Rookwood & Industry Of Art: Women Culture & Commerce 1880-1913 [Paperback]

Nancy E. Owen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Academic theses are written for three audiences: the committee passing judgment on the candidate, present and future researchers, and the inquiring public. Owen (American art and women's studies, Northwestern) aims her book squarely at the first two audiences. This is not to say that general readers will not find the 237 pages rewarding, but they may be dismayed that 98 thorough pages of index, footnotes, and bibliography are balanced by a mere 12 color plates of indifferent quality. In analyzing the history of artistic pottery, copious illustrations would certainly help readers gain a sense of the pots produced and how they differed from the mechanical output of the larger commercial concerns of the era. This distinction is crucial to understanding Rookwood and its birth in the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century. The heart of Owen's investigation lies in her dissection of the role of cultured and wealthy women in elevating the unglamorous, workaday world of the ceramic industry into an avenue of artistic expression and of the role of Rookwood Pottery in furthering American interest in the Arts and Crafts movement. As such, her book will be of interest to large academic collections only. David McClelland, Philadelphia
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 349 pages
• Publisher: Ohio University Press; 1 edition (March 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821413384
• ISBN-13: 978-0821413388
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,048,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for the average collector, August 13, 2001

By 

Peter Walsh "Peter" (Sunapee, NH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rookwood & Industry Of Art: Women Culture & Commerce 1880-1913 (Paperback)

This is not a book for the average pottery collector. It contains no "values" or "prices" and has only enough illustrations to explain the author's points. It is, moreover, not written in a popular style and occasionally lapses into academic jargon. For anyone interested in the "why" or "how" of Rookwood and American art pottery in general, its role in American industrial and cultural history, and its relationship to the increasing freedom of American women, this book is without peer. It includes an excellent bibliography that goes well beyond the usual suspects.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful history of the culture behind Rookwood Pottery, March 6, 2009

By 

L. Fry (Wyoming) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rookwood & Industry Of Art: Women Culture & Commerce 1880-1913 (Paperback)

Owen's book is an unparalleled source on Rookwood Pottery's history. Owen does an excellent job of placing the people involved with Rookwood Pottery in the greater context of their time. Unlike many collector's price guides, which tend to have minimal (and often incorrect) information, this book is meticulously researched and provides an accurate picture of Rookwood and the cultures surrounding the pottery. A must-read for anyone looking for more than surface information about early American Art Pottery.