Pottery mark query - Mueller and Circle Device

by Mike Pietrello

Pottery mark query - Mueller and Circle Device:- Hi all, I picked this one up recently and I'm have in hard time finding the maker. It is marked on the base with a circle around the "ell"

It is 6.5" tall.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

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reply by Peter (admin) below - just scroll down...

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Reply by Peter (admin)

To:- Pottery mark query - Mueller and Circle Device

Mike

There aren't many Muellers in the world of ceramics as far as I can see. There is a contemporary ceramic artist called Beth Mueller making quirky vases - but your piece doesn't much look like her style.

There is a famous Ohio potter called Herman Mueller operating about 100 years ago who was mainly involved in tiles. If there were any association with Herman Mueller, your piece should possibly be in a museum.

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***UPDATE***
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Thanks to contributor Lynne who has unearthed another ceramic maker called Mueller Co, based in Decatur Illinois, seemingly not associated with the company of Herman Mueller. See threads below for more information.

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***END UPDATE***
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{my original reply continues beneath unedited}

Thanks for sharing your photo, but even though you described the mark, nothing beats a visual. Remember this is not a free mark identification service, it is a public record where we all help each other out and part of that help is to post up good visuals of the mark and the wares, otherwise it's just half a job....

The name Mueller, spelled with an 'e' is very distinctive and quite unusual. There are quite a few potteries using the more common Muller (or Müller). Herman C. Mueller set up the Mosaic Tile Co. of Zanesville, Ohio in 1909 which closed in 1938 (different sources quote different dates, so I don't know how accurate those exact dates are). Quite unremarkable you might say. Well, yes, apart from the fact that Mueller was helped to set up this company with one of the most renowned potters in American history, Karl Langenbeck.

Langenbeck wrote the famous 'bible' of pottery chemistry written in 1895 (still available today) called "The Chemistry Of Pottery". Shortly after this time, Langenbeck became the driving force behind the early success of the world renown and highly collectible Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati, Ohio (1880-1965). Langenbeck's first venture was the short-lived but glorious Avon Pottery of Cincinnati, Ohio. Avon wares are very rare and, actually are mostly in museums (high quality examples of ceramic art using the yellow Ohio clay with superb glazes). Somewhere in the mix Langenbeck took time to help J B Owen as chief chemist to the fledgling Owens Pottery Company c.1891 in Zanesville, Ohio. This company went on to become one of the most successful US ceramic companies of that era.

So any association with Langenbeck is good for the value of wares. Obviously, the company Langenbeck set up with Herman Mueller was the Mosaic Tile Co - I don't know of any vases or decorative wares, but who knows?

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Peter (admin)

p.s. The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.

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