Feature Pottery Passion
Feature Pottery Passion
Gary Price signing a copy of the book he co-wrote with his wife Martha, The Illustrious Folk Pottery Shops.
When Eichelberger relocated to Oxford, Lehman followed, continuing to create these distinctive works. The diligent research of Price and his wife was pivotal in correctly attributing many of these pieces. They located Lehman in the 1860 census in the Bacon Level community of Randolph County, Alabama, and uncovered evidence of his decorative work on a friend’ s property in Oxford. While Lehman’ s signed, utilitarian pieces may not be as visually elaborate as his decorative ones, they are highly prized today due to their extreme rarity.
Patriotic Themes in Clay and Glaze
Among the most significant discoveries are several highly decorated pieces that exemplify the unique collaboration between Eichelberger’ s vision and Lehman’ s craftsmanship.
One notable jar features the“ Hero of Washington” and“ Hero of Jefferson” inscribed on its sides, accompanied by“ facial [ s ]” of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Adorned with” laurel decoration and flowers, this piece would have been made right after the Civil War, according to Price, reflecting Eichelberger’ s attempt to portray himself in a more favorable light by associating with American patriotic themes.
Similarly, a“ figural jug, discovered” in a junk stop in the 1960s for $ 12, was later identified as a John Lehman piece by the owner’ s granddaughter and sold to the Birmingham Museum for an astonishing $ 100,000.
The High Museum in Atlanta has one of the figural jugs as well. The distinctive alkaline ash glaze— a homemade blend that used wood ashes— is a hallmark of these remarkable works, transforming humble clay into what Price calls“ great works of art.”
The piece featuring the winged angel on one side and the U. S. seal on the other, for instance, is currently being held in a private collection.
Price’ s expertise extends beyond discovery and historical attribution; it encompasses a deep understanding of the market and the inherent value of these historical works of art. He learned to identify pieces that others would not be able to. This allowed him to acquire valuable items for little cost, often before their provenance was widely known.
For example, in 1993, Price bought a piece for $ 100 simply because he“ knew it was beautiful.” Today, that same piece is estimated to be“ worth a few thousand” dollars. His research also corrected longstanding misattributions, including a book written in Georgia probably in the 1980s that incorrectly claimed a particular piece was made by a Georgia potter. As Price explained,“ Nobody knew at the time,” but his discovery of John Lehman in the 1860 Alabama census helped set the record straight.
Museums Recognize Southern Clay Legacy The significance of these works is reflected in their inclusion in institutions like the Birmingham Museum of Art.
Founded in 1951, the museum holds“ a diverse collection of more than 29,000 paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings and decorative arts dating from ancient to modern times.” Its mission— to“ spark the creativity, imagination and liveliness of Birmingham by connecting all of its people to
The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, United States, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge, with ironworking equipment.
the experience, meaning and joy of art”— aligns with the acquisition of these historically rich folk pottery pieces, which showcase the region’ s artistic heritage.
Ultimately, Gary Price’ s“ interesting hobby” is far more than a pastime. It is a serious historical pursuit fueled by interest and passion, a desire to preserve local history and an appreciation for the challenge of uncovering the unknown. Through tireless research, fieldwork and collecting, Price has become a true subject matter expert and a key figure in telling the authentic story of Alabama’ s folk pottery tradition— ensuring the legacies of craftsmen like Lehman and entrepreneurs like Eichelberger are properly honored and remembered.
From Trash Cans to Treasured Relics
Another remarkable piece features the U. S. seal on one side and a winged angel on the other side. These pieces are not only aesthetically significant but also command high values. The George Washington / Thomas Jefferson jar, for instance,“ was found years ago in a junk shop being used for a trash can,” said Price.
“ Eventually it entered major collections and was acquired by the Birmingham Museum of Art for $ 82,000.”
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