William H. Grueby, 1867-1925

No. 12774 Grueby tile with Savin trees

Grueby was a dominant figure in the history of the American Arts and Crafts movement and a designer of international stature.  Grueby founded the Grueby Faience Company in 1897 in Boston, Massachusetts.  Beginning in 1898, focusing primarily on art pottery vases, he introduced his own version of French matte finishes, including the matte green finish that became his signature work.   The popularity of his work spawned mass market competition and eventually resulted in the company’s demise in 1909. Grueby emerged from bankruptcy and began limited production runs that included statues, pottery, and tiles, brick and terra cotta.  Grueby’s work won international acclaim, earning medals at the 1900 International Exposition in Paris, the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, and the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis.  The company was renowned for the matte green glaze which can be found in the 50th Street station. The company, which became even better known for its art pottery, was bought out by the C. Pardee Works in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1917.

The 1900 Boston Directory shows William H. Grueby at 25 Beaumont Street.  In 1902 Grueby was resident at 17 Beaumont Street per Blue Book of Dorchester. The 1904, 1906, 1908 & 1910 Blue Books place him at 3 Fairfax Street. The 1913 Blue book shows him at 5 Fairfax, while the 1915 Blue Book again says 3 Fairfax.

Grueby Faience Company of Boston, 1897-1920

”Organized in 1897 by W. H. Grueby, G. P. Kendrick and W. H. Graves. Mr. Grueby is the discoverer of the glaze from which the ware takes its name, a glaze so soft and beautiful, so perfectly glossless, that at one bound it leaped into public favor.” The Encyclopedia of Ceramics by William Percival Jervis. (New York, 1902), 263.

No. 12777 Grueby tile

 

No. 12780 Grueby tile

 

No. 12781 Grueby tile

 

No. 12782 Grueby tile

 

No. 12783 Grueby tile

 

Skills

Posted on

December 26, 2021

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published.