Frederick Vodrey
Encyclopedia
Frederick Vodrey was a businessman from Staffordshire
, England
who emigrated to Ireland
sometime in the late 19th century. He is thought to be a cousin of Jabez Vodrey
, a potter who emigrated from Staffordshire to the United States
in 1820.
s, jardiniere
s, and so on.
Despite having been reared around the rich English pottery tradition of the Staffordshire area, Vodrey had no particular training as a potter. Instead, he was an astute businessman who was skilled at cultivating talented artists and designers. Vodrey's pottery offered a wide array of goods, ranging from very plain to very fine, thus ensuring that customers from all income levels could afford his work.
Vodrey was friendly with a number of artists from the Dublin Painting & Sketching Club, and often gave its members blanks (undecorated, unglazed pieces) so that they could decorate the pieces themselves. These finished products--often whimsically, exuberantly decorated in the Art Nouveau
style--were then sold in Vodrey's store.
s.
Vodrian pieces were simple in form and were particularly praised for their rich, highly-pigmented glazes. The pottery's striking red glaze in particular won admiring comparisons to traditional Chinese
oxblood glaze. Many of Vodrey's pieces bore clear Celtic and Gaelic design influence. Others echoed Arabic and Classical design.
Vodrey is generally acknowledged as a leader in this era's resurgence of interest and pride in Irish arts and crafts. Dublin's National Museum of Ireland
has dozens of Vodrey's pieces on permanent display at the Decorative Arts & History facility at Collins Barracks.
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
who emigrated to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
sometime in the late 19th century. He is thought to be a cousin of Jabez Vodrey
Jabez Vodrey
-Early years:Vodrey was born on January 14, 1795 in Tunstall, an area in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. This is the centuries-old centre of the English pottery industry...
, a potter who emigrated from Staffordshire to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1820.
Dublin pottery
Beginning in 1872, Vodrey operated Vodrey Pottery in Dublin and sold his ware at a nearby storefront. The pottery's output was art ware: ewers, vaseVase
The vase is an open container, often used to hold cut flowers. It can be made from a number of materials including ceramics and glass. The vase is often decorated and thus used to extend the beauty of its contents....
s, jardiniere
Jardiniere
Jardinière is a French word, from the feminine form of "gardener." Jardinière has three meanings:#The first meaning of jardinière is also a large stand, pot, urn, or receptacle upon which, or into which, plants may be placed. Jardinieres tend to be highly decorative...
s, and so on.
Despite having been reared around the rich English pottery tradition of the Staffordshire area, Vodrey had no particular training as a potter. Instead, he was an astute businessman who was skilled at cultivating talented artists and designers. Vodrey's pottery offered a wide array of goods, ranging from very plain to very fine, thus ensuring that customers from all income levels could afford his work.
Vodrey was friendly with a number of artists from the Dublin Painting & Sketching Club, and often gave its members blanks (undecorated, unglazed pieces) so that they could decorate the pieces themselves. These finished products--often whimsically, exuberantly decorated in the Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style--were then sold in Vodrey's store.
Acclaim for his work
Vodrian ware first came to wide public notice at the 1882 Dublin Exhibition, where it earned a merit award. The Exhibition had been launched with the specific intent of drawing attention to, and nurturing, Ireland's "home industries and manufactures." Vodrey capitalized on this interest by advertising that his ware was produced using only Irish clayClay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
s.
Vodrian pieces were simple in form and were particularly praised for their rich, highly-pigmented glazes. The pottery's striking red glaze in particular won admiring comparisons to traditional Chinese
Chinese art
Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers. Early so-called "stone age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. This early period was followed by a series of art...
oxblood glaze. Many of Vodrey's pieces bore clear Celtic and Gaelic design influence. Others echoed Arabic and Classical design.
Vodrey is generally acknowledged as a leader in this era's resurgence of interest and pride in Irish arts and crafts. Dublin's National Museum of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
has dozens of Vodrey's pieces on permanent display at the Decorative Arts & History facility at Collins Barracks.