This column originally appeared in September 2012.
In the fall of 1927, John Frank graduated from the Chicago Art Institute and left his mid-western home to take a position at the University of Oklahoma as a professor of art and pottery design. Shortly after his relocation he befriended a group of geology professors who were exploring the different possibilities for using the high quality clay deposits in the area. There were different ideas that surfaced among the group, but when Frank viewed the composition and color of the clay he saw only one possibility — a unique new form of art pottery.
Unlike the popular pottery of the day being turned out by Weller, Roseville and Van Briggle, John Frank’s vision was for a line of pottery that would truly express the beauty of the America Southwest and pay tribute to Native American art.
Equipped with one small kiln, a few fruit jars for grinding glazes and a butter churn for mixing clay, John and his wife Grace began to experiment with local clay samples. In 1933 they opened their first tiny shop in Norman, Oklahoma and named it “Frank Potteries.”
Frank’s first steps into the business world were small ones, operating the pottery studio at night while teaching at the University by day. But by 1938 the company had grown to the point that he decided to leave his profession as an educator and, with his wife, he relocated to a new and larger studio in Sapulpa, a small town near Tulsa, Oklahoma. With the new studio came a new name. Combining his name with the name of the state that had become his artistic inspiration, he formed Frankoma Pottery.
After relocating his factory, Frank continued to haul clay from Ada, which required a three-day trip. But, in 1954 the face of Framkoma was forever changed when during a dig near Sapulpa’s Sugar Loaf Hill, the Frank’s discovered a rich red clay the color of aged terra cotta. Adding the red brick color of the Sapulpa clay to their sand, greens and tans gave Frankoma Pottery a unique color palette, making their works instantly recognizable.
Frank’s love for the beauty of the American Southwest is reflected in the names of his colors; Desert Gold, Prairie Green, Redbud, and Sky Blue. He experimented with formulas for his glazes using rutile, a mineral that contains titanium dioxide, which allows the color of the clay to partially show through the glaze producing a dramatic effect. Manufactured by a unique process, the clay bodies and colored glazes of each piece of Frankoma Pottery are fused and fired. The clay tempers as it cools resulting in a ceramic that is beautiful, durable and affordable.
For many years snubbed by “serious” collectors of art pottery, Frankoma has seen a recent increase in both interest and value. While their stylized Western pieces, political and Toby mugs, vases, commemorative plates and artware are of interest, it is their dinnerware that has found the largest audience. From the early years of WWII until present, their dinnerware lines including Aztec, Lazybones, Plainsman, West Wood and Wagon Wheel {discontinued in 1988}, have experienced consistent success in the marketplace.
Very early pieces of Frankoma from the 1930s and 40s will be marked with a pacing leopard. Mid-20th Century pieces will carry the “Frankoma” name either indented or raised, and the most recent issues will have the Frankoma name written in script. Until next time………..Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com
