Auction Features

Lot No. 0313

Iowa State College

Rare and early Iowa State College carved and painted vase done by Ethel Julia Bouffleur between 1922 and 1924. Decoration consists of dimensional cone flower (ecinechea) blossoms, stems and leaves which surround the form. Marks include an early version of the ISC impressed logo, the impressed monogram of the artist in a circle and the number 67 in black slip. Height 10 3/4 inches. Excellent original condition. Until now, the mark on this vase has not been recorded necessitating a trip to the Brunnier Museum at Iowa State University in Ames. With the assistance of Lynette Pohlman and her staff at Brunnier, a discovery of four other vases by Bouffleur with identical marks was made. All four are carved examples, two with flowers and two with landscape scenes. Bouffleur, a graduate from the University of Washington, taught at ISC from 1922 until 1924 under the direction of Paul Cox. Information about Bouffleur and ISC can be found in Ken Forster’s “Alternative American Ceramics 1870 - 1955” on pages 129 to 133.