1857-1918

Mississippi born George Edgar Ohr was a character, father of 10 children, whose names, like his were spelled by his initials: Clo, Lio, Oto, Flo, Zio, Ojo and Geo. He called himself the World's Greatest Potter and has been called by others "the father of American pottery" and is recognized for his innovative sculptural vessels with incredibly thin pinched, crimped, fluted and manipulated walls. His love of word play extended to his shop, Pot-Ohr-E.

He trained extensively by apprenticing with potters throughout 16 states in the southeastern region of the US, including the New Orleans Art Pottery, where he re dedicated himself as an "art potter." Unable to find an appreciative audience for his sculptural vessels, his mud babies.  Ohr made ceramic souvenirs to support his family. He became known locally as the "Mad Potter of Biloxi" for his two-foot moustache. He said, "I found out long ago that it paid me to act this way."

Shortly before the end of his life, he stored his "mud babies" in crates in the attic of his son's auto repair shop with instructions that the trove was not to be opened for 50 years, when the world would be ready for his visionary works. New Jersey antiques dealer, James W. Carpenter, purchased 7,000 pieces of Ohr's pottery in 1968 and offered it for sale in the New York area.

A museum bearing his name, the George E. Ohr Arts and Cultural Center, was established in his hometown of Biloxi, Mississippi. It officially opened October 22, 1994 and features more than 250 of his creations. The freedom of expression and spontaneity that George Ohr's works embrace have long been an inspiration for me. His flowing shapes imply a sense of movement that is similar to the gestures of some of my buildings," said the world famous architect Frank Gehry who designed the building.

Signed with his script GEOhr, this piece may have been refired posthumously, although the glaze is similar to other pieces of his. We sell it as refired.