Collectors Guide to Roseville Pottery Mara, 1905-1907
What is Mara?
Mara is a line of Rozane art pottery produced from 1905 through 1907 by the Roseville Pottery Company in Zanesville, Ohio.
Who designed Mara?
The Mara line was likely designed by Frederick Rhead.
Roseville Mara holds a unique place in the pantheon of Rozaneware. It can trace its beginnings to France, and the potteries of Clement Massier. In 1887 Massier created an iridescent, metallic glaze for pottery, winning him a gold medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900. In 1903, his chemist Jacques Sicard was brought to America and hired by the Weller Pottery Company of Zanesville. Sicard and his assistant created a line of pottery similar to Massier, and called it Weller Sicard Ware. This iridescent pottery was difficult and expensive to create, and the line was discontinued in 1907 when Sicard returned to France.
In an attempt to push itself to the forefront of the American art pottery movement, Roseville Pottery developed a similar glaze to directly compete with Weller. This glaze treatment was called Mara, and was produced from 1905 through 1907. Like Sicard, it was difficult and expensive to produce.
When was Mara made?
The Mara Rozane line was produced from 1905 through 1907.
Nearly all of the Mara shapes were taken directly from the Chloron line, and includes most of them. Whereas the forms used in the Chloron line were given a prefix "C", Mara was given "K" since "M" was already assigned to Mongol. Shape K10 was substituted with Rozane shape R17, but K11, K12, K13, K14, K15, K16, K17, K18, K19, K20, K21, K22, K23, K24, and K25 directly corresponded to the same Chloron Shapes. The Mongol shape M900 (a three-handled cup) also received the Mara glaze treatment.
Unlike the Weller Sicard, most of the Roseville Mara was undecorated and just received a simple metallic glaze treatment. This was due to the shapes used, most of the Chloron shapes had molded decoration that did not make an easy canvas for additional designs. However, when artists were assigned to smoother Rozane Royal shapes and given the task of creating artistic designs, the results could easily rival those of their competitors.
Below are the shapes offered in the Roseville Pottery Mara line:
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Mara Shapes K10, K11, K12
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Mara Shapes K13, K14, K15
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Mara Shapes K16. K17, K18
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Mara Shapes K18, K20, K21
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Mara Shapes K22, K23, K24
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Mara Shapes K25, M900
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Mara Brochure 1
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Mara Brochure 2
The following is the text of the 1905 Rozane pamphlet describing the Rozane Mara line:
Rozane Mara: Where the Rainbow Comes From.
As changing as the sea, from which it derives its name, and from which, like an opalesque and dainty shell, it seems to have caught every morning hue of iridescence when the sunbeam kissed the spray, Rozane Mara is one of the most decorative as well as one of the most pleasing results yet obtained at the Roseville Potteries.
Studying to obtain the exquisite rainbow tints seen in rarest pieces of old Italian glass, our artist chemist evolved this oddity. The surface, in texture much resembling the lining of the ocean's rarest shells, is somewhat irregular, presenting surfaces most favorable for catching every ray of light, throwing it back in all lustrous shades imaginable. With all this play of colors, Rozane Mara is subdued and in good taste, the prevailing tones running under and through the iridescence being odd reds, varying from pale rose tints to the deepest magentas, the soft tones of gray and opal suggesting the pearly surface of a shell, being always present.
As an oddity, Rozane Mara is not only rare and admirable, but possesses qualities of real artistic merit. It will be found especially useful in rooms where elaborate decorations are desired, as it is highly ornamental, while in rooms of more simple style it often adds just the finish needed to give the room a touch of elegance.
If you have more questions, we are certain you will find the answers in the following books. Each of these books is highly recommended for collectors of Roseville Pottery. The owners of this website may receive compensation for qualified sales of the books.