Pewabic History

PEWABIC
DETROIT’S HISTORIC POTTERY
DETROIT, MI – 1903
A vision began with a partnership between an
ARTIST and a BUSINESSMAN. THE ARTIST
Mary Chase Perry Stratton
Born, 1867
THE BUSINESSMAN
Horace Caulkins
Born, 1850
MARY CHASE PERRY
Born March 15, 1867 in Hancock, a small copper
mining town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
After the death of her father, Mary’s family
moved to Ann Arbor, MI where her brother was
attending the University of Michigan.
FUN FACT
Pewabic is named after the
“Pewabic” copper mine
located in Hancock,
Michigan, the city where
Mary was born.
“Pewabic” traces back to
the people of the Ojibwe
native nation. The Ojibwe
term “wabic” means metal
and “bewabic” means iron
or steel.
Pewabic Mine Shaft Hancock, MI
A STUDENT OF HER
CRAFT
When Mary was 20 years old,
she attended the Cincinnati Art
Academy (1887-1889). She
then studied at the Detroit
Museum of Art School.
Mary continued to
expand her skill set in
the crafts by taking
classes at the New York
School of Clay-Making
and Ceramics where she
studied with Charles Fergus
Binns, one of the foremost
experts in the field.
HORACE CAULKINS
Born July 12, 1850 in Oshawa,
Ontario, Canada.
An eager businessman, Horace
moved to America in 1871 and
eventually worked in the dental
industry, selling kilns to dentists.
In 1885, Caulkins developed the
Revelation Kiln with William Egle.
THE
REVELATION KILN
This ‘portable’ kiln was marketed
to dentists for firing false china
teeth.
The kiln ran on kerosene oil
which was cheap and did not
cause discoloration.
To sell his invention,
Horace recruited his
former neighbor,
Mary Chase Perry, to
help demonstrate and
sell the kiln to china
painters.
She was an adept
saleswoman, since
she had already
purchased and used
the Revelation Kiln for
her own china
painting.
THE POTTERY
A STABLE STUDIO at RANSOM GILLIS HOUSE
In 1903, Mary and Horace formed a second partnership. The Revelation Kiln was
again at the center of their business venture. Now, the two put the kiln to use in
a jointly owned pottery located in a carriage house on Alfred Street in Detroit.
Mary promoted the artistic vision and created design ideas and glaze recipes
through experimentation. Horace promoted the company’s business,
developed the Revelation Kiln, and aided in glaze recipes by experimenting
with kiln temperatures and firing schedules.
GROWING A BUSINESS
Business quickly outgrew the carriage house, so Caulkins hired architect
William Buck Stratton to design the new pottery on E. Jefferson Ave. This
Tudor Revival designed building was complete and ready to be occupied in
1907. Pewabic still operates out of the E. Jefferson Ave. building today.
EMPLOYEES &
COLLABORATORS
Mary and Horace sought
help for their growing
operations.
Left top to bottom:
Joseph Herrich (the first
employee and master thrower)
and Louis Tomasi.
Top right, clockwise:
Julius Albus, Alexis Lapteff, John
Graziosi, Joseph Ender, Gwen
Lux, Ella Peters, and Florence
Barnum.
THE ARCHITECT &
FUTURE HUSBAND
William Buck Stratton was the
architect for Pewabic’s studio on
East Jefferson Avenue, the same
building Pewabic operates out of
today.
Stratton’s interaction with Mary did
not end with the design of the
building…
(L) Mary on her wedding Day. (R) The Stratton’s honeymoon train ticket.
A New Union
On June 19, 1918, Mary Chase Perry married architect William Buck Stratton.
They collaborated on projects and built a home together in Grosse Pointe Park.
They also traveled the world together for inspiration.
Mary was a pioneering woman. Until age 51, she was unmarried, a business
owner and actively involved in the community, an unusual combination for a
woman in the early 1900s.
INFLUENCING DETROIT’S CULTURE
Mary, Horace and William were very influential in many of
Detroit’s cultural institutions.
Just a few of those iconic institutions include The Society of Arts
and Crafts, the Scarab Club, the Detroit Institute of Arts, College
for Creative Studies, and the ceramics programs at both the
University of Michigan and Wayne State University.
THE IRIDESCENT CHALLENGE
Charles Lang Freer
A wealthy business man and
railroad manufacturer,
Charles Lang Freer became a
friend, patron, and mentor to
Mary and Horace.
Freer showed Mary a piece of
Oriental/Persian pottery with
an iridescent glaze he picked
up on one of his travels and
challenged her to recreate the
luster.
Photo Courtesy of Gallery of Art Archives, The Smithsonian InsBtuBon, Washington, DC Challenge Accepted
Mary experimented to find the
perfect recipe to achieve the
iridescent luster in the piece Freer
showed her.
In 1909, she discovered the
formula, which included spraying
kerosene into the kiln.
The elements evaporate and bond
to the piece, creating the shiny and
iridescent luster.
FUN FACT
While kerosene was cheap in
1909, the fumes are unsafe.
Today, Pewabic staff use
vegetable oil instead of
kerosene to achieve our
iconic iridescent glazes. Not
only is it safer, but it is less
expensive than kerosene
today.
FROM CERAMIC OBJECTS TO
ARCHITECHTURAL TILE
FUNCTIONAL CREATIONS
Pewabic originally produced functional products – meaning they could
be used (such as plates, cups and lamps) – and also art pottery
(vases). You can see some historic examples displayed in our museum.
Over time,
Mary decided to
explore the realm
of murals and
architectural tile.
Pewabic’s architectural
tile designs are located
throughout Metro
Detroit and across the
United States.
THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS 1927 DID YOU KNOW?
Iridescent tile niches were
covered up and hidden from
view for many years until they
were uncovered during
renovations to the museum
completed in 2007.
THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
MAIN BRANCH, 1920s
DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
MAIN BRANCH, 1920s
DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
MAIN BRANCH, 1920s
This mosaic is on the exterior of
the building – in the seven loggia
bays on the top floor facing
Woodward Avenue and the
Detroit Institute of Arts. The
design was painted by Frank
Wiley and created at Pewabic
under Mary’s lead. Mary had
some female friends that
understood the “true rugged
spirit” of the mosaic process,
among others who helped execute
this detailed process.
THE GUARDIAN BUILDING
DID YOU KNOW?
Pewabic is installed in the
exterior and basement of the
Guardian Building.
Pewabic has also done repairs
on the ground level ceiling,
which was originally made by
Rookwood Pottery in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
THE DETROIT ZOO
1920s
JAMES SCOTT MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN
BELLE ISLE, 1920s
JAMES SCOTT
MEMORIAL
FOUNTAIN
BELLE ISLE, 1920s
This installation was taken
out because of
maintenance on the
fountain.
The Belle Isle Conservancy
is currently raising funds to
reinstall the Pewabic tile in
the fountain.
HERALD SQUARE SUBWAY STATION
NEW YORK CITY, 1990s
Radiant Site by Michelle Oka Doner
COMERICA PARK
Detroit, MI, 2000s
COMERICA PARK
MILLENDER CENTER STATION
DETROIT PEOPLE MOVER, 1980s
TIMES SQUARE STATION
DETROIT PEOPLE MOVER, 1980s
MICHIGAN AVE. STATION
DETROIT PEOPLE MOVER, 1980s
DETROIT MEDICAL CENTER
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, 2000s
THE LEGACY CONTINUES
With Horace passing away in
1923 and William passing
away in 1938, Mary
continued operating the
pottery and the Revelation
Kiln business.
Mary Chase Perry Stratton
ran the pottery until the age
of 94.
Mary passed away in 1961,
and the pottery was run for
several years by friend and
assistant Ella Peters. At this
time, the entire company’s
financial shares were owned
by Horace’s son, Henry
Caulkins.
In 1964, Henry gifted the pottery
to Michigan State University,
which operated the site as part of
a continuing education program.
The nonprofit Pewabic Society,
Inc. was formed in 1979, and took
ownership of the pottery in 1981.
The pottery was designated a
National Historic Landmark in
1991.
Today, Pewabic is a non-profit
501(c)(3) organization operated
by a professional staff and a board
of trustees.
HARNESSING OUR
FOUNDER’S PASSION
More than a century ago,
Pewabic was known for pushing
boundaries. Our founder
explored, invented and
discovered techniques that
would change the face of
ceramics. She encouraged
artistic innovation,
experimented with form, color,
firing and glazing.
This innovative spirit is our
future as much as it is our
heritage.
Photo Courtesy of Cranbrook’s Archives