Grueby Pottery Marks

William Henry Grueby (1867-1925). was born in Boston. He was a potter and businessman and showed at both the 1899 and 1907 Society of Arts & Crafts Boston exhibitions where he in 1899 he was elected a Craftsman and in 1902 promoted to Mastership. In 1880 he worked and trained at the Low Art Tile works and in 1891 established a two-year partnership with Eugene Atwood for the production of architectural faience. In 1894, Grueby-Faience Company was formed, and by 1909, it was incorporated as the Grueby Faience and Tile Company. The famed matte green and other colored glazes were developed by 1897 and two of this country’s leading arbiters of the turn of the century style chose to incorporate Grueby into their work. Tiffany Studios used Grueby Pottery for lamp bases, and Gustav Stickley used Grueby Tiles in his stands and tables, also accessorizing his catalog with vases and lamps. Grueby participated in numerous exhibitions, highlights include: The Architectural League of New York, 1895; the Exposition Universalle, Paris, 1900 (where he was awarded two gold medals and one silver medal); the Buffalo Pan American Exhibition, 1901, where he shared a booth with Gustav Stickley; and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at the St. Louis Grand Prix, 1904. By 1910, he had a final exhibition and sale in South Boston. The C. Pardee Works of Perth Amboy, NJ purchased the Grueby Faience and Tile Company in 1919. Grueby vases were designed only by a few artists, and all were hand-thrown. Decoration was executed by modelers hired from Boston’s art schools while tiles were pressed into molds. Although many glaze colors were used, most famous was the matte green which won numerous awards, inspiring a rage for green glazed pottery, and fostering many imitators.