Rookwood Pottery, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1922. A hand-thrown jar with its original pierced lid — one of the most documented American art potteries, at the height of its craft. The glaze is Vellum Pink, but pink isn’t quite the right word. It’s the color of a sky saying goodnight — present without insisting on itself. The hand-painted collar in navy, cream, and gold is attributed to E.T. Hurley, one of Rookwood’s most celebrated Vellum artists. Vellum was Rookwood’s answer to a specific problem — how to make color feel atmospheric rather than painted on. The glaze sits between matte and gloss, slightly frosted, so what’s underneath reads like something seen through morning light. Once you know what you’re looking at, you start noticing it in other pieces. On a shelf. On a mantel. Somewhere it can be still. Marked on the base: Rookwood flame mark, XXII for 1922, shape 1321E, VP for Vellum Pink. No chips, no crazing. Lid seats properly. Appraised at approximately $500 by Rago/Wright/LAMA/Toomey. 4 inches tall. Free shipping.
