
WEDGWOOD SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DC
THE WEDGWOOD SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DC PROGRAMS
The WSWDC will hold a minimum of six meetings and events annually. All lecture meetings are free and open to the public however we are currently offering our meetings on Zoom. Our meetings are held at the Total Wine and More meeting room at 13043 Lee Jackson Highway, Chantilly, Virginia. Please note their NEW location is at the now next to the Greenbriar Shopping Center, they are next to the Giant Food store.
Past Programs:
July 18, 2021
Josiah Wedgwood, Cherokee Clay, and the Eighteenth-Century Fascination with Indigeneity
Guest speaker: Dr. Susan Egenolf
Via Zoom Dr. Susan Egenolf, Associate Professor at Texas A&M University, shared her research on Josiah Wedgwood and Cherokee clay, with a focus on the 1767-68 expedition led by Thomas Griffiths to South Carolina to mine and bring that clay back to Etruria. Cherokee clay contains kaolin, an ingredient essential to the production of porcelain; it is sometime referred to as ‘white clay’ and is known as unaker in the Cherokee language. WSWDC members who missed the meeting can see the Zoom video in the Members Only area of our web site.
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April 25, 2021
An Epic of Earth and Water: Clare Leighton and the New England Industries Series
Guest speaker: Dr. Anne Forschler-Tarrasch
Via Zoom Dr. Anne Forschler-Tarrasch, Chief Curator and Marguerite Jones Harbert and John M. Harbert, III Curator of Decorative Arts at the Birmingham Museum of Arts (Alabama) presented a guided tour of the BMA’s exhibition, An Epic of Earth and Water: Clare Leighton and the New England Industries Series. The exhibit focused on the series of twelve plates British-American artist Clare Leighton (1898-1989) created for Wedgwood in 1948. This zoom video will be periodically offered in our Members Only area so check back frequently.
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March 21, 2021
The Enchanted World of Fairyland Lustre: Exploring the Fabulous Wedgwood Collection
at the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts
Guest speaker: Louise Irvine
Via Zoom, Louise Irvine, Executive Director and Curator of the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts (WMODA), took 61 WSWDC Zoom attendees on a tour of the wonderful world of Fairyland Lustre as imagined by Daisy Makeig-Jones for Wedgwood. In total, WMODA displays approximately 100 pieces of Fairyland Lustre, with many more pieces in reserve. Ms. Irvine presented an in-depth lecture on which introduce Fairyland to new admirers and had deep insight for the advanced collectors. This zoom video will be periodically offered in our Members Only area so check back frequently.
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September 20, 2020
Classic Black exhibition at the Mint Museum
Guest speaker: Brian Gallagher
WSWDC’s second online lecture took place on September 20, 2020 and was received by over 50 attendees from across the globe. Our speaker was Brian Gallagher, who took us on a virtual tour of the Classic Black exhibition of black basalt sculpture at The Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. WSWDC members now enjoy learning about Wedgwood exhibitions and collections from distant sources.
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Society activities include:
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Scholarly lectures by Wedgwood authorities and collection archivists
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Presentations by specialized Wedgwood antiques dealers
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Society members are invited to participate in interactive show & tell sessions
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Opportunities for private sales, auctions, and appraisals
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Exhibitions and private home tours
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Informative meetings and other special events
Annual events will include silent auctions, summer socials and other special programs that highlight and promote the study and collection of Wedgwood
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Special exhibits
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Summer Social & Sale
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Silent Auctions
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Appraisal Days
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Museum Exhibitions & Display
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Meetings conclude with refreshments and complimentary wine tastings
Wedgwood Society of Washington DC


April guest speaker
Dr. Anne Forschler-Tarrasch
An Epic of Earth and Water: Clare Leighton and the New England Industries Series

Louise Irvine with WMODA’s Dragon King vase

Ghostly Wood Malfrey Vase at the WMODA


Vases and more vases in Classic Black’s Drawing Room
Brian Gallagher speaks in detail about Wedgwood krater vases in display.



July guest speaker
Dr. Susan Egenolf
Knife and sheath, ear pendants,
and pouch
Indian Village of Pomeiooc (left)
The Towne of Pomeiooc (right)