Roseville Futura Pattern
The Roseville Futura pattern originated in 1928. Futura is possibly the most diverse, complex and artistic line produced by Roseville. It is highly sought after, but availability is below average. There is no single motif in the 80 different Futura shapes, all designed by Frank Ferrell. The only commonality is an emphasis on 20th century design with geometric, Art Deco and Surrealistic elements. Futura is a dramatic break with Victorian decorative elements.
Colors are rich and extravagant: shades of blue, blue/green, pink/green, brown/yellow, mottled brown, tans, browns, oranges, emerald green, deep maroon, shades of gray, red/pink, and mauve/purple. Three different glazes were used: a matte finish, a high gloss and a much-prized crystalline matte glaze. Only four floral designs were used in Futura: a stylized moonflower, bamboo leaves, pinecone and thistle.
This is one of the higher priced, most collectible lines. Some pieces are extremely difficult to locate. Collectors have given nicknames to almost every item in the Futura line. Some of the more colorful are sandtoy, hibachi, bomb, spaceship, elephant leg and Christmas tree. There is no raised or incised mark on the bottom of Futura. A black or silver label may be found as well as red or orange crayon markings of the catalogue number. Some Futura fakes have been found marked “Made in Japan.”