Roseville; The Early Years.
In 1898 the Roseville Pottery Company moved its administrative offices to Zanesville, Ohio and began aquiring production facilities there. By 1910 all production had been moved to Zanesville.
Seeing a need to compete with the highly successful Rookwood Standard Glaze ware and similar lines produced by other Ohio pottery companies Ross Purdy was hired in 1900 to create a new line of artware which was named Rozane. Rozane Ware was hand decorated with many being artist signed. Most pieces with the exception of the very largest were molded and then decorated. By 1914 tastes had changed and the Rozane Art Pottery line was discontinued.
Frederick Rhead was hired as art director in 1904. He was the genus behind such lines as Crystalis, Fudgi, Aztec and Della Robbia. While some of these had limited commercial success most are quite rare and highly sought by todays collectors. Della Robbia is, in my opinion the ultimate of Roseville Pottery production and will hold its own against anything produced by any pottery company of the time. Sadly Rhead left the company in 1908.
In 1904 Frederick Rhead was hired as the art director. He was the genus behind the introduction of such lines as Crystalis, Fudgi, Aztec, Della Robbia and more. While some of these had limited commercial success most are rare and highly sought by todays collectors. Della Robbia is, in my opinion the ultimate of Roseville Pottery production and will hold its own against anything produced by any Art Pottery company of the time. Sadly, Rhead chose to leave Roseville Pottery in 1908.
