"The Final Kiln Opening" is a pictorial account of the estate auction of renowned North Carolina potter Burlon "B.B." Craig (1914-2002). Long considered to be one of North Carolina's finest folk potters, Craig's work is featured in the Smithsonian Institution and other fine museums across the United States. Author Philip E. Burrow Sr. traveled to the June 2003 auction in the Catawba Valley and spent two full days photographing and recording sales prices and information for the hundreds of pottery items auctioned. The ...
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"The Final Kiln Opening" is a pictorial account of the estate auction of renowned North Carolina potter Burlon "B.B." Craig (1914-2002). Long considered to be one of North Carolina's finest folk potters, Craig's work is featured in the Smithsonian Institution and other fine museums across the United States. Author Philip E. Burrow Sr. traveled to the June 2003 auction in the Catawba Valley and spent two full days photographing and recording sales prices and information for the hundreds of pottery items auctioned. The results of that work are presented in this book, which includes ninety-seven color photos and two early black and white photos of Craig at work in his pottery shop. Pictures of specific pottery items sold and candid auction scenes are both presented. Additionally, four appendices are included. The first three are reprints of feature articles about Burlon Craig as published in an antiques and art trade publication; these articles are titled "Remembering Burlon Craig, 'The Michelangelo of Clay'"; "Burlon Craig and His Legacy"; and "Burlon B. Craig, Folk Potter - Vale, N.C." The final two appendices feature images of Craig's pottery stamps and in-depth reviews and assessments of five books that should be in the library of any collector of Burlon Craig pottery. The books reviewed include "Raised in Clay, The Southern Folk Pottery Tradition" by Nancy Sweezy; "Turners and Burners, The Folk Potters of North Carolina by Dr. Charles G. Zug III; "Catawba Clay: Contemporary Southern Face Jug Makers" by Barry G. Huffman; "Two Centuries of Pottery. A Catawba Valley Tradition" by Bill Harpe, Scott Smith, and David Springs; and "North Carolina Art Pottery, 1900-1960 Identification & Value Guide" by Dr. A. Everette James. "After looking at all those pictures and reading the text, I felt as if I had attended the auction," one advance reader has stated.
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