Marblehead pottery was founded in 1904 by Herbert J. Hall, MD, as an outgrowth of therapy programs that he developed in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Dr. Hall believed that the work of craft productions would be therapeutic to patients with certain nervous disorders. He called his center Handicrafts Shop. He envisioned that patients would work at weaving, woodcarving, metal work and pottery. Annie Aldrich helped develop a number of these craft programs, and other crafts people were hired to oversee other aspects of the program.
Arthur Braggs, a student at Alfred University, was hired to oversee the teaching of pottery to patients in the summer of 1905. With Braggs professional influence, Hall realized that the technical requirements of making high quality fine art pottery were beyond the capabilities of his patients with nervous disorders.
This led to the development of separate fine art pottery studio under Bragg’s direction in 1908, named Marblehead Pottery. The Handicraft Shop continued to function as a therapeutic craft studio, focusing on weaving, woodcarving and cement work. The patients also had the use of a professional fine art pottery studio to learn other art crafts.
Marblehead Pottery was purchased by Arthur Braggs in 1915, but experienced a drop in business during the depression that caused the studio to close in 1936. Some remnants of the pottery operation remained in the building until it was torn down in 1940.
The small production window of high quality fine art pottery, as well as the story behind their creation and production, has made Marblehead Pottery very rare and highly collectable. This vase, featured at History Antiques and Interiors, has a beautiful light lavender glaze, and is believed to be from early production.
