The House of Amphora 1890-1915   

By Richard L. Scott. (published by the author, 2004). Limited edition hardback. 347 pages, 400 color pictures, 50 original black and white illustrations, 100 marks and signs. $125.00 plus $10.00 shipping and handling. ISBN: 0-9747377-0-4. Available by mail from Richard L. Scott, 670 Timberlea Trail, Sidney, OH 45365. Credit cards accepted. (or visit www.thehouseofamphora.com)

Had the title not been taken, Byron Vreeland might have called his book "Beauty and the Beast" because in it he illustrates how Amphora designers created an amazing mix of contrasts by applying beautiful, slender, female figures to flowing vase forms as opposed to other forms having imaginative, grotesque creatures applied. Monsters and Maidens: Amphora Pottery of the Art Nouveau Era focuses on Amphora pottery produced in the Art Nouveau era, 1892 to 1905. At the time it was marked "Made in Austria." Using his skills as a photographer, he illustrates these amazing pieces of ceramic ware. He also shows how artisans of the day interacted using various mediums, such as wood, bronze, glass and canvas, to portray the same subject. For example, Vreeland shows that the popular Folies-BÅrgere dancer, LÜie Fuller, was depicted in pottery by Amphora, in bronze by French sculptor Agathon Leonard and again on a poster by Jules Cheret.

Chapters titled "Busts," "Mermaids," "High Art Nouveau," and "Symbolism" deal with the methods Amphora used to present the female form in amazing busts; on portrait vases, hand decorated in the finest detail; as figures applied to vase forms; or standing alone.In the chapters "Paris 1900" and "The Eduard Stellmacher Co.," Vreeland addresses "the monsters." Included here are the imaginative creatures: the venom-spitting dragon, the wingless dragon, sea monsters, bats and other beasts. Many of these mythological creatures were first presented by Amphora at The Universal Exhibition 1900 in Paris. Vreeland discusses the Eastern-style dragon as opposed to the Western-style dragon, and the sea monster as another dragon type. The bat was another ornament employed by Amphora. Vreeland points out that this form of ornamentation originated with the Chinese, who considered it good luck, and that Amphora was not the first company to use bats. Rookwood produced bat vases prior to 1890.

Monsters and Maidens includes historical background on the Turn-Teplitz region of Bohemia and on the founders of Amphora. Separate chapters are devoted to the Eduard Stellmacher Company and the Paul Dachsel Company. Marks are included, along with discussion of mold numbers.

The House of Amphora 1890-1915 chronicles the history of one of the most creative ceramic companies of all time. The book begins with a history of Bohemia, particularly the Turn-Teplitz region, and the historical, political and artistic movements that led to the founding of the Alfred Stellmacher Company and subsequently the establishment of Riessner, Stellmacher and Kessel "Amphora" in 1892. In all, the work brings together five ceramic companies which operated in the same region from 1890-1915. The five companies are the Alfred Stellmacher Company; Riessner, Stellmacher, and Kessel; the Eduard Stellmacher Company; the Paul Dachsel Company and the Ernst Wahliss Companyčall connected either by family ties or economic arrangement. The House of Amphora is highly researched, carefully documented and skillfully photographed. Scott was assisted in authorship by two researchers within the Czech Republic; Jan Mergl, curator of Passau Museum and Lenka Meglova Pankova, art historian. Their investigation into records and archives within the Czech Republic revealed valuable information which had eluded collectors until now. Mergl and Pankova were also successful in locating old sketches and art work for ceramic pieces, period post cards, maps, factory photos and related advertising which had never been seen in the United States.

Noted professional photographer Richard Binstadt, of Cincinnati, Ohio, did an outstanding job of photography for the book. Because most Amphora was produced for export and presently exists in collections throughout the U.S., it was necessary for Binstadt and Scott to travel to those collections to photograph them on site. The photographs were then compiled into such groupings or categories as the Fates Series, Gres-Bijou, Forest Sunrise, Edda Series, etc. In all, the book covers a broad selection of Amphora, representing the entire spectrum of styles from each period. In addition, The House of Amphora includes valuable information and photographs from the Alfred Stellmacher Company, whose products were of the neo-baroque and oriental style; the Eduard Stellmacher Company, whose founder was the creator of the amazing Art Nouveau ladies and highly imaginative dragons and sea monsters produced by Amphora; the Paul Dachsel Company, which featured unique geometric styling; and the company of Ernst Wahliss, a porcelain dealer who bought porcelain and molds from the previously mentioned companies.

The book concludes with a discussion of criteria for purchasing, a chapter on care and restoration and a table of marks for each of the five companies.Both Monsters and Maidens and The House of Amphora are highly recommended reading for anyone interested in ceramics, the decorative arts, art history and of course, Amphora.

Bea Levenhagen is a teacher and clay artist. She and her husband reside in N.W. Pennsylvania and have been collecting Amphora for over 10 years. Bea is currently the news editor for the Amphora collectors newsletter.