UND’s Cable Pottery Collection accepts ‘Bison Vase’ from the Fine Arts Club of Fargo
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-19-2015
Abstract
UND’s Cable Pottery Collection accepts ‘Bison Vase’ from the Fine Arts Club of Fargo
Donald Miller, of the University of North Dakota Department of Art & Design, is always reluctant to put a dollar figure on a piece of art.
“People tend to focus on the ‘wow’ factor and lose sight of the beauty and talent that went into the object,” said Miller, whose specialty is in the pottery realm.
On Feb. 12, at the UND Gorecki Alumni Center, the beauty of and talent that went into creating one special piece of art was on full display.
That’s when the Fine Arts Club of Fargo gave The Cable Pottery Collection at the University of North Dakota an outstanding piece of Margaret Kelly Cable artwork. Kelly Cable was a UND faculty artist famous for her use of regional materials. UND President Robert Kelley and First Lady Marcia Kelley were among guests who marked the occasion.
The 1933 medium-sized vase has a bison image on two sides. It originated in the Ceramics Department at UND. The “Bison Vase,” as Miller affectionately calls it, is an extraordinary example of regional imagery, of the bentonite pottery technique and of the masterful artistry of Kelly Cable. The materials that went into making the vase came from western North Dakota.
The Bison Vase was given to the Fine Arts Club of Fargo by the North Dakota branch of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC). The value at that time was $12, discounted to $10.50 for the GFWC.
When pressed to venture a guess on today’s value, Miller recounted that the Fine Arts Club of Fargo was offered $15,000 for it four years ago. He added that estimates have gone as high as $20,000 for the piece.
“They (Fine Arts Club of Fargo) decided to keep the piece and consider where it should ultimately be housed,” Miller said.
School artists and administrators are honored that the club decided to return the vase to its place of birth at UND, where it will be valued far more for its beauty than its market worth.
David DoddsUniversity & Public Affairs writer
Recommended Citation
David L. Dodds. "UND’s Cable Pottery Collection accepts ‘Bison Vase’ from the Fine Arts Club of Fargo" (2015). UND News Features. 530.
https://commons.und.edu/features-archive/530