Rare Charles Clewell Metal Clad Mugs
Item Details
A rare pair of metal clad mugs by Charles Clewell (American, 1876 – 1965). One mug has a copper colored finish and the other is brass colored with copper highlights, each having applied ‘rivet’ detailing, each resting on a molded foot ring. Both mugs are incised ‘Clewell / Canton Ohio’ to the underside.
Charles Clewell is known for his innovative and secret technique for applying a metal cladding to blanks purchased from local potteries in Canton, where he produced this type of pottery between 1906 up to the late 1940s to early 1950s at his downtown Canton studio. A technically skilled metalsmith, he studied mathematics and chemistry at Ohio Northern University, later working at a gauge manufacturing company during World War II. He was inspired to metal cladding and patinating ceramic pottery blanks after seeing a metal clad pot unearthed in Rome in the late 19th century. His technique was kept secret, and the formulas and the written technique processes and formulas he used in his production were burned upon his death to avoid replication.
| Brand | Charles Clewell |
| Materials | Ceramic, Metal |
| Marks | Maker’s Mark |
| Number of Items | 2 |
Condition
- there is some slight accretion at some of the seams and underside on each piece, with minor scuffing in small areas. One has an incised mark to the base, appearing to read “117” or “11T”.
Dimensions
Item #
18COL117-033
