October 27, 2012
Here is an update to the Bennett vase in Stockholm. It sold! It surpassed it’s estimate and like John Bennett, is coming to NewYork! Congratulations to the New York collector!
Estimate: SEK 15 000 – 20 000 / € 1 800 – 2 400
Hammer price: SEK 27 000 / € 3 200
The details can be viewed at the Bukowskis website.
Tack Bukowskis. Kontakta oss gärna när en annan John Bennett pjäs är på auktion.
October 25, 2012
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In a couple of days a John Bennett vase (lot 947) will be up for bids in Stockholm at the renowned auction house of Bukowskis.
A John Bennett art pottery vase, painted with cherry blossom branches, New York 1880. Signed BENNETT H12E24 N.Y. 1880. Height 25,5 cm, diameter 23,5 cm. Chips to mouth.
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Bukowskis was founded in 1870 by Polish nobleman Henryk Bukowski. Bukowskis have conducted the greatest auctions in Sweden for the past 140 years, including the collection of King Charles XV in 1873 and the estate of Master director Ingmar Bergman in 2009. During the 1920’s, Bukowskis enjoyed the sole right to sell the etchings of Anders Zorn. In fact etchings by Zorn were so valid that they were accepted as security for bankloans and “exchange rates” were noted at Bukowskis. Bukowskis is the oldest salesroom for fine art in Scandinavia and remains the popular showcase for the unique and beautiful.
This charming vase is 25.5 cm high (10 inches) x 23.5 cm wide (9.25 inches).
The pictures show and the description state that there are chips on the mouth of the vase. In looking at the pictures I think these are minor and repairable.
I think this vase will be a bargain as John Bennett isn’t as sought after in Sweden as he is here. If you are interested or have questions, enquiries can be made at:
Customer service
kundtjanst@bukowskis.com
+46 (0)8-614 08 00
The specific page is here.
Visit their site at: www.bukowskis.com
Tack Camilla för att skicka oss informationen! Lycka till!
Thank you Camilla for sending us the information! Good luck!
Special thanks to Bukowskis. The pictures of the pottery, used in this article are the property of Bukowskis. All rights belong to them.
June 20, 2012
Yes. I was surprised by the Bennett results of the Rago Arts this past weekend. I thought for sure both pieces would be off the charts as they were both beautiful pieces.
Lot 12, a tall orange vase with apple blossoms, estimated at $10,000 – $15,000 sold for a bargain $10,000 ($8000 plus a 25% including a buyer’s premium). Though at the low end of the estimate, we have to remember that it is still higher than the average John Bennett vase which many times sell in the range of a few thousand dollars.
Lot 12a, a large covered jar, decorated with dogwood blossom, estimated at $7000-$10,000 was passed on as it’s reserve was not met. I myself thought the estimate was low. It was humbling for me because it demonstrated that even the sought after John Bennett doesn’t have a good day everyday and that many factors of a sale come into play other than the piece itself. Auctions compete with other auctions and events locally and far away. An important factor would be the schedule of collectors and institutions, their mood and the demand at the current moment for a piece of John Bennett pottery. The gentleman selling this piece could not be a nicer guy. I was sad that the piece was passed on but at the same time I was glad that it had a reserve to prevent it from selling cheap. I know he is sentimental about this piece and had it sold below the reserve price, it would have bothered him for a long time. I would like to reassure him to not lose hope. This piece will undoubtedly sell, perhaps at the next auction it appears in. Enjoy the vase for now and try again.
I share responsibility in causing any disappointment that may be felt by the owners. My enthusiasm for these two pieces I’m sure pushed up the expectations of how well they would do. For that, I apologize.
I stand by Rago Arts Auction Center as being the right place to sell a piece of John Bennett pottery. One would only have to look at their past auctions to see that their knowledge and success with Bennett pieces is unsurpassed. Even the piece that did not sell received enough exposure to the pottery world that collectors will probably seek you out.
I wanted to pass on information I learned this weekend about the auction. During the auction I called Rago Arts Auction Center to find out the sale prices realized on the two Bennett pieces. I was told to check their website that evening and the prices would be posted. I related this information to my friend, Robert and was promptly informed I could be watching the auction live! Yes, if you cannot attend the auction in person, you can still see the auction, live. The prices realized are also posted as soon as the lot sells. The way to watch is by going to www.liveauctioneers.com. It’s free. Create an account there and you can observe and/or bid on pieces you’re interested in. How great is that?!
June 16, 2012
Don’t forget! Tomorrow Rago Arts Auction Center will present 2 John Bennett pieces.
You won’t want to miss this! Two extraordinary examples of John Bennett will be up for auction in the Early 20th C. Auction at Rago Arts and Auction Center, on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 11am.
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The following 2 lots are the ones to look for:
Lot numbers and image locations may change as the catalog comes out May 25, 2012. If changes are made, I will update the links in this article.
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JOHN BENNETT, Tall vase with apple blossoms on orange glaze, New York, 1880 , Signed J BENNETT, 412 E24 N.Y. , 15″ x 7″
Auction Date: Sat, June 16, 11:00AM
Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000
JOHN BENNETT
Large covered jar decorated with dogwood blossoms, West Orange, NJ, 1887,
Signed J BENNETT,
R, 17″ x 8″
Auction…
View original post 252 more words
June 14, 2012
In the beginning was the 1876 Centennial. That is when the United States first embraced the work of John Bennett.
Below is the exhibition’s catalogue cover.
I came across the catalogue cover in a book from the Harvard College Library. You can download a PDF of the book from Google books (free) by clicking on the cover below:
Another book at Harvard College Library is Potters, their arts and crafts. If you click on the cover below, you will be linked to where you can download the book from Google books (also free).
APPENDIX
Pages 255
In 1877, Mr. John Bennett, one of Doulton’s artists, settled in New York, and introduced the Lambeth style of faience painting.
Page 256
Nothing so rich in colour had till then been seen in American pottery.
The European exhibits at the Centennial Exhibition of Philadelphia in 1876 were great incentives to the American potters, and it may now be said that in beauty of workmanship and originality of ideas the leading firms have little to learn. As regards the more practical side of ceramics, brick and terra-cotta making, the Americans have gone to the front in a remarkable way; new machines and new methods of burning attest their inventiveness.; numerous improvements in terra-cotta have revolutionised American city architecture, and buildings are erected now in steel and burnt clay which a few years ago would have been thought impossible.
We live in an amazing time. We are gaining access to information from the greatest museums, libraries and educational institutions.
Special thanks to the Harvard College Library and Google books.
Visit a museum or library, even if only online. The web is a terrible thing to waste.
June 3, 2012
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John Bennett was born in England in 1840. He trained first at Staffordshire Potteries, and later worked for Henry Doulton. By the time Bennett arrived in the United States and opened a studio at 101 Lexington Avenue in New York, in 1876, he was already a very accomplished pottery decorator.
His high-priced pottery, called “Bennett Ware,” was sold at many fine stores across the country, including Tiffany & Co. Bennett Ware was characterized by simple, unencumbered shapes adorned with underglaze painting. The decorative subjects were usually boldly painted plants and flowers in strong colors, often outlined in black against brightly colored backgrounds.In addition to pottery, Bennett produced six-inch tiles using the same underglaze technique. His work could have been influenced by William DeMorgan and William Morris (and possibly Persian or Turkish painting). In 1878, Bennett taught classes in pottery decoration at the New York Society of Decorative Art (relinquishing the post a year later to Charles Volkmar).
In 1879, Bennett moved his studio to 412 E. 24th Street, where he remained until he retired to his farm in West Orange, New Jersey in 1883. The father of thirteen children, John Bennett died in1907 at the age of sixty-seven.
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The John Bennett art tiles above are similar to the tile below in that they have a loose, sketchy quality using values of a single color on a light background. He achieves most of his shading by changing the line thickness. The 4 tiles above are curious in that they have letters randomly placed in the backgrounds. My guess is they may spell the name or character trait of the subject matter.
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tile back with conjoined JB, 412 E 24 Street, NY
R & J Kelley Collection
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These are different than the painted tiles
which are more like wallpaper.
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tile detail with signature and year, 1872
R & J Kelley Collection
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John Bennett, art tile
R & J Kelley Collection
This book, along with other fine books by Norman Karlson can be found on the net. I saw it available NEW and USED at amazon.com. If you’re interested click on the following link.
Another example of John Bennett’s tile work was exhibited in 1979 at The William Benton Museum of Art. An excerpt from the exhibition catalog can be seen below.
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I looked on the net and copies of this exhibition catalog are available in multiple places.
I also saw it at Amazon.com here.
I would like to thank Norman Karlson, author of American Art Tile 1876-1941
and encourage you to buy his books.
I would also like to thank the William Benton Museum of Art for exhibiting
the work of John Bennett and the production of the exhibition catalog. Everyone
should visit the William Benton Museum of Art.
(860) 486-4520
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I would especially like to thank my friend that sent me information and a copy of the 1979 exhibition catalog. Without him would have made this article impossible. As I have used content without permission, my friend will remain anonymous but is greatly appreciated.
I would like to apologize for the sad yellow frames I have on my art tiles. My grandmother put the tiles into those frames and I haven’t been able to bring myself to change them.
I will conclude by saying read, visit museums and share your John Bennett examples with others that love his work.
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May 24, 2012
You won’t want to miss this! Two extraordinary examples of John Bennett will be up for auction in the Early 20th C. Auction at Rago Arts and Auction Center, on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 11am.
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The following 2 lots are the ones to look for:
Lot numbers and image locations may change as the catalog comes out May 25, 2012. If changes are made, I will update the links in this article.
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JOHN BENNETT, Tall vase with apple blossoms on orange glaze, New York, 1880 , Signed J BENNETT, 412 E24 N.Y. , 15″ x 7″
Auction Date: Sat, June 16, 11:00AM
Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000
JOHN BENNETT
Large covered jar decorated with dogwood blossoms, West Orange, NJ, 1887,
Signed J BENNETT,
R, 17″ x 8″
Auction Date: Sat, June 16, 11:00AM
Estimate: $7,000 – $10,000
Both of these pieces were introduced publicly on this blog. See posts
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I accidentally published this article before completing it. I apologize. When working on articles I save drafts as I go along. When I edit, I click the “Preview Changes” button to see if changes went through. The “Preview” button is directly under the “Publish” button.
I’ve wondered how long it was going to take me to do that!
I’m happy for the sellers of these two pieces and already jealous of the buyers. I think the size and presence of these 2 pieces will do well for the sellers. My largest vase is 12.5 inches. These 2 are 15 inches and 17 inches respectively.
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All images in this article (with the exception of the Lot 12A signature) are the property of Rago Arts and Auction Center and may not be used for any other purpose.May 23, 2012
A charming couple was kind enough to send in photos of their John Bennett vase. A testament to John Bennett, the vase looks as comfortable and appropriate with modern decor as it does with turn of the century arts and crafts.
John Bennett, vase, 1880, 15.5 inches tall
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John Bennett, vase, 1880, decorated with cherry blossoms
John Bennett, vase, 1880, signature
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This beautiful vase stands at 15.5 inches, larger than many of the John Bennett pieces we come across.
Special thanks to them for sharing their vase with us.
May 16, 2012
Known for his contributions to the America Aesthetic Movement, John Bennett is referred to as an American artist. We know in 1877 he immigrated from Lambeth, England after the success of the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876, when his work was exposed to the American public for the first time. At the time he was the Director of the Faience Department of Doulton Pottery.
Bennett enjoyed great success in selling his pottery at Davis Collamore’s shop on Broadway and at Tiffany’s. He also gave instruction in the art of Faience style pottery decoration.
Bennett retired in 1882 to his farm in West Orange, New Jersey where he continued to work. He also kept a studio in London.
The vase below is a beautiful example of the work done in later years at his studio in London. We know he was working at his London studio during 1891-1892. This vase, from 1892 is similar to the Peach Blossom vase (London, 1891) in my collection. The similarity includes the absence of his traditional heavy outlining seen on most of his work since the beginning of his career in the United States.
He doesn’t abandon his use of heavy outlining as it reappears in later works such as the 1906 Orchid vase, which was done in Chicago.
American (born England), 1840–1907
5 inches tall, painted and glazed porcelain
Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack.
Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack.
Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack.
Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack.
John Bennett, two London vases, completed in 1892 (left) and 1891 (right).
Notice the absence of his heavy outlining.
John Bennett (above left)
Collection of Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack, New York
John Bennett (above right and below)
Robert & Joan Kelley Collection, Lake Worth, Florida
John Bennett, Orchid Vase, 1906, Chicago
Note the return of his heavy outlining.
April 23, 2012
Object name: Vase
Date: 1876-1883
Artist/Maker: John Bennett
Medium: Earthenware
Dimensions: 6 3/8 x 4 1/4 in. ( 16.2 x 10.8 cm )
Molded white or ivory bodied vase with cylindrical opening on rounded shoulders of tapering form; hand-painted underglaze decoration with white blossoms, pink buds, and green leaves, lined in black on yellow ground with green rim and foot under transparent glaze.
Gift of Mrs. Clifford R. Dumble
Marks: painted: in green on base: “J BENNETT/NEW YORK, 1883
John Bennett emigrated from England where he was director of the faience department of the Lambeth pottery of Messrs. Doulton & Co. He came to New York in 1876 and soon built a kiln on Lexington Avenue and later others on East 24th Street. Edwin Atlee Barber credits Bennett with introducing his faience decorating method to the U.S. (See Barber, Pottery and Porcelain of the U.S., pp. 305-306).
To see the page on the New York Historical Society Museum & Library, click here.
For more information about the Historical visit here.
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Special thanks to Robert Tuggle and Paul Jeromack for sending me the
John Bennett 1840-1907
John Bennett Pottery 