Vase

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This elegant vase, crafted the Fulper Pottery Company 1915, exemplifies 20th-century American ceramics. Founded in 1805 in Flemington, New Jersey, Fulper was one of the oldest continuously operating potteries, evolving from utilitarian stoneware to innovative art pottery. By the 1910s, the company embraced the Arts and Crafts movement's on craftsmanship, producing vases with distinctive forms and experimental glazes that appealed to a growing market for decorative home goods. As a ceramic work from this pivotal era, the vase reflects Fulper's technical prowess in high-fired stoneware and glossy finishes, techniques that bridged industrial production and artistic expression. Its inclusion in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, via the bequest of Gary W. Hager, underscores its value as a snapshot of American industrial design during a time of rapid artistic innovation. Though research on this specific piece is ongoing, Fulper vases like this one remain prized by collectors for their historical depth and subtle beauty, offering visitors a tangible link to America's ceramic heritage.