CALIFORNIA FAIENCE, SMALL CUENCA BOWL, 1920'S

The California Faience Co. started in Berkeley CA in 1916 and was originally called "The Tile Shop." Tile was the bulk of the company's output; the limited amount of "art ware" it created at the same time was always marked "California Faience." California Faience was very meticulous about the quality of their products and sold to high-end markets. The company frequently collaborated with local metal smith Dirk van Erp. California Faience Company's most famous clients were Julia Morgan and William Hearst (whose castle at San Simeon was decorated with California Faience tiles.) The stylized art deco, Spanish/Moresque design on this small bowl is executed in a hand-applied polychromatic cuenca. This particular piece is very rare because it is decorated and has multiple colors.

Initially I was told that this piece, which was custom made for the Eureka Inn, was a sugar bowl. I have now found an example of the California Faience "sugar bowl" model. It's clearly not the same shape and this bowl shows no wear of ever having had a lid. Here is the sugar bowl: