After studying under Peter Voulkos at the Los Angeles County Art Institute, Denver native Paul Soldner (1921–2011) became a pottery professor there in the 1960s, when the revolutionary California Clay Movement took root.
Soldner pioneered American-style raku firing methods, experimental updates of the centuries-old Japanese process, which involve pulling red-hot sculptures out of the kiln to be bathed in smoke or dipped in cold water, resulting in beautifully frazzled glazes.
“These new firing and post-firing reduction methods often led to spontaneous, unpredictable and quite wonderful results,” says Greg Nielson, of Dwell Floor Five, in Studio City, California.
Soldner’s raku vases, for instance, with their charred surfaces, seem to smile humbly through the scars of their past adversity.
Alongside the likes of Toshiko Takaezu, Soldner innovated chunky, funky ceramics in the mid-century and beyond. He is one Voulkos student at whom enthusiasts should take a serious look, advises dealer Jayson Lawfer.
The owner of The Nevica Project, a gallery with venues in Chicago and Kansas City, Lawfer explains that Soldner “was a master of raku and was credited with bringing the historic Asian technique to the U.S.” He adds that “Soldner used simple techniques of throwing pottery on the wheel, but to make his sculptural forms more interesting, he also pressed burlap into the clay and stepped on it to give it different textures."
Find Paul Soldner pottery for sale on 1stDibs.
Paul Soldner Large Mid-Century Pottery Raku Slab Charger Wall Relief Sculpture
By Paul Soldner
Located in Studio City, CA
An amazing and unique piece by renowned American pottery and ceramic master Paul Soldner who in the 1950s was Peter Voulkos' first student and who later became famed for developing the technique now known as "American Raku...
Earthenware
Paul Soldner Signed Large Modern Pottery Raku Slab Charger Wall Relief Sculpture
By Paul Soldner
Located in Studio City, CA
An amazing and unique piece by renowned American pottery and ceramic master Paul Soldner who in the 1950s was Peter Voulkos' first student and who later became famed for developing the technique now known as "American Raku" - a practice of using low temperature salt firing...
Earthenware
$220Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 5.75 in W 5 in D 3 in
Pair of Mid Century 1950s Howard Pierce Ceramic Quail Bird Sculpture Figurine
Located in San Diego, CA
Iconic pair of Howard Pierce ceramic quail bird figurines/sculptures dating from the 1950s. These are an iconic design. Great color and form. The larger ...
Ceramic
$881
H 6.3 in W 5.52 in D 1.97 in
Abstract Tree Brown Ceramic Freeform circa 1970 Stoneware Pottery La Borne
Located in Neuilly-en- sancerre, FR
Abstract ceramic form with brown pottery glaze, circa 1970. Elegant colors. Realized in La Borne. Excellent original condition. Dimension: 16 x 14 x 5 cm.
Ceramic
Alan Wallwork Studio Pottery Split Pod Sculpture
By Alan Wallwork
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A very stylish and interesting studio pottery 'split pod' form designed by Alan Wallwork (British, 1931-2019) and dating from around 1980. The heavily ma...
Stoneware
$450
H 5.91 in W 1.97 in D 1.58 in
Mexican Nativity Set Folk Art Ceramic Christmas Decoration Pottery Sculptures
By Aurelio Martinez Flores
Located in Queretaro, Queretaro
Folkloric ceramic nativity set decorated in Tonalá, Jalisco, México. Beautifully hand painted. Handmade in clay. Includes 14 figures. The figures are first handmade in clay and burned in a wood burned oven at low temperature, then painted with acrylic paint and decorated manually. Mexican folk art...
Ceramic
Tonala Folk Art Bird Mexican Hand Painted Colorful Pottery 1960s
By Tonala Pottery
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Tonala Folk Art Pottery Plate Hand Painted Flying Bird, Mexico, circa 1960's. Vintage Mexican Tonala hand painted pottery bird Folk Art. Flora de la Cruz ...
Ceramic
Mexican Vintage Ken Edwards Tonala Pottery Hand Painted Quail Bird
By Ken Edwards
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Ken Edwards Mexican ceramic quail bird form Tonala Pottery. Beautiful vintage Mexican hand made and hand painted TONALA Art Pottery. Deco...
Pottery
Large Ceramic Sculpture
Located in Munich, DE
Creative phantasy sculpture signed by the artist
Ceramic
Vintage Tonala Pottery Dove by Rita Tilleya, Hand-Painted Ceramic
By Tonala Pottery
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Mexican Tonala hand painted pottery dove Folk Art. Rita Tilleya Yelapa Mexico hand painted ceramic bird dove. Warm earth tone polychrome color...
Ceramic
Vintage Hand-Painted Mexican Tonala Pottery Bird Sculpture, 1950
By Tonala Pottery
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Mexican Tonala hand painted pottery bird Folk Art. Flora de la Cruz Acapulco Gro Mexico hand painted bird dove ceramic. Warm earth tone polych...
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid Century Large Studio Pottery Vase, USA 1960s
Located in La Teste-de-Buch, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Large studio glazed earthenware vase. Quality american mid century modern work. Outstanding glaze.
$295
H 3.75 in W 2.63 in D 1.88 in
Antique Miniature Staffordshire Pottery Spaniel Dog Figurine with Confetti Fur
By Staffordshire
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique English Staffordshire pottery figurine. Depicting a seated Spaniel. With confetti fur and painted black highlights. Simply a wonderful Staffordshire dog figurine...
Pottery
Paul Soldner California Studio Stoneware Pottery Vase
By Paul Soldner
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A spouted stoneware bottleneck vase with tenmoku glaze created by Paul Soldner of Claremont, California, circa 1960. Vase stands 9 1/8" in height and is signed Soldner on the bottom....
Stoneware
Paul Soldner Decorative Colorful Midcentury Ceramic Pottery Plate Low Bowl
By Paul Soldner
Located in Studio City, CA
A unique and colorful piece by renowned American potter Paul Soldner who in the 1950s was Peter Voulkos' first student and later became famed for developing the technique now known a...
Earthenware
Sold
H 14.5 in W 9 in D 5 in
Paul Soldner Signed Large Raku Fired Mid-Century Modern Vessel Sculpture Vase
By Paul Soldner
Located in Studio City, CA
A rather unique and special piece by renowned American potter Paul Soldner who in the 1950s was Peter Voulkos' first student and later became famed for developing the technique now known as "American Raku", a practice of using low temperature salt firing...
Earthenware
Paul Soldner Large Raku Fired Ceramic Pottery Bowl
By Paul Soldner
Located in Studio City, CA
An amazing and special piece by renowned American potter Paul Soldner who in the 1950s was Peter Voulkos' first student and later became famed for developing the technique now known ...
Stoneware