Bauer Pottery Company

A Brief History

Bauer Pottery is one of the more, if not the most, collected of the California potters.  Andy Bauer started off his pottery career in Louisville, KY sometime in the late 1800's.  In 1909 Andy moved to Los Angeles, California and became a part of the growing Arts and Crafts movement with an additional pottery manufacturing facility.  In the 1940's he opened another plant in Atlanta Georgia.  They used marks including "Bauer" and "Bauer Los Angeles" in the 20s and earlier and "Bauer Made in USA" or "Bauer USA" on pieces produced in the 1930's.  The company is most well known for the "Ringware" line but all of their pottery is collectible.  Only about half of the wares are marked. However, a dealer or collector familiar with Bauers' work can identify them easily.  Apparently a pottery company has purchased the Bauer name and is re-creating pieces from the 30's - 40's.  Their website is listed below. 

Examples of Work

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ball-jugblue-pitchercandle-holdercarafe-woodgravey-boatmixing-bowl-markring-jardinieretumbler-copper

General Information and Websites

I got into collecting Bauer Pottery quite by accident.  While I was down in Western Kentucky, I visited a flee market / junk shop.  From across the room I spotted a large, yellow, two handled vase unlike any I had ever seen.  It had rings around it from top to bottom. (Much like you would see in a handmade coil pot with some smoothing to the outside.)  I immediately picked it up and hoped to see a makers mark on the bottom.  It was not only blank but, glazed with 3 pin points where it had been fired.  I immediately bought the piece, for the incredibly low price of $5.00, and took it home to investigate.  After numerous online search phrases, I finally tracked down the maker.  It was Bauer Pottery.  And as they say, the rest is history!   

You may want to bookmark this site, as the links below will take you elsewhere...

Bauer Pottery (making pottery from old molds)

The Matt Carlton Years (a collector of Bauer)

Collecting Books (in print format)

If you have a site that you think belongs here, fill out the contact form.  Thanks!