82

Gertrud and Otto Natzler (1908-1971 and 1908-2007 Los Angeles, CA)
Vase, 1951
Earthenware, cream and brown volcanic/crater glaze
Signed to underside: Natzler; Paper label: C719
21" H x 7" W

Provenance: Bullock's Wilshire Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
Estate of Mrs. Donald M. Jones, Pasadena, CA.

Exhibitions: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, "The Ceramic Work of Gertrud and Otto Natzler," June 15 - August 14, 1966, no. 36.; San Francisco, M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, "The Ceramic Work of Gertrud and Otto Natzler," July 24 - Sept 6, 1971, p. 36, no. 28.

Literature: See corresponding catalogue for exhibition.

Other Notes: This lot is accompanied by the 25th Anniversary Exhibition brochure from the Bullock's Wilshire Gallery, a loan receipt from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1966, and a request for loan dated May 26, 1971 from the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco, CA.

Gertrud Amon met Otto Natzler in Vienna in 1933, and they began their collaboration in ceramics in 1934. Their professional relationship blossomed into a romance that would last until Gertrud's death in 1971. Mostly self-taught, the pair studied at the ceramics studio of Franz Iskra before opening their own studio in Vienna. With Gertrud at the wheel and Otto mixing and developing glazes, their collaboration led them to exhibit their work at Galerie Würthle in 1937 and won them a silver medal at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne on March 11, 1938, the same day Nazi Germany annexed Austria. In June of that year Gertrud and Otto were married, and by September they fled to the United States. Like many artists fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe at that time, the Natzlers chose Los Angeles to settle, adding to the rich artistic tapestry of Southern California during the war and post-war period. Their partnership raised the profile of the pair to one of the most influential ceramic studios on the West Coast.

Both of the time and timeless, Natzler pottery celebrates the symbiotic union of vessel and glaze. Unlike many artists working at the time, the style and look of the Natzlers' work changed little over the years. The hand-thrown form of impossibly thin walls, delicate curves dexterously shaped by hand, and monochromatic glaze honed by trial and error all combined to create 'happy accidents' achieved through innovative formulas and regulated firing. The harmonious balance between the form and the glaze mean they can only exist together, one developed to compliment but not overtake the other.

The fruits of this partnership, nearly 20,000 vessels and 2,000 glazes, can be found in many museum and private collections around the world, including the single-owner collection contained in the 20th Century Art + Design auction. As Gertrud wrote in her notes: "The true lover of a pot will see a world contained in it and he will never think of himself as the owner but as the trustee through whose hand it shall pass to the next." (Natzler, as cited in Natzler, 1973, p. 23). This collection, consigned from a Pasadena estate, encompasses a lifetime of patronage and connoisseurship. A personal friend of the Natzlers, the owner sought out and purchased their pieces along with other top ceramicists including Harrison Macintosh and Beatrice Wood to create an assemblage of important California ceramic art. Moran's is proud to be the temporary custodian of this remarkable collection until these pieces are passed to a new generation of trustees.


  • Condition: Overall good condition. An old .5" x .125" restoration to the rim. Later-added museum putty to foot.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Buyers are responsible for arranging their own shipping estimates and deliveries. Moran's in our discretion and as a courtesy to buyers, can arrange to have purchased lots packed, insured and forwarded by a third-party shipper at the request, expense and risk of the buyer. Moran's assumes no responsibility for acts or omissions in such packing or shipping by other packers or carriers, even if recommended by Moran's. Nor does Moran's assume any responsibility for any damage to picture frames or to the glass therein. In circumstances where Moran's arranges for such third-party services, Moran's may apply an administration charge of 15% of that service fee.

May 5, 2019 12:00 PM PDT
Monrovia, CA, US

John Moran Auctioneers

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $500,000:
25.00%
$500,001 - $1,000,000:
18.00%
$1,000,001+:
15.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $25,000
$500,000 + $50,000