Viktor Schreckengost Figurative Sculptures
American, 1906-2008
The son of a commercial potter in Sebring, Ohio, Viktor Schreckengost learned the craft of sculpting in clay from his father. In the mid-1920s, he enrolled at the Cleveland School of Art (now the Cleveland Institute of Art, or CIA) to study cartoon making, but after seeing an exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art he changed his focus to ceramics. Upon graduation in 1929, he studied ceramics in Vienna, Austria, where he began to build a reputation, not only for his art, but also as a jazz saxophonist. A year later, at the age of 25, he became the youngest faculty member at the CIA. In 1931, Schreckengost won the first of several awards for excellence in ceramics at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and his works were shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, and elsewhere.
By the mid-1930s, Schreckengost had begun to pursue his interest in industrial design. For American Limoges, he created the first modern mass-produced dinnerware, called Americana. Along with engineer Ray Spiller, Schreckengost designed the first-cab-over-engine truck for Cleveland's White Motor Company. By the end of the decade, he had designed the first Mercury Bicycle for Murray, Ohio. In 1939, the bicycle and "The Four Elements" in clay were displayed at the New York World's Fair.
In the 1940s, Schreckengost's designs for children's pedal cars (as well as bicycles and toys) helped Murray, Ohio become the world's largest manufacturer of pedal cars. His design and ceramic work was interrupted by World War II, when he was recruited by the Navy to develop a system for radar recognition that won him the Secretary of Navy's commendation.
After the war, Schreckengost resumed his industrial design career creating products for Murray, Sears, General Electric, Salem China Company, and Harris Printing, among others. Approximately 100 million of his bicycles were manufactured by Murray, making it the largest bicycle-maker in the world. He retired from industrial design in 1972, but continued teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
Biography from the Archives of askART In June, 2006, Viktor Schreckengost celebrated his 100th birthday in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Of him at this event, it was written: Viktor Schreckengost, a prolific designer whose works ranging from toys, ceramics and paintings to dinnerware and trucks, have touched countless lives, expects his next inspiration to come at any time. . . (he) always seemed to know what to create by responding to needs---like improving the ride of a child's wagon or making user-friendly tableware with an artistic flair."
To recognize his birthday, more than 130 galleries and museums featured his work the summer of 2006 in a "National Centennial Exhibition" that paid tribute to his legacy that "includes generations of students who became designers who shaped the output of industrial America in the post World-War II era."
In February 2008, Victor Schreckengost died at age 101 at Tallahassee, Florida, where he was spending the winter.to
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Artist: Viktor Schreckengost
Golf (Wall Plaque)
By Viktor Schreckengost
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Golf (Wall Plaque)
Polychromed ceramic, c. 1930-1
Signed with the artist's initials: VS recto
Very rare, only a few produced prior to the closure of Cowan Pottery
Format: Round ceramic plate, 11 1/4 inches
Designed by the artist while working for Cowan Pottery in 1930. One of Cowan's clients, an interior designer, requested plates decorated with different outdoor activities. Others in the series included "Swimming," "Tennis," "Polo," and "The Hunt."
According to Henry Adams, the number of examples created was very limited due to the closing of Cowan Pottery in 1931. Very rare
Condition: Good, with the usual craquelure of the glazes used.
Note: Industrial design democratizes high style, and Mr. Schreckengost was widely considered among the most democratic industrial designers. He made, quite literally, the stuff of life — things found routinely in homes, backyards and garages in this country and around the world. He designed bicycles for Sears and everyday china for American Limoges...
Category
1930s Art Deco Viktor Schreckengost Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
Polo (Wall Plaque)
By Viktor Schreckengost
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Polo (Wall Plaque)
Polychromed ceramic, c. 1930-1931
Signed with the artist's initials: VS recto
Cowan Pottery stamp verso
References And Exhibitions:
Designed by the artist while working for Cowan Pottery in 1930. One of Cowan's clients, an interior designer, requested plates decorated with different outdoor activities. Others in the series included "Swimming," "Tennis," "Golf," and "The Hunt."
Condition: with the usual craquelure
Size: 11 1/4 inches in diameter
Industrial design democratizes high style, and Mr. Schreckengost was widely considered among the most democratic industrial designers. He made, quite literally, the stuff of life — things found routinely in homes, backyards and garages in this country and around the world. He designed bicycles for Sears and everyday china for American Limoges. He designed children’s toys and pedal cars; flashlights, furniture and fans; lawn chairs, lawn mowers...
Category
1930s American Modern Viktor Schreckengost Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
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Viktor Schreckengost figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Viktor Schreckengost figurative sculptures available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Viktor Schreckengost in ceramic and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1930s and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Viktor Schreckengost figurative sculptures, so small editions measuring 12 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Tom Binger, John W. Mills, and Matt Smith. Viktor Schreckengost figurative sculptures prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,000 and tops out at $3,000, while the average work can sell for $3,000.