Theophilus Brouwer was one of the most innovative figures of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Brouwer was a noted eccentric who lived and worked in a castle on Long Island, and is almost as famous for his castle grounds as he is for his pottery in the modern era. Among pottery enthusiasts, however, Brouwer pottery, which is also known as Middle Lane pottery, is considered a rare collectible that is usually worth between $1,000 and $5,000.
The only way to really be sure you have a Brouwer piece is to have your pottery professionally appraised, but you can also look for certain markers that give you more confidence in labeling a piece as coming from Middle Lane pottery studios. These markers feature Brouwer’s signature shooting technique and his unusual printed mark.
wild shot technique
One of the truest “marks” of a Brouwer Middle Lane pottery piece is not a mark at all: it is the open-fired glaze technique that made Theophilus Brouwer famous in the Arts and Crafts ceramic world. He pioneered the open firing technique, which directly exposed a glazed ceramic piece to the flames of the kiln. The flames interact with the glaze and create stunning colorations and patterns. This glazing technique is truly Brouwer’s best signature; however, he also marked much of his pottery with unique impressions.
Whale jaws and the letter M
The most common Brouwer pottery mark is the name “Brouwer” printed in italics above the letter M, which is surrounded by a rudimentary figure. As part of his eccentric decoration, Theophilus Brouwer erected the jaws of a whale as an arched entrance to the grounds of his birth castle. These jaws came from the carcass of a whale that washed ashore on his grounds, and Brouwer was more than happy to put them to use. The figure surrounding the “Middle Lane Pottery” M is supposed to be a simplified version of the jaws of the whale.
variations
Occasionally pieces with variations on the standard printed Brouwer brand can be found. These are usually Brouwer’s name or the whale jaws surrounding the letter M. Brouwer’s signature is often present on pieces produced in his West Hampton workshop, which operated under the Brouwer Pottery name for a time. Pieces produced in his East Hampton workshop were created under the Middle Lane Pottery label, so they are more likely to feature the M and jaws.