Overbeck Pottery, Cambridge City, Indiana, 1911 to 1955
The Overbeck Pottery was founded in 1911 in Cambridge City, Indiana by four sisters; Margaret, Hannah, Elizabeth and Mary Frances, who ran the pottery from their family home.
Margaret died unexpectedly in 1911, but her sisters carried on the work. Hannah, who was an invalid, produced many of the designs. She died in 1931. Elizabeth was primarily responsible for developing glazes and clay mixtures, and also the building and throwing of wares. Elizabeth was one of many influential potters who studied at the New York State School of Clay-Working and Ceramics (now Alfred University) with Charles Fergus “Daddy” Binns, the school’s director, commonly referred to as “The Father of American Studio Ceramics”. She died in 1936. After Elizabeth’s death, Mary Frances, who had done much of the design work, continued the pottery on a smaller scale.
The sisters’ goal was to produce original art pottery. They initially selected designs having glaze inlays and carvings. Matte glazes were typical at first, although colorful bright glazes were eventually introduced. Among the items produced during the pottery’s heyday were vases, bowls, candlesticks, flower frogs, tea sets and tiles. Only after Mary Frances was left to carry on the work by herself were molds used with any regularity.
Although some pottery sculptures had been produced prior to this time, they became a dominant product during the last years of the pottery. Small figurines of people and animals were made, including historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, as well as commissioned work of area residents and pets. Ceramic brooches were made after 1942. Mary Frances died in 1955, bringing an end to this important chapter in the history of American art pottery.
Overbeck Pottery can be identified by the stylized “OBK” cipher incised in the bottom of most pieces. Many pieces of pottery also show the initials “E” (for Elizabeth), “H” (for Hannah) and/or “F” (for Mary Frances), indicating the sister(s) who potted and/or designed the piece.
The public library in Cambridge City, Indiana features a well-known collection of Overbeck Pottery. For further information, consult “Art Pottery of the United States” by Paul Evans and “The Chronicle of the Overbeck Pottery” by Kathleen R. Postlel.
reference note updated by p4A.com editorial staff December 2010.