Mettlach Collection - American Museum of Ceramic Art
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About
About the Collection
AMOCA houses the largest and most comprehensive collection of Mettlach wares in the world, a 3,000+ piece collection donated by Robert D. and Colette D. Wilson. The wares date from approximately 1840–1915 and were produced by the Mettlach factory of Villeroy & Boch, located in Mettlach, Germany. Several hundred pieces are always on exhibit, with the exhibition theme and works changing periodically.
Current Exhibition
A Traveler's Guide to Mettlach exhibits numerous examples of each of the known artists that designed wares for Mettlach, placing vessels within the context of social history to better understand their function and importance.
Techniques & Forms
The Mettlach factory produced wares using chromolith (etched, incised), high and low relief, PUG (printed under glaze), Phanolith, Cameo, and hand-painted techniques in the form of steins, plaques, vases, jardinières, table wares, and more.
History
In 1836, a pottery company founded by François Boch in Mettlach, Germany merged with one founded by Nicolas Villeroy to form Villeroy & Boch. By the late 19th century V&B operated seven factories, with Mettlach becoming famous for its chromolith wares. Mettlach wares were exhibited at the Crystal Palace Exposition in London (1851), World Fairs in Paris (1878 and 1900) and Antwerp (1885), and World Fair exhibitions in Philadelphia (1876) and Chicago (1893). Many steins reached the United States with soldiers returning from WWI and WWII. The factory ceased manufacture during WWI; after a fire in August 1921 destroyed the pattern and mold storehouse, some molds were reused in the late 1920s.
Scholarly Resources
Dr. Roy De Selms has published a series of articles on works in the collection in the periodical Prosit, covering topics including 19th century German history and culture, European myths and legends, folklore and fairy tales, and the evolution of various ceramic techniques used at Mettlach.
Past Exhibitions
- German Mettlach Ware (1850–1915) & Present-Day Translations (2013)
- Mettlach: Medieval to Modern (2014–2016)
- Mettlach: Folklore and Fairytales (2016–2018)
- Artists of Mettlach (2018–2022)
- Theme
- The collection and exhibition focus on Mettlach wares (Villeroy & Boch ceramics from c.1840-1915), including steins, plaques, vases, jardinières, and tablewares produced using techniques such as chromolith, etching, relief, and hand-painting, presented within the context of social history and the artistry of known designers.
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