Van Briggle Pottery Identification

The firing kilns at the Van Briggle pottery company have been in continuous operation since 1901.

The Van Briggle Pottery and Tile Company operates from a factory in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The firm has created pottery without interruption since 1901. The company's Art Nouveau designs featured matte glazes and incorporated figures in the designs. The pottery won recognition from the St. Louis Exposition and the Paris Salon. Collectors today favor the earliest examples of Van Briggle work and wish to distinguish current pottery from the most collectible pieces.

History

Van Briggle Pottery was established in 1899 by husband and wife Artus and Anne Van Briggle. The pair left employment as decorators at Ohio’s Rookwood Pottery to seek the dryer climates of Colorado to assist in Artus's tuberculosis treatment. The first Van Briggle vases were fired in 1901. Each art pottery maker experimented with unique glazes, and the company's Turquoise Ming, a matte blue, and Persian Rose, a burgundy mix, were popular from the earliest production run.

Periods

The earliest period, from 1901 to 1904, feature pottery created by Artus Van Briggle who died in 1904 from TB. Anne continued to produce vases until 1912. The company used the original designs and molds through the 1920s. The modern tiles and designs include pieces by company sculptor Craig Stevenson. Artus and Anne Van Briggle pieces are the gold standard for collectors. The pottery company markets a special dating document that lists glaze types, shapes produced and designs offered during the various periods.

Marks

Many of the pre-1920s pottery pieces are imprinted on the bottom of the piece with a standard metal embossed name plate while the clay is still wet and dated by hand or with a pottery pen. Groups of special Van Briggle pottery collector items produced by the company each year are marked with a date and collector identification. Membership must be paid each year to join the society.

Signatures

Most Van Briggle pieces have hand-written identification markings on the bottom. This mark, called a back stamp by collectors, is impressed or hand inscribed by the artists. The key collectibles from the pottery works are works hand signed with an "AA" hand inscription. These initials stand for Anne and Artus. The earliest solo designs by Artus also include the "AA" designation. The artists' pottery pieces that include Art Nouveau statuary also have the company name hand inscribed on the bottom of the work.

Prized Pieces

The most sought-after pieces, according to Scott Nelson in his article “Van Briggle Pottery: How to Find a Great Pot” published in the “Journal of the American Art Pottery Association” include pieces from the earliest period of the pottery with a crisp design from the mold and an unusual, quality glaze. Collectors seek large, early pieces that are in excellent condition, without crazing marks. Pottery works submitted by the company at major world art expositions are rare and sought after. Jugs and vases with figural and flower designs are typical high-end company pieces.

References

• Van Briggle Pottery & Tile: History
• Van Briggle Pottery & Tile: About Us
• "Collector's Guide to Van Briggle Pottery;" Scott H. Nelson, et al.; 1986
• "Collectors Weekely;" About Van Briggle Pottery