Art Pottery

By 1893, Frackelton was throwing and decorating her own art pottery. She specialized in gray glazes with painted and applied blue designs, and also experimented with salt glazes.

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Art Pottery Jar and Lid, 1893

This stoneware jar is globular-shaped with a straight neck. It is gray with a salt-glaze, and the interior and upper body are glazed dark brown. The neck and upper body are decorated with incised or stamped quatrefoils and dots. Applied festoon is swagged from the base of the neck to the lower body, and is painted blue. On the underside of the jar, "VIII", "S Frackelton", and "1893" are incised.
Stoneware lid (a) is round with a button handle. It is gray with a salt-glaze, and the exterior is glazed dark brown. The top of the handle is painted blue. The top of the lid is incised with vines, and the rim is incised with hatchings.

The jar was exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893, and is similar to Wisconsin Historical Museum object #1958.1319. Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely. West Bend Art Museum exhibited the jar in 2001.

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Art Pottery Jar, 1893

This stoneware jar has a globular form with a straight neck. It is gray with a salt-glaze, and the interior and upper body are glazed dark brown. The neck and upper body are decorated with incised or stamped quatrefoils and dots. An applied festoon surrounds the center of the body, painted blue. A maker's mark, "SF", and date, "1893", are incised on the underside.

The jar is similar to 1958.1318,a, and therefore may have been exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Vase, 1893

This stoneware vase is ovoid-shaped with a flared rim. It is gray with a salt-glaze. The lower body, top of the neck, and upper interior are glazed dark brown. The rim has a band of incised hatching. The neck has incised leaves and vines, a band of hatching, two bands of intersecting circles, and another band of hatching. The upper body has small stamped quatrefoils and applied flowers, festoons, and floral s-shaped motifs. The lower body has a band of hatching, incised foliate scrolls, and long incised lines near the base. A maker's mark, "SF", and date, "1893", are incised on the underside.

Due to the vase's design, motifs and date, it may have been made for the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. Designs are identical to 1958.1318,a and 1958.1319. Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Bowl, 1899

This earthenware bowl is squat and bulbous. It is red with mottled green glaze on the exterior and clear and dark brown glazes on the interior. The bowl is decorated with molded hearts, diagonal bands, and flowers applied around the rim. A maker's mark, "SF", and date, "99", are incised on the underside, along with "G.E. Ohr" over "Biloxi, Miss" stamped in clay.

The bowl is the product of a collaboration between art potter George E. Ohr of Biloxi, Mississippi and Frackelton. There are several known co-signed pieces in existence. Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Vase, 1900

This stoneware vase is ovoid-shaped and shouldered with a straight neck. It has a gray glaze, and the sides are decorated with incised irises painted blue. A blue stylized leaf design is painted around the neck. "S Frackelton" and "1900" are incised on the underside.

This vase may have been exhibited at the Paris International Exposition in 1900 (Exposition universelle internationale de 1900). Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Vase, 1900

This stoneware vase has bulbous body with long neck, stepped foot, and a flared rim. There are six holes in upper neck with ovoid lips extending horizontally, probably for inserting flowers. Vase has a gray glaze with painted blue decorations of roses and foliage underglaze. The rim and upper neck have a background of stamped or incised dots, and applied festoon swagged around the lips. There are three diagonal bands wrapping around the exterior from neck to base. Additional decoration includes a background of incised hatching, a border of incised scrolls, and applied flowers. "S Frackelton" over "1900" is incised on the underside of the piece .

Given the date of manufacturer, the vase may have been exhibited at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. This piece was depicted and described as a "rose jar" in a Sunday Times-Herald (Chicago) article from February 17, 1901. A medal won by Susan Frackelton at this Exposition is in the collection of the Milwaukee County Historical Society. Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Vase, 1901

This stoneware vase is ovoid-shaped with a slightly flaring foot. It has a gray glaze and painted blue decorations underglaze. The exterior has applied poppies around an upper body with stems extending to the base, and the background has incised stylized flowers and foliage. The rim is painted blue with short vertical stripes on the interior. Piece has no makers marks or dates.

The piece was likely used as an adornment in the Wisconsin Building at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, New York. Vase was thrown by Fred Weiss of Weiss Pottery in Milwaukee and decorated by Susan Frackelton. Similar pieces are described in a March 31, 1901 article in the (Milwaukee) Sentinel. This piece may be illustrated with a (now missing?) lid in the same article. A medal won by Susan Frackelton at this Exposition is in the collection of the Milwaukee County Historical Society. Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Stein, 1903

This stoneware stein with an applied handle is cylindrical, and slightly tapered toward the top. It has a gray glaze with the exterior painted blue and has incised stylized leaves painted dark blue on the handle. There is an incised armorial motif of a helmet surrounded by foliage scrolls with details painted in shades of blue. The underside possesses a maker's mark, "SF" and date, "1903", incised and painted blue.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Candleholder, 1894-1909

This stoneware candleholder has a slightly tapered body. It has a gray glaze, with an applied base, stems, and flowers painted blue. Applied stems wrap diagonally around the body from the base to a candle cup at the top. Modeled water lilies surround the candle cup. The lower part of body is shaded blue, and there are wavy blue bands between the flowers at the top. A maker's mark, "SF", is incised and painted blue on the bottom.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely. Included in the exhibition "Women in the Arts", held at the Frank Lloyd Wright home, "Wingspread" in Racine, Wisconsin on September 13-15, 1973.

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Art Pottery Candleholder, 1894-1909

This stoneware candleholder has a tapered, fluted body with wide flat base and a bulbous candle cup with a flared rim. It has a cream-colored glaze, and the interior of the candle cup is painted with radiating lines in blue. There are incised decorations painted in shades of blue, including flames around the candle cup connected by swags. There are also thin vertical lines connected to fluting, and shields around body near the base. The base has c-scrolls, and the rim and edge of the base are painted blue. The underside possesses a maker's mark, "SF", and Roman numeral, "IX", incised and painted blue, and "70" within a painted blue circle.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Jug, 1894-1909

This stoneware jug has a shouldered body and a straight neck, with beading at the base of the neck and near the rim. Three strap handles are applied from the rim to the shoulder. Jug has a gray glaze with decorations painted in blue. There is a geometric motif on the rim and the sides of handles. Stylized flowers and foliate scrolls decorate the neck and body, and stylized leaves accent the handles. A maker's mark, "SF", and Roman numeral, "VI", are incised and painted blue on the underside.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Cider Jug, 1894-1909

This stoneware jug has a squat bulbous body with an applied scroll handle and a bulbous neck with a slightly pinched pouring lip. The jug has a gray glaze, and the handle and rim are painted blue with a leaf motif. A naturalistic apple-and-branch motif is painted in blue around the upper half of the body. There is a small banner outlined in blue with the inscription "Here's to Thee! Old Apple Tree!" painted at the base of the neck under the pouring lip. A shield-shaped medallion with three trees is painted in blue below the banner. On the underside, a maker's mark, "SF", is incised and painted blue.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Bud Vase, 1894-1909

This earthenware bud vase is ovoid-shaped with shoulders and a ringed neck. The vase is a heavy cream-color with a clear glaze, and the neck, shoulders, and base are painted blue. There are stylized iris-like flowers painted around the shoulders, with stems and leaves extending toward the base to form five panels. The panels contain blurred blue designs, which appear to be remnants of painted landscapes. A maker's mark, "SF", and Roman numeral, "IX", are incised and painted blue on the underside along with "67" painted and encircled in blue.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Vase, 1894-1909

This gourd-shaped stoneware vase is cream-colored with a clear glaze, and the rim and upper body are painted blue. The exterior is decorated with applied poppies, pods, buds, and leaves painted blue. On the underside, a maker's mark, "SF", and Roman numeral, "IX", are incised and painted blue, along with "933" painted and encircled in blue.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.

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Art Pottery Pitcher, 1894-1909

This stoneware pitcher is ovoid-shaped with an applied, curved handle and flared rim, pinched slightly to form a pouring spout. Pitcher has a gray glaze and blue painted decorations. There is a fret pattern around interior rim, and geometric motifs on the handle. The upper body has jack-in-the-pulpits alternating with tripart leaves, and both have straight stems that extend to the base. A maker's mark, "SF", is incised and painted blue on the underside.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely. Milwaukee Art Museum exhibited the pitcher in 2001.

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Art Pottery Punch Bowl, 1894-1909

This stoneware bowl with gray or clear glaze. Exterior has raised grape clusters in blue and painted blue underglaze. Interior surface has hand-painted blue grape design motifs. Underside has an incised maker's mark, "SF".

The bowl was acquired by Ruth DeYoung Kohler from an unknown source and at an unknown time. Mrs. Kohler was responsible for the preservation of the Wade House Historic Site and was collecting art work and objects from around the state during Wade House's early days. Mrs. Kohler wrote about Frackelton in a 1948 book about Wisconsin women, "The Story of Wisconsin Women." The bowl was stored for many years in the attic of the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

The bowl has been in possession of the Kohler Foundation since the 1970s. In 2004 it was used as a flower vase in a room at the American Club. Frackelton scholar Lyn Korenic of the University of Wisconsin's Kohler Art Library discovered the bowl on a research visit to Kohler.

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Art Pottery Candleholder, 1909

This stoneware candleholder has a baluster-shaped body with a flared rim and base, and a well at the top to hold a candle. The candleholder has a gray glaze, and the interior rim is painted in blue spades and fans. The exterior is decorated in blue with a complex design of trefoils, small oval medallions with flowers, quatrefoils with flowers, large oval medallions with peacock feathers, and spades with fans. A maker's mark, "SF"; date, "1909", and the letter "c" are painted on the bottom. The letter "c" may stand for Chicago.

Donated in 1958 by Frackelton's daughter, Gladys F. Seely.