A wide range of pottery and self-taught works fueled strong results, with many lots exceeding expectations.

Slotin Folk Art presented unconventionally bold artwork in its February Folk Pottery and Fun Folk Art Auction. The sale featured 497 lots of Southern folk pottery, outsider art, and self-taught works, with functional items such as jugs, jars, and plates making up a large portion of the offerings. Bidders responded strongly, driving nearly 30 of the top lots beyond their pre-auction estimates.

Folk art is broadly defined as work created by self-taught or traditionally trained artists rather than those with formal academic backgrounds. It is often colorful and reflects the maker’s culture, traditions, and folklore, while frequently serving a functional purpose, as seen in ceramics, quilts, and wood carvings. The emphasis on heritage and individual expression can contrast with more technical fine art traditions.

The style developed in earnest in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, primarily in Europe and the United States. The term can describe both tangible works, such as paintings and sculptures, and intangible traditions like music and dance. Folk art is typically created by individuals or small groups, often using handmade techniques with minimal reliance on machinery, reflecting pre-industrial methods.

New England Stoneware six-gallon crock, 14” high x 12” deep, $2,800.

The top-selling lot in the auction was a New England Stoneware six-gallon crock, which exceeded its $300 to $500 estimate to sell for $2,800. Dating to the 1870s, the piece features a blue painted flag with 17 stars and six stripes, along with the number “6” above it and discreet handles near the rim.

Three framed shank groupings, average frame size is 15” wide x 13” high, $2,100.

Three framed shank groupings represent a type of folk art unlikely to appear in a traditional fine art auction. Each display contains six to seven handmade shanks—improvised weapons similar to knives—associated with prisons and other dangerous environments. The handles are wrapped in cloth, tape, and possibly leather. The groupings realized $2,100, more than quadrupling the high estimate of $500.

Lanier Meaders rich tobacco spit glazed face jug, 10.5” high, $1,900.

Slotin also offered a number of folk art face jugs, including a Lanier Meaders tobacco-spit-glazed example that exceeded its $800 to $1,200 estimate to realize $1,900. The “spit glaze” technique creates molten brown rivulets across the surface, resembling tobacco spit. Beneath the glaze, the jug features a distinctive face with white teeth, blue eyes, and defined facial features.

Michael Ball two-gallon multi-eyeball jug, 12” tall, $1,500.

A Michael Ball two-gallon “multi-eyeball” jug tripled its $500 high estimate, selling for $1,500. Nearly the entire surface is covered with protruding eyes looking in different directions, creating a striking visual effect against the rich brown glaze.

Ellen Merry’s New York Harbor oil on canvas, in a 20” wide x 16” high frame, $1,100.

Ellen Merry’s New York Harbor oil on canvas is rendered in muted tones, with the Statue of Liberty and American flag providing brighter focal points. Skyscrapers appear as subdued outlines, while a red ship moves through dark waters. Signed by the artist, the painting sold for $1,100, far exceeding its $100 to $200 estimate.

Inuit Man Riding Pink Salmon God, 16” wide x 6” high, $800.

An Inuit Man Riding Pink Salmon God serpentine carving also outperformed expectations, selling for $800 against a $300 high estimate. The figure, dressed in winter clothing, kneels atop the salmon, one hand holding its dorsal fin while the other is raised.

For additional results, visit slotinfolkart.com.
Photos courtesy of LiveAuctioneers/Slotin Folk Art.

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