Stoneware’s Impact on Western Pennsylvania beyond 1850-1890

Date: August 30, 2010
Contact: Tom Markwardt, 724-329-5811
Contact: Carney Rigg, 724-329-4664

Friends of Fort Necessity News Release 

FARMINGTON, Pa., Potter Phil Schaltenbrand will be the speaker for the Friends of Fort Necessity's September Lecture Series. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 8 in the Visitor Center's auditorium at Fort Necessity National Battlefield.  

The potter, who has written and published three books, will discuss Stoneware's Impact on Western Pennsylvania Beyond 1850-1890. His most recent book, Big Ware Turners, will be available at the program that evening and autographed by the author.   

Schaltenbrand has been making pots since 1967. He was introduced to ceramics at The Tyler School of Art at Temple University, where he earned his Master's degree. He taught art for 35 years, the last 27 as a professor at California University of Pennsylvania.   

For many years he created unique one-of-a-kind pieces of pottery for sale in galleries and art fairs. Research of the 19th century stoneware of Southwestern Pennsylvania brought him to found Westerwald Pottery. This pottery company was the first to make reproduction customized stoneware in America. Only two companies make the blue and gray stoneware.   

Westerwald Pottery has produced and shipped quality custom stoneware throughout the world. Their customers include Arnold Palmer, Robert Mitchum, Hank Aaron, the DuPont family, and President Bill Clinton.  

As a special feature of the evening, Schaltenbrand will identify of pots brought by participants. If you have a pot that has been a mystery, please bring it in for identification.  

This program is sponsored by the Friends of Fort Necessity. It is free and open to the public. For more information on this and other programs at Fort Necessity, please call [phone] or visit the park's web site at www.nps.gov/fone. Fort Necessity is located 11 miles east of Uniontown on U.S. 40, the National Road.  

-FoFN-