1971 Stephen POLCHERT 17" Studio Pottery Plate/Charger-Grotell/Natzler Era-MCM

DIMENSIONS:

17" diameter x 1 1/4" tall.

Total weight:  10 lbs.

DESCRIPTION:

Large vintage studio pottery plate by renowned American ceramicist Stephen Polchert (1920-2008).  Active/lived in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Wheel thrown porcelain.  Ox blood interior.  Matte gunmetal lip and exterior.   

Incised signature and date "11-71" on underside.

CONDITION:

2 edge chips as indicated.   

Otherwise excellent original condition. No other damage and no significant wear.  No restorations. 

No other chips.  No cracks, flakes, fleabites, dings, scuffs, scratches.  

No leans or noticeable asymmetry.  The plate sits flat with no rocking.  No production flaws to speak of. 

Very clean as found.  No scale, staining, discolorations, etc.  I see no evidence this plate was ever used other than decoratively.

There is some faint scattered crazing to the ox blood glaze.  

There are 4 spots of adhesive residue on the foot ring from old felt pads.  

ARTIST BIO:

Stephen Joseph Polchert, Stephen Polchert

1920  Born

2008  Died

Education:

1946-1948 Layton School of Art, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1950-1951 University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1952 BFA Ceramics, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

1953 MFA Ceramics, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Primary Work Experience:

1953-1954 University of Omaha, Joslyn Art Memorial, Omaha, Nebraska

1954-1978 Boy’s Town Trade School, Ceramic Department

1960-1963 Dana College, Blair, Nebraska

1963-1966 College of St. Mary, Omaha, Nebraska

1957-1979 Bellevue College, Bellevue, Nebraska

1978-1985 Millard Senior High School, Millard, Nebraska

Stephen Polchert is known for his wheel thrown porcelain and stoneware forms, some of which are large scale.  

To aid in realizing his vision of larger works, Polchert made scaled preparatory drawings for these large pieces. He preferred working with porcelain because the white was a perfect ground for his vivid color glazes. During his lifetime Polchert developed hundreds of glazes. Later in his career he focused on crystalline glazes that he felt complimented the forms he was throwing.

Polchert was associated with Maija Grotell from 1949 to 1953 while at Cranbrook. Grotell became an ongoing influence as was, to a lesser degree, British potter, Bernard Leach. Another influence was Polchert’s time in China during the Second World War when he was exposed to the narrow necked local pots.

Public Collections:

Cranbrook Museum of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, Iowa

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York

Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Springfield Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Missouri

Bibliography

Head, Jeffrey. Stephen Polchert: Ceramist of the Heartland. www.modernismmagazine.com.