Vintage Steubenville Russel Wright USA MCM 10” Oval Serving Bowl Coral Pink 💗
This lovely piece is in great preowned vintage condition. No chips or cracks. In the pictures I have printed out some light spots that were created when the piece was made. The back is signed Russell Wright. Rest assured we will package with extra care to ensure safe delivery.
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Condition: great
Condition Issues: no chip or cracks. Manufacturing spots pointed out in the pictures. No flaws
Dimensions: 10” long, 7” wide, 2 3/8” tall
Age: vintage
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History of Russell Wright Pottery
Early Life and Education
Russel Wright was born on April 3, 1904, in Lebanon, Ohio, into a family with deep American roots—his mother descended from two signers of the Declaration of Independence, and his father and grandfather were local judges. He showed early artistic talent and studied at the Cincinnati Academy of Art (1921–1922), followed by brief stints at Columbia School of Architecture (1923) and New York University School of Architecture (1938–1939). Wright’s initial career focused on theater, where from 1924 to 1931 he worked as a set and costume designer, honing his skills in creating functional, aesthetically pleasing environments.
Entry into Industrial Design and Pottery (1930s)
In 1930, Wright established his own small factory in New York to produce informal serving accessories, marking his shift toward industrial design. By 1933, he began collaborating with manufacturers, designing modernistic items in metal, wood, and other materials for companies like Acme Lamps, Chase Brass and Copper, and Heywood-Wakefield furniture. His philosophy emphasized “easier living”—informal, modern American lifestyles that contrasted with rigid European traditions, promoting accessibility and joy in everyday objects.
Wright’s foray into pottery began in earnest in 1937 when he designed the “American Modern” line, a groundbreaking collection of earthenware dinnerware characterized by biomorphic shapes, rounded edges, and vibrant, earthy colors like Seafoam Blue, Coral, Chartreuse, Grey, White, and Bean Brown. He partnered with Steubenville Pottery Company in Steubenville, Ohio, to produce it starting in 1939. To convince the conservative manufacturer, Wright personally financed the initial run and secured a major order from Hudson’s Department Store in Detroit. The line’s affordable pricing (a 16-piece starter set cost about $6.95) and casual appeal made it an instant hit, selling over 250 million pieces by 1959 and becoming the best-selling American ceramic dinnerware in history. It democratized modern design, influencing the mid-century modern movement and earning the nickname “Russel Wright shape” as a generic term for similar styles.
Expansion and Peak Influence (1940s–1950s)
Wright’s success with American Modern propelled him into broader design work. In the 1940s and 1950s, he created multiple pottery lines for various manufacturers, including:
• Iroquois Casual for Iroquois China (1946–1960s), a high-fired china series.
• Highlight for Paden City Pottery (1948).
• White, a solid-color institutional line for Sterling China (1949).
• White Clover for Harker Pottery (1951).
• Esquire shape for Knowles China (1955), with oriental-inspired elements.
He also designed a short-lived art pottery line for Bauer Pottery in 1937, featuring 20 shapes and 16 glazes produced for just six months. Beyond ceramics, Wright’s portfolio included furniture (e.g., Modern Living line for Heywood-Wakefield), glassware, flatware, lamps, textiles, and even appliances like a streamlined Wurlitzer radio. His work often incorporated innovative materials like spun aluminum and, later, melamine plastics (e.g., the Residential Melmac line for Northern Plastic Company in 1963). By the mid-20th century, Wright was America’s most famous industrial designer, with his pieces embodying Quaker simplicity, pioneer ruggedness, and a delight in new technologies. Exhibitions and publications, such as the 1983 book Russel Wright: American Designer by William J. Hennessey, cemented his legacy.
Wright’s wife, Mary Wright (a fellow designer whom he married in 1927), collaborated closely on many projects, including their advocacy for informal dining as the heart of American home life. They had one daughter, Annie.
Later Years, Legacy, and Manitoga (1960s–Present)
In the 1960s, Wright shifted focus to environmental design, purchasing 75 acres of damaged land in Garrison, New York, in 1942 (fully developed by the 1960s). He restored the landscape with native plants, created trails, and built Dragon Rock—a Japanese-inspired home and studio integrated into the environment using local materials. This estate, known as Manitoga, became a symbol of his holistic approach to design, blending architecture, landscaping, and lifestyle. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996 and now houses the Russel Wright Design Center, managed by his daughter Annie, which preserves his archives, products, and philosophy.
Wright closed his design office in 1967 and passed away on December 21, 1976, at age 72, following Mary’s death in 1977. His influence endures through retrospectives like the 1983 Renwick Gallery exhibit and the 2012 “Russel Wright: The Nature of Design” at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art. Today, Russel Wright Studios licenses his designs: Bauer Pottery reproduces American Modern dinnerware (introduced in 1939 and still versatile for modern settings), while HKDesigns recreates his spun aluminum pieces.
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Swag’s Rating Chart
Excellent - NOS new old stock
Great Condition - excellent used condition
Good Condition - good used condition, may have wear from use but no flaws
Fair Condition - Has one or more flaws
Poor Condition - For parts or repair. Not functional
Antique - 100 years or older
Vintage - 25 years or older
Retro - less than 25 years old
Modern - less than 10 years
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Bin: 51