The Rookwood Comeback

The Rookwood look may not be new but it’s back. The over-sized floral patterns spotted at this summer’s Cincinnati Art Galleries’ Rookwood Pottery auction is exactly the trend seen at the Fall Tabletop Preview. The latest patterns from Mikasa, Wedgwood, and Sasaki are echoing the primary motifs of the famed American ceramic workshop!

Rookwood started in 1880 as a one-woman studio, but by the turn of the 20th century, it had a 200-person staff and acclaimed partners such as Tiffany and Gorham. Counted among the best pottery houses in America, Rookwood's quality standards were unprecedented (even the smallest inconsistency sent their pottery to the "seconds" table). During 87 years of production, Rookwood ceramics embodied a wide range of styles, but today it's their Art Deco and Art Nouveau motifs that are pushing to the foreground of contemporary tabletop wares. See our slideshow for back to back comparisons.

• Floral prints
• Large scale graphics
• Limited color