Hillar Bergman - studio potter, Michigan

Hillar Bergman has filled several niches in his journey through life. He can be viewed on YouTube deadpanning his way through countless old-timey fiddle tunes but he also considers himself a potter. These little coprolites (that's one of the more polite names I can think of for these figures) are, I assume, an example of his work. I haven't seen much - but Bergman is a treasure and worthy of collecting. These date from the 1980s and his work may just be beginning to surface. As far as I know, Hillar Bergman is still alive and probably still active.

The two figures are stoneware of varying blends. The taller, light-colored one stands 6" tall. It has impressed die-stamp marks for "Hemlock Pottery, Hemlock, Mich." and "Copyright 1983 - Hillar Bergman". The smaller stands 3 1/4" tall, is made from a darker, grittier stoneware, and has the same date-and-name stamp without the Hemlock mark.

I could find no information about this particular Hemlock Pottery. It was probably short-lived.