
Auction /
The Ellison Collection
28 February 2023
11 am et
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All works in this auction will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
A record-breaking auction event, The Ellison Collection established multiple new world records, including for George Ohr, Pewabic Pottery, Union Porcelain Works, and Babs Haenen
Sale total $1,966,264
98% by lot
259% by value
98% by lot
259% by value

Bob Ellison: An Apostle of Individuality
by Dr. Martin Eidelberg When my colleagues and I were working on the catalogue of Bob’s collection of American pottery for The Met, while discussing George Ohr, we came upon the subtitle of his book on Ohr: The Apostle of Individuality. Suddenly, as in a moment of divine inspiration, we all realized that this epithet suited Bob and used it as the title of our essay recounting the story of his life...
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by Dr. Martin Eidelberg When my colleagues and I were working on the catalogue of Bob’s collection of American pottery for The Met, while discussing George Ohr, we came upon the subtitle of his book on Ohr: The Apostle of Individuality. Suddenly, as in a moment of divine inspiration, we all realized that this epithet suited Bob and used it as the title of our essay recounting the story of his life...
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Bob’s Collection: The Journey of a Lifetime
by Rosaire Appel “My hand just seemed to reach for it,” Bob said in an interview. For me this perfectly describes the kind of magnetic attraction ceramics had for him. He would see a pot before he knew he had seen it. And he was always on the lookout; it was second nature. Flea markets, yardies, estate sales, country auctions—I remember a barn sale, a huge, cavernous space. Coming in from the bright sun all I saw was a jumble of ‘stuff’ but Bob instantly spotted a ceramic pitcher on a high shelf as if it had a halo around it...
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by Rosaire Appel “My hand just seemed to reach for it,” Bob said in an interview. For me this perfectly describes the kind of magnetic attraction ceramics had for him. He would see a pot before he knew he had seen it. And he was always on the lookout; it was second nature. Flea markets, yardies, estate sales, country auctions—I remember a barn sale, a huge, cavernous space. Coming in from the bright sun all I saw was a jumble of ‘stuff’ but Bob instantly spotted a ceramic pitcher on a high shelf as if it had a halo around it...
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My Dad, the Collector
by Hillary Ellison Dad thought of himself as a hunter. Although his real hunting days had ended long ago as a young man in Fort Worth, Texas, the skills of patience, determination, singlemindedness, and exacting precision were re-directed towards his other passions. Those who knew him knew that he was obsessively and constantly searching, often for an interesting bottle of wine, the perfect camera accessory, or the most subtle audio equipment. And of course, always, for pots...
Read More
by Hillary Ellison Dad thought of himself as a hunter. Although his real hunting days had ended long ago as a young man in Fort Worth, Texas, the skills of patience, determination, singlemindedness, and exacting precision were re-directed towards his other passions. Those who knew him knew that he was obsessively and constantly searching, often for an interesting bottle of wine, the perfect camera accessory, or the most subtle audio equipment. And of course, always, for pots...
Read More