This town has had many health seekers searching for a cure to their tuberculosis.   And some were actually cured, but then again, some were not.   Among the people who came for the cure in 1902 was Artus Van Briggle.  He was a Paris trained ceramacist who had developed a distinctive matte glaze formula for his pottery.   He won several prestigious international competitions, but unfortunately succumbed to his condition in 1904.   However, his missus stayed on and continued the business and left us with this splendid building.

It’s the ultimate elf house (okay, so I admit I would love to be an elf, or even a hobbit but I am rather tall for this).

The details are so gorgeous!

Like this lovely cat that guards the building.

Or a gargoyle.   Every building should be required to have a gargoyle.

And the building is mostly unchanged since it was built.

The business was sold several times over the years and eventually moved out of the gorgeous little building.  The Arts and Crafts movement was over, but as we have a plentiful supply of tourists, the market for this pottery continued.   I think we bought the large bowl for my mother-in-law, and I recall buying the bud vase for myself some years ago.   The pottery finally closed several years back, but I have heard a rumor that someone is planning on starting up again this summer as we still have a plentiful supply of tourists.