Collection Highlights
Zaha Hadid “Tea & Coffee Piazza”
“As a woman, I’m expected to want everything to be nice and to be nice myself. A very English thing. I don’t design nice buildings – I don’t like them…”[i] -Zaha Hadid Considered a superstar of the architectural world, Zaha Hadid is internationally recognized for
Karl Wirsum Sculpture
Karl Wirsum’s sculpture, paintings, and drawings are imaginative, colorful, humorous, and at times, disturbing and “cheerfully grotesque.”[i] Utilizing a range of materials and techniques, he creates works that exude great energy and stimulate one’s imagination. Wirsum first made a name for himself as a member
Grete Marks Silver-plated Teapot
“I am what time, circumstance, and history have made me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all.” –James A. Baldwin The ceramicist, designer, and painter Margarete “Grete” Marks experienced many obstacles over the course of her career.[i] She
Harry Bertoia Silver Teapot
“I am rather silent, resolute, and industrious. I respect and admire persons of probity and morality, moderation and temperance. I can use any tool or machinery with dexterity…”[i]– Harry Bertoia, 1937 What comes to mind when you hear the name Harry Bertoia? [ii] Most people
Albert Paley Silver Teapot
“…In creating a work of art, besides my personal experience, my concern is how it emotionally and intellectually engages the viewer…”[i] – Albert Paley Albert Paley is internationally known for his monumental sculpture, elaborate gates, intricate furniture, and striking jewelry. His metalwork, which exudes great
Gerhard Marcks Sintrax Coffee Machine
This Schott & Genossen coffee machine was designed by the sculptor, printmaker, and Bauhaus master, Gerhard Marcks.[i] Schott & Genossen, which always “had a great fascination for the artistic avant-garde,” engaged numerous artists from the influential Bauhaus school in the early twentieth century.[ii] These interactions
Wilhelm Wagenfeld Glass Teapot
“Objects must do us good and make us take notice and think about them.”[i] – Wilhem Wagenfeld, 1948 Wilhelm Wagenfeld is one of the most significant German product designers of the twentieth century. He is known for creating simple practical designs for the average
Hester Bateman Silver Teapot
Hester Bateman (1709-1794, née Needham or Neden) was an English silversmith known for creating high-quality, lightweight home wares in the 18th century. BATEMAN’S TRAINING Like many craftswomen in 18th century Europe, Bateman was trained in her craft as part of a family business, rather than
Édouard-Marcel Sandoz Bird Tea Set
This tea set, designed by Édouard-Marcel Sandoz (Swiss, 1881-1971), is one of many tableware sets designed by popular artists for the porcelain manufacturing company Theodore Haviland, Limoges. Haviland History Theodore Haviland, Limoges was one of several porcelain manufacturing and retail companies operated by the Haviland
Ron Meyers Face Teapot
I remember being captivated by Ron Meyers’ cups, platters, and covered jars as a child. The imagery that danced across the surface of his forms stirred my imagination. Initially his fish, rabbits, birds, and gestural human faces grabbed my attention, but then the forms themselves,
Gary Noffke Silver Teapot
Gary Lee Noffke (American, b. 1948) is a complex person who cannot be pigeonholed. He is often described as a metalsmith’s metalsmith, a pacesetter, and the “ultimate maverick.”[i] Although Noffke has often gone against the grain, he is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost
Two Teapot Sculptures by Billie Jean Theide
Billie Jean Theide is an American artist known for creating sculptures and ornamental works in both metal and ceramics, which sometimes also incorporate found-objects or recycled materials. She is also an art professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a curator of many exhibitions,