Newcomb Pottery originated at Sophie Newcomb College, associated with Tulane University. Newcomb was established in1886, The Department of Arts hired Ellsworth Woodward to develop the school’s art education. Wooward had studied art at the Rhode Island School of Design. Under his direction, the art department became a main focus of the institution. He established Newcomb Pottery in 1884 to train female art students.
Ellsworth Woodward hired Mary G. Sheerer, an artist from Cincinnati, to teach china decoration and pottery. Ellsworth also hired Joseph Meyer, a potter. Miss Sheerer prepared designs while Joseph created the pieces. They were then hand-decorated by the women in the school’s art department.
Newcomb Pottery operated in conjunction with the school as a studio pottery, never as a large scale commercial producer. Newcomb Pottery designs show influences of the English Art and crafts movement. Their soft, waxy, semi-glazes were quite famous.
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Newcomb Pottery’s works were exhibited and sold around the world. Before 1916, potters and designers of Newcomb Pottery received eight medals in international exhibitions.
Through its years of operation, Newcomb Pottery produced about 70,000 distinct pieces maintaining their philosophy that all pottery pieces should be different. They also provided jobs for about 90 of the school’s graduates. In 1940, Newcomb Pottery stopped production and was closed. Today, Newcomb Pottery pieces command some of the highest prices at auction of any ceramics from any time period.
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