2008 Convention Seminar

Dickota Pottery Seminar
by Arley Olson

     On Saturday morning, Arley Olson gave a seminar on Dickinson “Dickota pottery.” This was the first seminar on Dickota to be given at the convention and consisted of slides and talk with questions afterward.

     The Dickota Pottery was started in 1935 at the Dickinson Clay Products Company, which was a brick plant, so they could keep some of the skilled employees on over the winter months. The involvement of Howard Lewis and Charles Grantier with the pottery was discussed. Howard Lewis a ceramic engineer was plant superintendent and came from Niloak Pottery in Arkansas. He brought the swirled (Dickota Badlands) pottery technique to Dickota which proved to be popular. Charles Grantier, a student of Margaret Cable’s, was hired as a designer. The buffalo on a pedestal and a teepee incense burner were but two of his designs. He also was instrumental in designing the advertising ashtrays. The popular motif “Sundogs” which was a unique decoration typifying the rising of the sun over the Badlands was one of his designs. This was applied to various ashtrays, bowls, vases, tiles, etc.  He also made molds and did some glazing.

     With the help of Margaret Cable, Dickota designed a dinnerware set resembling Fiestaware. Advertising ashtrays were a popular item with Dickota, and they turned out more than 75 different ones, along with numerous non-advertising ashtrays in the three years of operation. The cowboy hat ashtray was one of the most popular ashtrays. When Laura Taylor was with WPA in Dickinson, she and Charles Grantier would get together to brainstorm and share ideas on designs, glazes and other pottery information. Dickota is known for the large animal figurines such as lion, elephant, donkey and flickertail. They also made small versions of these along with other small animals.

     The plant closed down in November of 1937.

For more information on Dickota pottery, click here Dickota

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