Featured Thrift store, Would you spot this?

I’ve always though of all the ceramic treasures Peter Voulkos is one that could slip through the cracks… if you ran across one of his pieces in a thrift store would it catch your eye?

 

Absolutely not. I would have found his work grotesque and moved on. (Know better now.)

Debora

 

That bottle vase woulda caught my eye, but not those others.

 

I have found a few Voulkos pieces in Colorado thrift stores and estate sales and a few Paul Soldner pieces. Never found any in Massachusetts.

 

not my jam...

 

You are very lucky, I’d love to have one but don’t want to spend the money. Did you keep or sell?

 

There were three Paul Soldner pieces at an estate sale here a month ago. They were asking $2500 on the first day for one of the pieces. The most expensive thing at the sale, even more than the Steinway. The first day they did not sell. Second day was 25% off. I was back there on the second day, I noticed all the Soldner pieces had been sold.

To my mostly untrained eye looked like large slabs of unglazed clay with sections pulled up here and there.

This wasn't the estate sale piece, but along these lines. (Photo from "Bidsquare".)

 

Absolutely would spot it. Nice find! I starting buying studio pottery in the late 1980s when everyone was passing it up. Biggest names sold awhile back. I do have sorta mid price stuff that my daughters have shown an interest in. Just loaded them up with a bunch. I contributed photos to Vasefinder website on some of my obscure finds.

 

I would walk on by. They look like large cow pies, especially the first two. This is where art and aesthetics part ways for me. I just don't have an appreciation for too much weirdness.

 

I'd like the vase, but would look at the other two and not even pick them up. They don't resonate with me. I know studio pottery is a hot new collecting area, but it doesn't "sing" except loudly and off-key.

 

Anund- You've got an infallible eye.I think 99% of dealers would def pass his cruder pieces up.

 

True Evely-Voulkos may have been drinking, smoking & singing loudly as he threw this piece to a crowd of adoring students ! I saw him doing his shtick in college.

 

I bet he saw one too many George Ohr pieces and got "inspired".

 

True,but i think Ohr's technique was like Stradivarius compared to Voulkos' chainsaw.

 

That explains it - I was never into chainsaw art, but friends play classical.

 

Voulkos was def a 'Brutalist' potter.He was famous for his massive clay slab constructions-it's a wonder he didn't blow up the kiln.

 

I think I would have certainly spotted some of the examples (but not necessarily bought them) but only because they look so ‘ugly’ and almost unfinished or amateur work. But they certainly look interesting. I really like that bottle vase (beautiful and very cool) Thanks for the interesting post and education! I had no idea about Peter Voulkos.​

 

Good topic! I too would pass. Not my style. I like more colorful pieces. I’m not against studio pottery per se. I have a large bowl that my parents bought during a trip to Canada in the 1970s. It’s earthy and I like the colors.