Sister JARDINIERES
LAUGHLIN ART CHINA
(Image includes a Fiesta Mug to provide perspective)
The Museum of Ceramics exhibits several large jardinieres, all made by local potteries. Jardinieres are ornamental pots or stands for plants. In 2022, a matching but smaller version of a museum-owned, Laughlin Art China, jardiniere was donated and now sits near its big sister in one of the museum’s dioramas.
The donor recalled the jardiniere being used as a punch bowl at her place of work. Eventually, she took the piece home for safe keeping.
The donated jardiniere is less than 11 inches tall and decorated in blue transfer prints with an abundance of hand painted gold trim. One side depicts a child with a doll and the opposite side shows two girls interacting with a tiny witch.
The larger jardiniere is approximately 14 inches in height, is decorated the same, and also has a base on which it sits. Both jardinieres bear the gold trademark of an eagle over the words “Laughlin Art Pottry.”
Jardiniere Base
The larger jardiniere has a separate base. It is decorated with a transfer print of children with umbrellas, reminiscent of the old Morton Salt ads (image is hidden when jardiniere is in place). It also bears the eagle trademark.
It is unknown whether the smaller jardiniere came with a base or not.
An early 20th century Homer Laughlin China Catalog includes the Sultan Jardiniere, lower right.
— Squarespace
Laughlin Art China Trademark
Laughlin Art China began production in 1902 under the direction of Homer Laughlin China Company’s Art Director, Arthur Mountford. These specialties were primarily decorative pieces and were created in response to the imported Bavarian ware and other art china from potteries such as Rookwood and Roseville. The pieces were trademarked in gold with an image of an eagle over the words “Laughlin Art China.”
