Art Pottery Pine Cones A Roseville Product

The Roseville Pottery of Ohio offered an enormous variety of art pottery in the first half of this century. One of the most popular lines of the company was Pine Cone, introduced by art director Frank Ferrell in the 1930s.

Originally, this pattern had been rejected. But the Depression of the 1930s had caused a drop in sales, and the company was looking for something they could sell in large volume. Ferrell again brought the Pine Cone design to the management’s attention and this time it was accepted.

It proved to be the most popular line the company ever produced. Over a period of 15 years, 75 different shapes, ranging from ashtrays to vases, were offered for sale.

In these pieces, graceful swirling needles and pine cones decorate backgrounds which are usually green, blue or brown. One may occasionally find a piece with a pink background. Handles, when present, are molded to look like branches.

In 1953, the Pine Cone was re-introduced in Art Deco style, with a high glass glaze. Collectors usually prefer the earlier pieces with the matte finish, however.

Some early pieces were marked with a metallic gold “Roseville Pottery” label. An impressed mark was introduced around 1939.

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Decorate With Gameboards

In the 19th century, wooden gameboards were found in most homes, since game playing was a popular pastime. Most of the early ones were made of wood, although a few were made of linoleum. Some were painted by professional sign painters; others were made and painted at home. Today, they can be a decorative accent to hang on the wall - and even more effective if several are grouped together.

The easiest gameboards to find will be  checkerboards, since these were, by far, the most numerous. How­ ever, Backgammon, Chinese checkers, Parcheesi, darts, and other less well known games such as Agon, were also made.

Many of the boards were beautifully decorated, and can be easily classified as folk art. An amazing variety in the decorations shows the inventiveness of the painters of these boards.

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Victorian Mourners Had Rigid Etiquette

Mourning items from the Victorian era are a fascinating reminder of the customs of 100 years ago. A death in the family called for not only black clothing. Funeral invitations were needed. So were black-edged stationery and calling cards.

For any sewing that needed doing, mourning pins were available, with black-tipped heads.

Remembrances were passed out at the funeral, such as a lock of hair from the deceased attached to a card. Another remembrance given to funeral mourners was a mourning ring, with the name, age and date of death inscribed. These were often worn for years.

Hair jewelry - rings, brooches, lockets, bracelets, watch chains and earrings - were all made from the hair of the deceased. So were pictures or wreaths that could be hung on the parlor wall.

All etiquette surrounding the event of death was rigid. For anyone in “society,’ any departure from the rules resulted in severe criticism, if not ostracism.

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