking that it reminds me of a botanical print.

Early 20th: June 2014
Lot 26: JOHN BENNETT (1840 – 1907)
Tall bulbous vase painted with milkweed on white ground, New York, 1879
Signed BENNETT 412E24 NY 1879
15 1/4″ x 7″

Auction Date: Sat, June 14, 11:00AM
Estimate: $3,500 – $4,500

to bid on Lot 26 click on liveauctioneers below

Though I’ve never seen this vase before, I have seen examples of this bulbous body used by John Bennett. This vase is similar and has the same body as the the one in the collection of the Saint Louis Art Museum.

That vase sold in a Rago Arts Auction in October 2010 (Sale Price: $13,420). The vase was purchased by the American Decorative Arts 1900 Foundation. ADA1900, focuses on the American Arts & Crafts and Prairie School movements and American art pottery. They acquire museum-quality furniture, lighting, ceramics, metalwork and glass by American makers during the period of 1876-1940, with the goal of placing them within museum collections. Now this vase can be enjoyed by the public at the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM).

John Bennett vase, 1878

painted and glazed earthenware
15 1/4 x 7 1/8 in. (38.7 x 18.1 cm)

Funds given by Victor Porter Smith and the American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation, funds given in honor of Joyce and Jules Pass; and gift of Gregory D. Flotron and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Burkart, by exchange

(On View, Gallery 127)

Saint Louis Art Museum

HOURS
Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Friday, 10:00 am–9:00 pm
Closed Monday
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
The Museum is open New Year’s Day and Memorial Day.

The museum is located at One Fine Arts drive, Forest Park, St. Louis. MO 63110-1380
Telephone: 314.721.0072 • www.slam.org

Another example in which John Bennett used the same body is a vase in the collection of
Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack, New York, New York.

Rago Arts #1 in Arts & Crafts

Early 20th century decorative arts and furnishings, featuring work from the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements. Lighting by Tiffany, Handel, and Pairpoint. Furniture by Gustav Stickley and the Roycrofters. Ceramics by George Ohr, Grueby, Rookwood, Newcomb College, Saturday Evening Girls, Rhead, Zsolnay. Glass from Tiffany, Loetz, Durand, Galle, Steuben, Argy Rousseau, Lalique, wrought metal, woodblock prints, textiles and accessories and more. The first specialty at Rago’s and the most successful Arts and Crafts auctions in the field.

To view and/or download the complete Early 20th C. Decorative Arts auction catalogue, click on the image of the catalogue cover below:

Printed catalogues are also available for $25 each, please call 866-724-6278.

How to Bid

There is Five Ways to Bid
1. Bidding online – Rago’s partnership with Live Auctioneers (www.LiveAuction.com) allows you to bid online in real time from your computer.

2. Live on your smart phone or mobile device. Now there is a free mobile app at iTunes and the AppStore and can be downloaded from iTunes by clicking on the linked picture below:

3. Bidding by regular phone – If you want to bid live with them by phone, they can arrange for an agent from their staff to call you.

4. Bidding in the room at the venue. The vases are to be auctioned by Rago Arts & Auction Center, located at 333 North Main Street in Lambertville, NJ. For maps and directions click on the image below:

5. Bidding by left bid – Left bids (also known as absentee bids) give the auctioneer permission to bid for you as if you were in the room, starting on your behalf at the lowest possible selling price and, as long as there is competition, bidding for you – if necessary, up to the maximum amount you have designated. We accept absentee bids by phone or fax. We will even do our best to enter bids during a live auction if the call is received sufficiently in advance and from a registered bidder. That said, absentee bids are time stamped, so the earlier an absentee bid is submitted, the better. The earlier of two identical absentee bids will win the day.

Download and Print Rago’s Absentee/Phone Bid form here.

For more details on bidding visit here.

Previews:
June 7-12, noon-5pm
June 13, noon-7pm
Open June 14/15 @ 9am

About Rago Arts Auction Center

The Rago Arts and Auction Center is a leading U.S. auction house with an international clientele. With sales of over $20 million annually, Rago’s outdistances all other New Jersey auction houses in size and scope. More…

Rago Arts Auction Center
333 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5:30 pm

General Inquiries
Phone: (609) 397-9374
Toll Free: (866)-724-6278
E-mail: info@ragoarts.com
Fax: (609) 397-9377
www.ragoarts.com

Special thanks to the following:

333 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530
http://www.ragoarts.com

One West 72nd Street, #63, New York, NY 10023 • (212) 501-9672 • jc@ada1900.org

One Fine Arts drive, Forest Park, St. Louis. MO 63110-1380
314.721.0072
www.slam.org

220 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 • info@liveauctioneers.com • www.liveauctioneers.com

.
New York collector Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack

I do not have rights for any of the images used in this article.
Rights to all of the images in this article are linked to their respective owners.

Please patronize and support the businesses, organizations and museums mentioned.

As a follow up to the 2 previous auction articles:

The John Bennett art tile sold in the ebay.com auction on May 29, 2014 after 2 bids for a modest $382.77.

I’m sure the buyer was very happy about that!

During the Rago Arts Early 20th c. Auction in March, 2014, 2 John Bennett pieces sold

Lot 139: JOHN BENNETT (1840 – 1907)
Tall vase painted with clematis on yellow ground, New York, 1881
Bottom signed Bennett New York 1881, body signed JB 1881
15 1/2″ x 7″
Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000

Sale Price: $23,750

Lot 140: JOHN BENNETT (1840 – 1907)
Vase painted with hydrangeas on yellow ground, New York, 1881
Signed Bennett New York 1881
9 1/2″ x 7″
Estimate: $3,500 – $4,500

Sale Price: $4,688

May 27, 2014

Don Quixote Rides Again!

Posted by robertkelley under AUCTIONS
[2] Comments

A John Bennett art tile is currently listed on ebay. It is listed on ebay here.

The tile is connected to a published set I wrote about a couple of years ago.

That set appeared in the book American Art Tile 1876-1941 by Norman Karlson (Sep 15, 1998)

That article is archived here.

Tiles_Bennett in American Art Tile, Norman Karlson, -2

The Quixote art tiles above appear in the book.

Below are pictures the seller has posted on ebay. I have linked all the pictures to the page on ebay. When the auctions ends the links may not still work.

It’s very rare to find John Bennett art tiles. I was happy to see this one!

The tile is a large 7 7/8″ square, unlike the tiles in my collection which are 6″. It also uses letters in the background, just like the tiles in the book. As the the Delftware like blue sketch is on a white background, it does show some browning, crazing and minor chips. Perhaps we don’t see this often in his other works because of his intense use of color and decoration. The tiles from this series, a departure from his typical style are simple sketches and are mysterious with the letters in the background. Of the series of Quixote tiles, I really like this one because the two main characters, Don Quixote and his squire Sancho Panza appear on the same tile.

The auction ends in a couple of days (May 29, 2014 ). Good luck!

February 17, 2014

What’s better than a John Bennett vase? Two!

Posted by robertkelley under AUCTIONS, MUSEUMS
[2] Comments

True to their word, Rago Arts Auction Center published their catalogue on February 14, Valentines Day.

Their upcoming Early 20th C. Auction on Saturday, March 1 at 11am, will feature 2 John Bennett vases! These two are going to generate some excitement! Lots 139 and 140 are the ones to keep your eye on. Rago Art’s Auction Center has the most successful Arts and Crafts auctions in the field.

Clicking on their logo below will take you to their home page at www.ragoarts.com

Click on the image below and you will link to their Early 20th C. Auction preview:

Here is the 1st John Bennett vase,

Lot 139

Lot 139
JOHN BENNETT (1840 – 1907)
Tall vase painted with clematis on yellow ground, New York, 1881 Bottom signed Bennett New York 1881, body signed JB 1881 .
Size: 15 1/2″ x 7″

Auction Date: Sat, March 01, 11:00AM
Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000

Here are more views of the vase:

Here is the 2nd John Bennett vase,

Lot 140

Lot 140
JOHN BENNETT (1840 – 1907)
Vase painted with hydrangeas on yellow ground, New York,
Signed Bennett New York 1881
Size:  9 1/2″ x 7″

Auction Date: Sat, March 01, 11:00AM
Estimate: $3,500 – $4,500

Another view:

The first vase, Lot 139 made its debut here back in December. You can see the pictures and read about here. I haven’t seen the second vase before (Lot 140). Both vases are exceptional! The first vase is the larger of the two at 15 1/2″. The second vase is 9 1/2″. Both are reminiscent of the Newport vases that were exhibited at the 59th Annual Winter Antiques Show in New York.

It’s easy to imagine how the 2 vases in this auction could have been a prelude to the beautiful yellow vase at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which was done the following year. Lot 140 uses the same decoration style of the neck, giving it the appearance of semi-precious stone. I also compared it to the covered jar at the Newark Museum from Collection of the American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation. Even though the flowers are different on all of the compared pieces they share a similar quality, style and color palette.

John Bennett vases from Newport, at the 59th Annual Winter Antiques Show in New York, photographed by New York collector Robert Tuggle.

John Bennett vase, collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

John Bennett vase, collection of the Newark Museum,
from the collection of the American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation

To view and/or download the complete Early 20th C. Decorative Arts auction catalogue, click on the image of the catalogue cover below:

Lots 139 and 140 are on pages 23 and 24.

How to Bid

There is Five Ways to Bid
1. Bidding online – Rago’s partnership with Live Auctioneers (www.LiveAuction.com) allows you to bid online in real time from your computer.

2. Live on your smart phone or mobile device. Now there is a free mobile app at iTunes and the AppStore and can be downloaded from iTunes by clicking on the linked picture below:

3. Bidding by regular phone – If you want to bid live with them by phone, they can arrange for an agent from their staff to call you.

Download and Print Rago’s Absentee/Phone Bid form here.

For more details on bidding visit here.

Previews:
Feb. 22-27, noon-5pm
Feb. 28, noon-7pm
Open Mar. 1/2 @ 9am

About Rago Arts Auction Center

Rago Arts Auction Center
333 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5:30 pm

General Inquiries
Phone: (609) 397-9374
Toll Free: (866)-724-6278
E-mail: info@ragoarts.com
Fax: (609) 397-9377
www.ragoarts.com

Special thanks to the following:

.

Mr. Wismar of Toms River, New Jersey for sharing pictures of his vase (Lot 139).
Good luck at the sale!

333 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530
www.ragoarts.com

1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street), New York, NY 10028
Phone: 212-535-7710 (TTY: 212-650-2921)
www.metmuseum.org
.

One West 72nd Street, #63, New York, NY 10023 • (212) 501-9672 • jc@ada1900.org

49 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102 • Newark’s Downtown/Arts District • 3 blocks from NJPAC • (973) 596-6550 • www.newarkmuseum.org

220 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 • info@liveauctioneers.com • www.liveauctioneers.com

.
New York collector Robert Tuggle, for his photograph of the 3 John Bennett vases at the 59th Annual Winter Antiques Show in New York.

I do not have rights for any of the images used in this article.
Rights to all of the images in this article are linked to their respective owners.

Please patronize and support the businesses, organizations and museums mentioned.
Without them John Bennett pottery would be lost to the public at large.

January 15, 2014

New Book, ‘Gilded New York,’ Coincides With MCNY Exhibit

Posted by robertkelley under ANNOUNCEMENT, MUSEUMS, Publications
Leave a Comment

“Gilded New York: Design, Fashion and Society” edited by Donald Albrecht and Jeannine Falino (Museum of the City of New York/The Monacelli Press), coordinates with an exhibit of the same name at the Museum of the City of New York that is intended to launch the new Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery at the museum.

The covered jar above is in the book as well as the Gilded New York exhibit at the Museum
of the City of New York. It is from the collection of New York collectors
Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack.

Read Lorna Koski’s article in Women’s Wear Daily as she discusses the book. Click on the image below and her article will open.

The book is available at:

I also saw it at:

Special thanks to

Donald Albrecht and Jeannine Falino
(Museum of the City of New York/The Monacelli Press)

Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack for sharing your collection with the public.

For making the Gilded New York exhibition possible.

www.tiffanyandcofoundation.org

Lorna Koski’s, writer

The Museum of the City of New York

The Monacelli Press

January 14, 2014

Gilded New York

Posted by robertkelley under ANNOUNCEMENT, MUSEUMS
Leave a Comment

The Museum of the City of New York
Presents: Gilded New York

Inaugurating the Museum’s Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery, Gilded New York explores the city’s visual culture at the end of the 19th century, when its elite class flaunted their money as never before. In New York, this era was marked by the sudden rise of industrial and corporate wealth, amassed by such titans as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, who expressed their high status through extravagant fashions, architecture, and interior design. The exhibition presents a lavish display of some 100 works, including costumes, jewelry, portraits, and decorative objects, all created between the mid-1870s and the early 20th century.

Display center, large covered jar.
J Bennett, New York, 1881. 15 1/2″ x 11 1/2″. Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack

A treat for lovers of John Bennett pottery, the exhibition displays 2 beautiful examples of John Bennett pottery. A large and stunning covered jar and a small lidded bottle are displayed in the exhibition (not together). Both pieces are from the collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack. The large black covered jar astounded me as I have communicated with them many times and wasn’t even aware of this piece in their collection. They acquired it in an auction in 2001. The jar is signed twice (bottom and side). This double signature is rarely seen. The thought is that it was a sign of Bennett’s approval of a piece. I think he probably did not want someone else getting credit for his work. By signing it on the side as well as the bottom, it would be clear who the artist was, even if it was displayed where you couldn’t inspect the bottom, such as a cabinet.

Covered jar detail

John Bennett, Covered jar, 1881, underneath lid detail
Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack

In contrast to this to this large covered jar is another piece displayed that is a small lidded bottle.

John Bennett, lidded bottle

Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack

The covered jar in the exhibition looks like the black beauty sold at Rago Arts Auction Center in 2005. They’re not twins but are definitely siblings. Both jars were created in 1881. The Barnes-Cunningham covered jar has red roses whereas the Tuggle-Jeromack piece has red berries. Both are stunning and superior examples of John Bennett.

I love John Bennett’s covered jars. The ones I’ve seen at auction as well as the Tuggle-Jeromack vase all display a surprise under the lid. The Barnes-Cunningham black covered jar has flowers underneath. Their other covered jar (purchased at same September 2005 auction at Rago Arts Auction Center) is painted underneath in a jeweled blue.

In comparison to the covered jar in the exhibition, below is the covered jar from the Barnes-Cunningham collection.

John Bennett, Covered jar, 1881

Collection of Bruce Barnes and Joseph Cunningham

John Bennett, Covered jar, 1881, underneath lid detail

Collection of Bruce Barnes and Joseph Cunningham

John Bennett, Covered jar, 1881, underneath lid detail.
Collection of Bruce Barnes and Joseph Cunningham

In 2005, Bruce Barnes founded American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation, a private foundation that works independently and in collaboration with museums across the United States to foster the appreciation and understanding of American decorative art from the period around 1900. Since October 2012, he has been the director of George Eastman House.

How appropriate it is that the Gilded New York exhibition was made possible by

My grandmother, Marguerite Bennett Kelley (John Bennett’s grand daughter) used to tell me that John Bennett had 2 tables of pottery at Tiffany & Co. Like this exhibit, Tiffany & Co. epitomizes Gilded New York.

www.tiffanyandcofoundation.org

“Gilded New York” runs through November 2014 at the Museum of the City of New York.
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