Friday, May 10, 2013

bauer pottery: retro and vintage inspired corner

A challenge rang out from Australia, "We'd love you to share a favorite retro or vintage inspired corner of your home."

Bauer pottery orange

Kylie and Donna throw such good retro parties. How could I resist? And, I have had "Bauer" on the blog post to do list for a long time. Today is finally the day.

My retro corner is an homage to Bauer Pottery.

Bauer pottery orange green chartreuse


I keep my Bauer on a a set of shelves behind a refrigerator, we cleverly inserted into the middle of the house (we will eventually remodel our remodel).

Bauer pottery orange green chartreuse turquoise Fred Johnson


Top shelf has my favorites which are Fred Johnson rose bowls, all in various shades of green. The little tiny vase was very expensive and very tiny. The pictures on eBay didn't look like it was so small and somehow I overlooked reading the dimensions. As I was researching the exact name of these bowls, I spotted a beautiful white one on eBay. Click. Makes a wonderful gift with roses in them. And I know a sick girl who needs cheering up.

Bauer pottery chartreuse  Fred John rose bowls


The orange shelf has some amazing things. An Aladdin teapot,  a coffee server, a ringed pitcher and a refrigerator water container (note the square shape for easier fit into refrigerators).

Bauer pottery orange


Bottom shelf contains three purchases from my early collector's days and another Fred Johnson on the right. The beautiful pears were painted by my son in elementary school when he had an ahhh-mazing art teacher. She was so good with the kids.

Bauer pottery green  Fred John rose bowls turquoise


To be frank, Bauer is not exactly mid-century. It is kind of pre-mid-century. Bauer was a Southern California pottery company and really hit its stride in the 30s and 40s with its brightly colored everyday tableware. Its star waned in the 50s and the factory was finally shut down for good in the early 60s due to a labor strike and perhaps slower sales as well.

My obsession with Bauer started in 1998. I was home on maternity leave and emailed (we barely had email back in those days) an employee to say hi and ask what he was up to (baby was napping, probably bored). The employee mentioned he was getting into buying and selling basketball trading cards on a website called ebay.com. The rest is history.

Let me point out that if you peruse this auction photo below carefully, you will see I have (1) feedback. It was the start of something big. Here is the same vase for sale right now. Hasn't really gone up in price. I don't care. I am in this for love.





I do display Bauer pottery in a few other places around the home. A little Bauer bowl in my favorite color, chartreuse holds rings in the bathroom remodel (one year anniversary this week).

Bauer pottery chartreuse

Bauer pottery chartreuse


I have another Bauer bowl with a flat, square edge for my husband's valet. Yes, this could be another little vintage retro scene with the mission-style craftsman library desk as an end table.

Bauer pottery white


Not one, but two knives in the bowl. Always prepared. But for what?

Bauer pottery white


And, I do love Bauer pots for orchids especially.

Bauer pottery flower pot chartreuse

Bauer pottery flower pot chartreuse

Bauer pottery flower pot chartreuse

And this size Bauer serving piece is perfect for napkins. Well, truth be told it is a tiny bit small, but a I make it work.

Bauer pottery chartreuse


My hands down favorite color for Bauer pottery is chartreuse that was used in various collections (Russel Wright being a favorite). I have a fairly decent collection of chartreuse that I bust out for parties to hold candy, chips and what not. The divided dish on the left is super handy as is the larger rectangular serving dish on the right.

Bauer pottery chartreuse


And, we both know I have more stashed away. Cute little orange salt and pepper shakers are from my mom who simply indulges the sicknesses. Things are rotated into storage and out as I whimsically rearrange at least annually. When it gets too over whelming, I sell pieces back on eBay. And then just turn around and buy more. **sigh**

Bauer pottery chartreuse turquoise orange yellow


And now I have more Bauer, coming in the mail. Thanks to Kylie and Donna and their idea for a little Saturday afternoon retro roundup. Make sure you go to their blogs and click through to all the retro and vintage inspired house corners at 7PM PST tonight which is noon Aussie time Saturday May 11 (so confusing).

Happy Mother's Day to all! 
And always celebrate whatever retro thing you collect. 

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34 comments:

  1. Rebecca, your Bauer collection is stunning. I love it all. That little niche behind the refrigerator is amazing. When you remodel the kitchen, I hope you find a way to preserve it. Did the little pots that you have orchids in come in yellow? I seem to remember a pot very similar that my grandmother had. Thanks for sharing these wonderful glimpses into your home!

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    1. Dana thank you very much. I thought of you while posting this. I bet the little pots come in yellow as that is a standard Bauer color. I have to find a way to feature the Bauer after the remodel. I really like your room divider idea. I'll have to think of something special.

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  2. Wow, you sure do have a great collection. Displaying them in colour blocks gives great visual impact. Love it. Tamara

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  3. Hi Rebecca! Great homage to your pottery collection!! I instantly fell in love with the orange Aladdin teapot! The colours all sit so beautifully on the shelf together. I know nothing about Bauer pottery - but all the pieces are in lovely soft (ish) colours. So great to have another peek into your home. Thank you so much for participatinga and taking such wonderful photographs. Much appreciated. : )

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    1. Donna! Yay it is you! Loved your idea for a link party. Something I could get into.

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  4. Now I'm a Bauer Lover!
    So lovely is your collection and Home!


    ...hunting, fishing or whittling? :0

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    1. Ha ha, I read your comment last night and couldn't figure it out. I think my husband carries all the knives for opening boxes at work. He runs a network for a hospital. And he opens my eBay boxes as well with his always handy knives.

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  5. Your collection is just divine. I don't think I've heard of Bauer, though some of the shapes of the vases look familiar.

    I've been a victim of not reading dimensions too, so I know that pain. But sometimes, small things are the most precious.

    PS I like your sock-wearing person in the lounge room!

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    1. Haha. My son suggests the sock wearing person cam be a recurring theme. Maybe not a lot of Bauer in Australia? You all would love it.

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  6. You have such a wonderful collection. so many pretty designs.
    x

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    1. Thanks! I love the bright colors so much.

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    2. Lots and lots of designs. Colors too.

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  7. Beautiful collection and nice idea of presenting in the shelve.

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    1. A visitor from Germany? Thanks for joining us. The shelves are going away with a remodel so I have to come up with a plan b.

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  8. Wow, I've never heard of Bauer until now. They are stunning pieces aren't they? Beautiful shapes, I want to stroke each and every one. Is that so wrong? xx

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    1. Bauer is very Southern California although there are collectors throughout the U.S. But I think it didn't make it across the Atlantic or Pacific so it ends up being a tiny bit specific to US. It was really every day ware. So not collected back in the day.

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  9. I have loved Bauer pottery since I first saw it in an American book on displaying vintage collections years ago. Of course I have never seen it in the flesh, yours is as close to that as I've got Rebecca (ha-ha!) so thank you. The colours and shapes are gorgeous, and the fact that they are utilitarian and meant to be used. Just looking at your collection would brighten up the most miserable day. Like Donna, I love your orange Aladdin (just waiting for a genie to pop out of it!) and I also love the shape of your refrigerator jug. You know I'm partial to orange, and I do like chartreuse but I think my fave colour is that lovely aqua blue. Thanks for joining us Rebecca x

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    1. Kylie, thank you and Donna so much for setting up this link. Frankly, the links you see out in blog world are usually about recipes and DIY. I don't cook all that much and don't have much time for DIY. But retro, I love and I appreciate people like you, Donna, Dana et al everyone who has stopped by, because you all get it. The aqua is awesome. And looks so good with chartreuse.

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  10. LOVE the Bauer, love the post. But you know what my first thought was? "Dear Lord, I hope she's heard of earthquake putty." Have you!?!?! My mom told me about it because I have some Viking vases on display that she didn't want to see damaged in a quake. (She's in emergency management-always planning for the worst. Comes with the job.)
    You can buy earthquake putty at any big box home improvement store. You just need a tiny piece per item, and it flattens out so you don't even know it's under your stuff. Man, does it work! You gotta protect that gorgeous collection!

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    1. Brooke, I have heard of it and I use it from time to time. You are providing a good reminder that I need to go through and re-apply. I have kind of gotten away from it. It has occurred to me that the collection will be wiped out in an earthquake and I shouldn't be so laissez-faire. Us people in Southern California starting forgetting and get lazy. That is when it happens. Thanks for the note Brooke. I will stop by Ace today and buy some, and reapply.

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  11. Love the colors and they actually segue into Mid-Century Modern as the same colors continued to be favored. (Remember the green-green house in Palm Springs?)

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    1. True Mom. They actually did move right into mid-century. So I am not off track? This is the U.S. Donna as opposed to the Aussie Donna.

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  12. What an amazing collection with such a variety of beautiful shapes and colours. I LOVE the shelving.

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by! I have enjoyed visiting all the corners and visiting everyone's blog posting. Very fun event!

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  13. It is very beautiful pottery - I like the warm glow it gives your home. I can see why you like to surround yourself with it.

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    1. I surround myself with it due to the hoarding problem. haha.

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  14. Beautiful pottery. I don't know much about it--another thing I need to learn about!

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  15. Came to your blog through the Bauer Showroom in Atwater. Your pieces and the setting they occupy are beautiful! Having been a victim of past earthquakes, I urge you to secure your shelf Bauer with some pottery clay/putty! I have many broken pieces of Roseville, Weller and Bauer that will someday go into a mosaic. Sigh.

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    1. Thank you Ellen!!!!! Your words ARE NOT falling on deaf ears.

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  16. Thanks for the peek in your home...I love the colours in your collection. xx

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  17. Wow, this blog link up has inspired more than just a show and tell. I have learned about things I never knew existed before. Thanks for the lesson about Bauer, it was really interesting to see your collection. x

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  18. I have a vintage ring Bauer bowl. It has always seemed brown to me but seems to match some of the older orange colors. On the bottom it has 18 then BAUER then USA. My grandmother had it and she gave it to me. I have always wondered bout the drip marks of glaze going from the rim down a few inches. i always thought it added to its beauty. Have you seen this color or know about the bowel? I will try and post a pic when my techie daughter comes home.

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