This rare Grueby ship tile frieze achieved $17,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2019. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.
NEW YORK — One particular potter in New England was a standout during the Arts and Crafts era. The Grueby Faience Company was founded in 1894 in Revere, Mass., by Boston-born William Henry Grueby, who was both a potter and businessman. The firm employed many talented artists and its famous matte green hue — dubbed by some as Grueby green or “curdled green” — seen on its products became ubiquitous and instantly popular. Antique Grueby vases and lamps are relatively easy to find at auction, but locating Grueby’s elegantly decorated ceramic tiles in fine original condition is even more challenging.