Yes, indeed the stars had aligned. Last weekend was the first weekend of the month, AND, I was free, AND, Albert (DH) volunteered to drive me. Normally I trek off on these random expeditions on my own (or with my gladly suffering mid-century mom).
Bauer Pottery Showroom
Mid-Century Modern Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
3051 Rosslyn St.
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(818) 500-0666
Rebecca's 5 Point Rating Scale (1-not-so-great and 5-fabulous):
- Store Size / Inventory - 5 (Fairly large warehouse location stocked to the roof with Bauer in every nook and cranny with a wide variety of items and color choices available.)
- Merchandise Quality - 5 (Even though they tout "seconds," the merchandise quality was still quite good and color choices excellent.)
- Organization - 5 (Pottery was organized well, with like colors and items grouped together.)
- Pricing - 4 (Vintage Bauer Pottery is pretty expensive. Seconds Bauer Pottery is also pretty expensive, BUT the prices were 30% or more cheaper than retail. And deals can be had, especially around the holidays, I am told.)
- Service - 5 (Excellent! I had all my questions answered by Robert Takata who manages the store. A gentleman helped me move my merchandise to a wrapping station, where all was wrapped and boxed up to go. They even helped us take all the loot to the car.)
Now for the eye candy. And the raving. Honestly, I really thought I had died and gone to Bauer heaven.
But first, let me set the stage. The Bauer Pottery Showroom is all the way up in Glendale, CA. This is legal Los Angeles, and the area we were headed to was a little on the wrong side of the tracks. Well, actually it was literally on the back side of Forest Lawn (final resting place of Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, et. al.).
We made a few wrong turns looking for the place. When we finally spotted this sign.
It was on this street.
Um, seriously?
We made a left at the end of Rosslyn, and were greeted with mecca.
And yes, the angels did sing. See the orange door? That is all I see lately, orange doors, here, here and here. I have really wanted to paint our front door chartreuse, but I may have to listen to the divine signs.
I just didn't expect the Bauer Pottery Showroom to look so darn cool.
When we stepped inside I was kind of dumb founded. I had to stand and blink a few times due to the glare of all the multitudes of bright and colorful glazes.
A quick side note. Let's talk Bauer just for a second. Bauer Pottery really hit it in the 30s and the 40s. They had bright and colorful everyday ware produced in L.A. It took off like a rocket. Their star waned in the 50s and they finally shuttered their factory in the early 60s due to a labor strike that they chose not to settle. They were probably done at that point anyway.
What happens next is kind of brilliant and I don't totally have the inside scoop. But apparently the Bauer family let the trademarks lapse. And some brilliant ceramics studio called it just right and re-introduced the brand in 2000, just in time for a massive resurgence in all things retro and mid-century. Well done!
All the pretty colors.
Russel Wright for days.
Can you see why I sort of lost it? We spent over an hour in this warehouse. I just kept circling each display, stopping and staring.
Elegant display of gray, black and white.
Bauer purists turn their noses up at the new Bauer. Not me. I think it is awesome, especially the fact that the glazes are so bright, shiny and new. And the new Bauer is coming up with pieces that the old Bauer didn't sell. See the white sphere in the picture above and a gray one in the picture below? They never had garden orbs originally.
Sophisticated yellow and gray.
So impressive.
The backroom with even more. Rob at the store told me that Hollywood types sometimes come in and buy a bunch of pottery to use in movies or TV sets, like Modern Family or for the Food Network.
Those are dog and cat bowls. Stacked high.
I love chartreuse and loved the pairing with the black.
Anything orange was a little more. Probably the dye process.
Green is my very favorite color. But I am digging the orange. A lot.
Check out the bullet planter. They wouldn't sell it to me!!!! The nerve. Bauer is just now coming out with a ceramic bullet planter and isn't quite there yet with pricing etc. I wanted this orange beauty REALLY bad. Especially when Rob said I couldn't have it.
What a satisfying trip! Highly recommend.
In a day or two, I will show you my haul. Hang tight.
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Quite an interesting location tucked away in Los Angeles. I was impressed by the pottery colors and selections. I watched couples making tough decisions on color and sizes for the their home. It was an amazing and enjoyable outing.
ReplyDeleteAlbert, thanks again for doing all the driving. He was very patient
DeleteOMG...I could roam around in there for days! I'm going to have to go back and look at each picture over and over. There was just too much to take in at one time. I can't imagine what it felt like being there in person. When I got to the huge planters, I thought I was going die!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what you bought.
The big planters were awesome!!! We watched a couple pick out four and debate the colors (jealous). If the SIL gets to LA on a furniture expedition, make him stop by and grab you a few for outside your new bedroom window!
DeleteZowie! I want me a Bauer doggie dish (Christmas is coming).
ReplyDeleteZowie indeed. So Ginger needs a dog bowl?
DeleteOMG!!!! You would have to drag me out of there kicking and screaming. I love Bauer Pottery. I feel like a bit of a trader for saying that since I'm also a devotee to Fiestaware.
ReplyDeleteMy husband almost did drag me out. He was patient for the first 45 minutes and not so much the last 30. I think you can love both equally.
DeleteMy late husband took me to Newell WV, home of Homer Laughlin, so I could buy new dishes on our honeymoon. I remember that there was a group of men (husbands, significant others) sitting in the outlet store on a wooden bench listening to a sports show on the radio while the women shopped. I thought that was a great marketing ploy. It kept the men occupied while we were spending their money.
DeleteLovely post. I can also highly recommend going to Bauer. It's been a while since I went, but it's unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It is pretty unforgettable and inspiring. POW! You get hit with the color and the shapes as soon as you step inside.
Delete