McAfee Pottery - California 1940s-50s

Sisters Ruth and Grace McAfee began a small pottery in San Gabriel, California as an adjunct to their cactus and succulent nursery. The nursery specialized in miniatures (Haworthias, Echeverias, Lobivias, etc.) and, at least in the beginning, most of the pottery was equally small-scaled. Even when the production got larger, the ware stayed small. It is rare to find a piece larger than eight inches. The pottery was made from late in the 1940s until the late 1950s.

The pottery has a reddish terra cotta clay body and is usually found with solid-color pastel glazes (dark green is also common) but other colors and combinations exist. Most pieces are cast but an occasional hand-thrown piece can be found.

Pieces shown are (1) a 4"tall by 4 1/4" wide square Asian-styled planter, unglazed brushed exterior with blue interior, (2) two-piece eccentrically shaped bowl and flower block; bowl is 6" wide and 2" deep, white glaze, and (3) a 5 1/4" handled vase with a light green glaze with wax-resist interruptions.