The Weitsman Stoneware Collection: Major Attraction at the New York State Museum

Online, June 14, 2010 (Newswire.com) - "It's a prime example of American folk art, probably one of the best collections of decorated stoneware in the country," is how John Scherer, Historian Emeritus of the New York State Museum characterized the Weitsman Stoneware Collection. The over 200-piece collection was donated to the museum by Adam J. Weitsman, one of the leading collectors of 18th and 19th Century stoneware.

40 unique vessels from the collection titled Art for the People: Decorated Stoneware from the Weitsman Collection are currently on exhibit at the Albany museum's New York Metropolis Gallery. The show was recently extended due to popular demand through the summer of 2010. "We are delighted with this collection. It attracts a lot of visitors to the museum. They are very, very impressed and almost overwhelmed by the quality of the collection," said Scherer.

The exhibition features decorated stoneware vessels, including jugs, crocks, pitchers, jars and water coolers. The designs are considered premier examples of American folk art. Most were created in New York State and many are "presentation pieces," oversized and often richly decorated with cobalt blue designs and folk art illustrations. Decoration tools, early pottery related graphics and photography complement the exhibit.

After the exhibition, it will become a permanent part of the New York State Museum. The collection is also the subject of a color, coffee-table format book being published by the museum that will be released this spring. The book is being funded by the generosity of Mr. Adam Weitsman.

"We had a few important pieces of stoneware, but nowhere near the quality that Adam donated. The Weitsman Collection is supreme," said Scherer.

Adam Weitsman collected his first piece of stoneware in 1980 at age 11 and the experience sparked his passion for the genre. Since then he acquired rare pieces at antique shows, estate sales and auctions. One example was a water cooler decorated with a portrait of a Civil War general and his wife. He purchased it at auction for $88,000 which set a record price for American stoneware at the time.

In 1996, Weitsman donated 100 pieces to the museum to ensure his collection would be preserved. From those and pieces acquired subsequently, 40 were carefully selected for the current exhibition. Most have never been publicly displayed.

Historically significant of examples of stoneware from the Weitsman Collection include:

â-  A Jar made by Paul Cushman of Albany in 1809--Weitsman acquired it from the personal collection of PBS' Antique Road Show host Leigh Keno.
â-  Jug created by William Lundy & Co. of Troy, New York in the 1820s that depicts cobalt blue caricature of a merman, a male version of mermaid.
â-  Crocks displaying a prancing zebra and a camel were inspired by the traveling circuses of the era.
â-  Jug displaying a fisherman with a pole on a lake signed Nathan Clark, Lyons, NY.

â- Crock decorated with a Dutch or German-style church with a gambrel roof and round tower and a weather cock, signed W. A. Maquoid, Little West 12th Street, New York City.
â-  A two-gallon crock made by Charles W. Braun of Buffalo around 1870 is decorated with what appears to be a caricature of Buffalo Bill.
â-  A humorous long-necked gooney bird on a six-gallon water cooler made by M. Woodruff of Cortland, New York around 1860. It was acquired from the collection of Donald Shelley, former director of the Henry Ford Museum.
â-  A highly decorated five-gallon water cooler came from the famous George S. McKearin Collection. It was created by Julius and Edward Norton of Bennington, Verm.

Adam Weitsman serves as President of Upstate Shredding in Owego, NY.