Tall & Sophisticated American Rookwood Vase, Hand Painted Iris & Leaves by Jens Jacob Herring Krug Jensen (1928-1978), Marked XXVIII (1928) Rookwood #2600

Sophisticated “earthy” colour palette and elegantly shaped tall American Rookwood vase, with hand painted “iris & leaves” by Jens Jacob Herring Krog Jensen, a Rookwood pottery artist from 1928-1948. The handles are stylized “birdlike” shapes with the interior of the vase having a wonderful deep cobalt blue glaze. The tall and handsome shape is strong with the implied corners yet balanced by a soft edge and subdued colour palette, all in excellent condition. Marked with the Roman numeral “XXVIII” and shape number “2600” indicates the piece was made in 1928. The shape number “2600” refers to a specific form or design within Rookwood’s extensive catalog. Jensen’s “blue” signature also to the base.

Founded in 1880, Rookwood Pottery became famous for its artistic and high-quality ceramics. The company was based in the bustling Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. First founded in 1880 by pioneering artist Maria Longworth-Nichols, it is one of the first female-owned manufacturing companies in the United States. She quickly built the company into a world-renowned ceramics studio, attracting the attention of famed artists and ceramicists all over the world.  The accomplishments include: 1889 Gold Medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, 1893 Rookwood wins the Highest Award in ceramics at the Chicago World’s Fair, 1900 Rookwood receives the Grand Prix for ceramics at the Paris Expo, establishing its reputation as the finest art pottery studio in the world, 1902 Rookwood launches its architectural tile line, which quickly becomes popular with architects and interior designers. The following year, the department received a large contract to decorate stations in the New York City subway system.

Jensen was born in Fynen, Jutland, Denmark in 1898. He graduated from Ryslinge and Askov Academy in Jutland and came to the United States in 1927 where, within a year, he had settled in the Cincinnati area and taken a position as a decorator at the Rookwood Pottery. He remained with Rookwood until 1948 and managed to build up an impressive list of art credits during that time, including representing the United States in ceramics at the Golden Gate Exposition (1940s) and exhibitions at the Cincinnati Art Museum and Modern Art Society. The Cincinnati Art Museum also has some of Jensen’s work in their permanent collection as does the Riverside Museum (New York). In the spring of 1970, Closson’s Art Gallery in Cincinnati held an exhibition of Jensen’s paintings, bringing his work to the private collector via a different medium than Rookwood. Jens Jensen died on January 30, 1978 in Maysville, Kentucky.

An important historical example of one of Rookwood’s finest vases by an artist who is highly regarded by collectors.

Dimensions: height 15.25″ x diameter of the base 5.75″