Roseville Pottery Futura Line (1928) Value & Price Guide

In 1928, the Roseville Pottery Company of Zanesville, Ohio, did something no one expected from a mid-market American pottery firm. They released a line of vases, jardinieres, and wall pockets in shapes that looked like they belonged in a Fritz Lang film. Angular, geometric, aggressively modern. They called it Futura, and it was the most forward-thinking pottery line any American manufacturer had ever produced.

Quick Value Summary

• Item: Roseville Pottery Futura Line

• Year: Circa 1928

• Manufacturer: Roseville Pottery Company, Zanesville, Ohio

• Category: Antiques & Decorative Arts

• Condition Range:

  • Damaged (chips, cracks, repairs): $50 - $200
  • Good (minor flaws, no repairs): $200 - $800
  • Excellent (clean, no damage): $800 - $3,000
  • Rare forms in excellent condition: $3,000 - $15,000
  • Museum quality rare forms: $15,000 - $25,000+

• Record Sale: Futura "Tank" vase (model 412-9) sold for $25,200 at Toomey auction in 2024

• Rarity: Common forms exist; rare forms are genuinely scarce

The Story

Roseville Pottery was founded in 1890 in Roseville, Ohio, and later moved its primary production to Zanesville, a city that was to American pottery what Detroit was to automobiles. By the 1920s, Roseville was one of America's largest art pottery producers, known for lines like Donatello, Egypto, and the wildly popular Pine Cone pattern.

The Futura line represented a sharp departure. Where most Roseville lines featured naturalistic themes (flowers, leaves, animals), Futura embraced the Art Deco movement with abstract geometric forms. The designer is believed to be Frank Ferrell, Roseville's chief designer from 1917 to 1954, though documentation is limited. The line featured vases in shapes variously described by collectors as "Telescope," "Shooting Star," "Bomb," "Tank," "Beer Mug," and "Football" based on their dramatic profiles.

The glazes were equally bold. Futura pieces appeared in combinations of blue, green, pink, orange, brown, and earth tones, often with multiple colors on a single piece. Some featured crystalline glazes with unpredictable, almost geological surface effects. The combination of radical form and striking glaze made Futura stand out from everything else in American pottery.

Futura was produced for approximately two to three years around 1928-1930. It was not a commercial blockbuster. The shapes were too avant-garde for the mainstream Depression-era market, and Roseville focused subsequent efforts on their safer, nature-inspired lines. This short production run is part of what makes Futura so collectible today.

Roseville Pottery closed permanently in 1954, unable to compete with cheaper imported ceramics and changing consumer tastes. But by the 1970s, collectors had rediscovered the company's work, and by the 1990s, Futura had become the most sought-after Roseville line.

How to Identify Roseville Futura

• Markings: Most Futura pieces are unmarked or carry only a paper label that has typically been lost over time. Some pieces have a small raised "Rv" mark or an impressed shape number on the base.

• Shape numbers: Futura pieces are identified by model numbers, typically in the 380-400+ range. Collectors use reference books like the Huxford Guide to Roseville Pottery to match shapes to model numbers.

• Glaze characteristics: Futura glazes are typically matte or semi-matte with rich, deep colors. Look for the characteristic Art Deco color palette: earth tones, blues, greens, and oranges.

• Construction: Futura pieces are made of earthenware (fired clay), not porcelain. They have a warm, slightly rough feel compared to porcelain. The walls are thick and substantial.

• Design style: Geometric, angular, and architecturally inspired. If a piece looks like it could be a building model from a 1920s world's fair, it might be Futura.

Common confusions:

• Reproductions: Fake Roseville pottery exists, including Futura reproductions. Fakes typically have lighter weight, glossier glazes, and less refined mold detail. They may also have markings that are too clean or too obvious.

• Other Roseville lines: Some later Roseville lines have geometric elements but lack Futura's extreme angularity. Lines like Moderne (1936) are sometimes confused with Futura.

• Other manufacturers: Weller, McCoy, and other Ohio potteries produced Art Deco pieces that can be confused with Roseville. Glaze quality and mold detail are the best differentiators.

Value by Condition

Damaged (Chips, Cracks, Repairs): Even damaged Futura pieces retain value due to the line's desirability. A chipped common form might sell for $50 to $200. A chipped rare form can still sell for hundreds. Professional restoration is available but significantly reduces value compared to an undamaged piece.

Good (Minor Flaws): Small glaze skips, minor base chips, or factory imperfections that were present when the piece was new. These sell for $200 to $800 for common shapes. Futura was production pottery, not studio pottery, so minor factory flaws are expected and accepted.

Excellent (No Damage): Clean, undamaged examples with good color and no repairs. Common shapes in excellent condition sell for $800 to $3,000. The most common Futura forms include smaller vases in the 6-to-8-inch range.

Rare Forms in Excellent Condition: Certain Futura shapes were produced in smaller quantities or are particularly dramatic in their design. The "Tank" vase (model 412-9), the large "Telescope" vases, and the "Football" shape command significant premiums. Expect $3,000 to $15,000.

Museum Quality Rare Forms: A rare Futura form in perfect condition with an exceptional glaze can exceed $15,000. The $25,200 sale of a Futura Tank vase at the 2024 Stahl Collection auction at Toomey & Co. demonstrates the ceiling for this line.

Key value factors:

• Shape: Rare, large, and dramatically geometric shapes command the highest prices. The Tank, Shooting Star, and large Telescope forms are the most sought.

• Size: Larger pieces are generally worth more. A 12-inch vase outvalues a 6-inch vase of the same shape.

• Glaze: Unusual color combinations or particularly well-executed crystalline glazes add 20-50% to value.

• Condition: Because these pieces are nearly 100 years old, condition is paramount. Chips, cracks, and repairs significantly reduce value.

Authentication and Fakes

Fake Roseville Futura pieces exist and can deceive inexperienced collectors:

• Weight and feel: Genuine Roseville has a distinctive weight and slightly rough, earthy feel. Reproductions are often lighter or smoother.

• Mold detail: Original Futura pieces have crisp, well-defined mold details. Reproductions cast from originals lose detail and appear softer.

• Glaze quality: Genuine Roseville glazes have depth and variation. Reproductions tend to have flatter, more uniform glazes.

• Base examination: Check the base for proper finish, any markings, and the clay color. Original Roseville earthenware has a warm tan to light brown clay body.

• Black light test: Some repairs and restorations fluoresce under ultraviolet light. This is a useful but not definitive test.

• Expert authentication: For pieces worth over $1,000, consider consulting a specialist. The Zanesville Art Pottery Association and dealers who specialize in American art pottery can provide authentication.

Where to Sell

• Auction houses: Toomey & Co. Auctioneers in Oak Park, Illinois, specializes in American art pottery and regularly handles significant Roseville sales. Rago/Wright also handles high-end pottery. Heritage Auctions and Brunk Auctions are additional options.

• eBay: Active market for Roseville pottery. Best for common forms under $1,000. Fees around 13%.

• Antique shows: The Zanesville Pottery Lovers Reunion and similar events attract serious pottery collectors. Good for face-to-face sales.

• Specialty dealers: Dealers who specialize in American art pottery, such as those in the Zanesville, Ohio area, may purchase outright or consign.

• 1stDibs: An online marketplace for high-end antiques and decorative arts. Good for rare forms in excellent condition.

Not sure about the condition of yours? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a quick estimate.

Explore More

Roseville Futura is Art Deco distilled into clay. These pieces were too ahead of their time to be commercially successful in 1928, which is exactly why they are so collected today. If you have one, you have a piece of American design history that is as visually striking now as it was nearly a century ago.

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