Weller Pottery Sicard Line Vase (Iridescent Glaze)
Weller Pottery's Sicard line is one of the most remarkable achievements in American art pottery history. The iridescent metallic glazes developed by French ceramist Jacques Sicard for Weller's Zanesville, Ohio pottery create surfaces of extraordinary optical complexity, and the best examples are among the most visually spectacular objects produced in the Arts and Crafts era.
Jacques Sicard and the Metallic Luster Secret
Jacques Sicard was a French ceramist trained in the workshop of Clement Massier in Golfe-Juan, France. Massier was famous in European ceramics for his metallic luster glazes, which produced an iridescent, shifting surface reminiscent of a moth's wing or oil on water.
In 1901, Samuel Weller recruited Sicard to America specifically to introduce this technique to Weller's pottery. For approximately four years (1901-1907), Sicard worked at the Weller factory, producing pottery under conditions of considerable secrecy. He and one assistant guarded the glaze formulas jealously, reportedly closing and locking the kiln room during firing.
The result was the Sicard line: handpainted pottery with Sicard's metallic luster glazes applied over underglaze decorations, creating surfaces that shift in color under different lighting from gold to green to burgundy to blue. The most successful examples seem to glow from within.
The Decoration and Forms
Sicard pieces feature:
Background glazes: The characteristic iridescent background ranges from deep purple-gold to green-gold to burgundy, often with complex flambe-like color transitions.
Decoration: Most Sicard pieces are painted with botanical subjects: clover, dandelions, thistles, morning glories, and other flowers and plants. The decoration is applied in a lighter version of the metallic luster, so the design is visible as a lighter pattern within the iridescent field.
Signature: Most authentic Sicard pieces are signed "Weller Sicard" or "Sicard" in the decoration, often in a cursive script worked into the surface design.
Forms: Vases, jardinières, ewers, and decorative bowls are common Sicard forms. The largest pieces are the most dramatic and the most valuable.
Authentication
The Sicard signature is the primary authentication tool, but it can be imitated. Key examination points:
Surface quality: Genuine Sicard glazes have a depth and dimensional quality that cannot be replicated by painting iridescent colors over a fired surface. The luster is IN the glaze, not ON it.
Condition of the iridescence: The metallic luster should be intact and brilliant; worn-through iridescence reduces value significantly
Body quality: Weller's period stoneware body has specific characteristics; examine the unglazed foot ring for appropriate clay body appearance
Signature integration: Authentic signatures are incorporated into the glaze layers, not applied on top
UV light examination can help detect restorations; restored areas fluoresce differently from original glaze surfaces.
Market Values
Sicard pottery values depend heavily on glaze quality, size, and condition:
| Category | Approximate Value |
|---|---|
| Major piece, exceptional glaze | $10,000 to $40,000+ |
| Good-size piece, strong glaze | $3,000 to $12,000 |
| Smaller piece, excellent glaze | $1,000 to $5,000 |
| Small or standard piece, good glaze | $400 to $2,000 |
| Worn iridescence or damage | $100 to $500 |
The spread from $400 to $40,000 reflects how dramatically glaze quality determines value. A small Sicard bud vase with spectacular, fully intact iridescence can outprice a larger piece with faded or worn glaze.
The Rarity Factor
Sicard's departure from Weller around 1907 (reportedly after a dispute over compensation) ended production of the line. The four-to-six-year production window, combined with Sicard's guarded techniques and the hands-on nature of each piece, means the total production was relatively limited.
Not all Sicard pieces survived intact. The iridescent surface, while beautiful, is susceptible to abrasion from cleaning and handling. Pieces with fully intact, unworn iridescence in the full complexity of color are the true rarities.
Comparison with Other Iridescent American Art Pottery
Weller Sicard exists within a small group of American metallic luster art pottery:
Rookwood's Tiger Eye glaze (1884-ca.1900): A brown with iridescent gold metallic surface; rarer but less visually complex than Sicard
Grueby's Faience (no luster): Related art pottery period but not iridescent
Hampshire Pottery: Produced some metallic effects but not to Sicard's level
In European ceramics, Massier's work (Sicard's origin) and the Doulton Flambe glazes are the closest parallels. Within American pottery specifically, Sicard occupies a unique position.
Display and Preservation
Sicard's iridescent surface is the primary aesthetic element and must be protected:
Avoid abrasive cleaning; use only a soft, dry cloth or very gently a barely damp cloth
Do not clean with any chemical cleaners that could damage the metallic luster surface
Handle with clean hands; oils from skin can affect the surface over time
Display away from direct sunlight, which can cause gradual color shift in metallic oxide glazes
Photograph under multiple lighting conditions to document the full color range of the iridescence
Related Items
Have This Item?
Our AI appraisal tool is coming soon. Upload photos, get instant identification and valuation.
Get Appraisal