Is your Newcomb pottery 'Roadshow' ready?
Fans of the popular TV series “Antiques Roadshow” know that Newcomb pottery, the ceramic wares once created on Tulane’s campus, often garner appraisals upward of $50,000.
The Newcomb Art Museum’s own “roadshow” event, a fundraiser taking place at the museum Saturday (Oct. 1) from 1 to 4 p.m., gives locals the same opportunity to learn more about the value and historical significance of the pieces they own.
The Newcomb Art Museum, which owns the world’s largest collection of Newcomb pottery, ultimately “wants people to gain a better appreciation of the Newcomb enterprise and its place within the American Arts and Crafts movement,” noted museum director Mónica Ramírez-Montagut.
In operation from 1895 until 1940, the Newcomb Pottery, as it was known, produced metalwork, fiber arts and books, in addition to its ceramic wares. Works were to be both beautiful and useful. Design motifs reflected the floral and fauna of the Gulf South, but no two pieces were alike.
Each Newcomb Roadshow guest is allowed to present one object believed to be a product of the Newcomb Pottery enterprise—pottery, needlework/embroidery, metalwork or bookbinding—and may meet with only one appraiser. Attendees are encouraged to set up follow-up appointments with appraisers for objects to be formally appraised.
Advance registration and a $40 participation fee are both required. Refreshments will be served, and all attendees will receive a complimentary hardcover copy of The Arts & Crafts of Newcomb Pottery. Contact tfriel@tulane.edu or call (504) 865-5361 to register or for more details.
The Newcomb Roadshow benefits the Newcomb Art Museum. Proceeds directly support its exhibitions and programs, which are offered to the public free of charge.
