George Ohr Pottery Exhibit

George Ohr Rising: The Emergence of an American Master The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is hosting a traveling exhibit of George Ohr’s original works until June 22, 2008. The forty piece collection is on loan from the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi. The subtitle of the event, The Emergence of an American Master, refers to Ohr’s recovery from tragedy to create the most masterful work of his career. The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art experienced a similar tragedy, followed by a rebuilding period, after Hurricane Katrina partially destroyed its new building in 2005. The theme of tragedy to triumph is central to this exhibit.

George Ohr was born in Biloxi in 1857. He moved to New Orleans when a family friend offered him a job in a pottery studio, but he soon began traveling all over the United States and Canada learning more about ceramics. He returned to Biloxi to open his own studio, but his building and close to 10,000 pieces of his pottery were completely destroyed in a fire in 1894. His work after the fire was much more imaginative, and he began calling himself the “Mad Potter of Biloxi.” Because of his eccentric persona and over-the-top marketing, his work was not taken seriously until after his death. He is now considered a pioneer of modern art pottery. His work with modern forms and shapes was revolutionary.

The George Ohr Rising exhibit can be viewed at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in San Angelo, Texas,  Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for senior citizens. After the George Ohr collection leaves Texas, it will travel to the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art in Alfred, New York, where it will open October 21. There is also a George Ohr Rising virtual gallery online for those who cannot see it in person.

Additional George Ohr Pottery Resources:

• Identifying George Ohr Reproductions
• George Ohr Pottery History

Just Art Pottery

George Ohr Pottery Fakes

George Ohr is often referred to as the "mad potter of Biloxi" not only because of his eccentric personally but also due to the diversity and uniqueness of the arts and crafts pottery masterpieces he created.  George Ohr pottery is typically characterized by twisted and manipulated forms. 

Prices of George Ohr pottery have rapidly increased from the $50 range for small examples in the 1980s to $1,000 to $3,000 for the same example now.  Superior examples Ohr that would sell in the $2,000 price range twenty years ago now sell in the low six figure range. This rapid price appreciation has resulted in reproductions and reglazed George Ohr becoming more commonplace in the art pottery market. 

As many collectors know many of George Ohr's later examples were intentionally left unglazed in the bisque form.  For years, many collectors thought the unglazed bisque examples were unfinished pieces.  Some time around the 1970s, many unglazed bisque examples were reglazed and sold in the retail market.  As the knowledge of the reglazed Ohr examples has become more commonplace, collector interest in the bisque examples has skyrocketed. 

In the January/February issue of Forbes Collector, David Rago, who is commonly recognized as the foremost authority on George Ohr Pottery, provided some key factors to look for in order to avoid the fake Ohr pieces.  These factors include:

Glazed examples with the flowing script signature.  Many of Ohr's later pottery was unglazed and marked with the flowing script signature.  While not a hard and fast rule, one should closely examine glazed examples of Ohr with the flowing script signature.

Clean examples.  The reglazed fakes from the 1970s are typically very clean.  Original George Ohr pottery often is not nearly as clean. 

Dull, opaque glazes.  Ohr's original glazes typically show a lustrous depth not typically seen on the reglazed examples.  Many of the reglazed Ohr pieces are done in red. 

Swirled clay with colored glaze.  Ohr examples produced from scroddled or swirled clay were only glazed with clear color.

Disproportionate number of reptiles.  Fake Ohr pottery is often seen with a disproportionate number of snakes.

Clean bottoms.  The majority of George Ohr pottery has glazed bottoms.  The early reproductions have clean, unglazed bottoms.  However, Rago notes later forgers have caught on to this fact.

Pinpoint stilt marks.  Authentic George Ohr pottery was fired on long, Y shaped stilts.  Typical fake Ohr examples were fired on pin stilts leaving pinpoint stilt marks.

The photos above provide examples of authentic George Ohr pottery and his marks.  If you have photo examples of any of these fake characteristics or photos of authentic marks/vases please provide them to us and they will be added to this discussion. 

Greg Myroth