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Broadmoor Animal Figures

#86 2015-12-01

After Dickinson Clay Products (Dickota) went out of business in late 1937, Broadmoor Pottery in Denver acquired many of its animal figure molds.





Dickota Pottery elephant


Dakota Potteries shows a hippo and puppy, and mentions others, including this elephant.

Broadmoor animals the book did not picture, horses, jayhawks, squirrels and cougars, are also likely from Dickota molds.

Colorado Pottery also pictures other dog and pig forms we do not have shots of, and a third squirrel form that is not believed to be Broadmoor.










The animal figures from either outfit are commonly found unmarked.

Glazes usually tell us which is which. Plain glossy reds, turquoises, cobalts, blacks, yellows, greens and off-whites (creams) are probably Broadmoor. Speckled (red on yellow to varying degrees) and matte glazes are likely Dickota.
 

Another tell may be the clay body. Broadmoor clays are an off-white buff. Thus our horse figure below is unlikely Broadmoor on two counts: The glaze is speckly and the clay is a darker brown.
 

Finally if the figures are mounted on trays, they are most likely Broadmoor.










Elephants




The elephants are not too hard to find.





This red example has a thinish glaze, so its features are more well defined than most.




The Denver ink stamp is unremarkable, but at least it has one. Notice also the firing cracks on the back and bottom. Not uncommon for solid forms pushing the limits.














Here's another red one with a more typical thick glaze. Its features are less distinct.

What is noteworthy here is the May Co paper label. "13 cents"?

Broadmoor sold wares at the Daniels & Fisher (D&F) store in Denver. D&F was later acquired by the May Company, so the piece must have somehow been left over after Broadmoor-Denver folded.















These three are unmarked. We think the speckled one is Dickota.














Here is our Dickota-marked elephant again. Check out the crisp features with its matte Niloak/Dickota glaze.
 







This piece was acquired many years ago from the late Wes Garton.
















Hippos







Both unmarked, the plain yellow is likely Broadmoor, the speckled red-on-yellow, Dickota.










Horses









These three horses are likely Broadmoors. The glazes are right.











This one is probably Dickota -- or perhaps another unknown pottery? Check out the very heavy red-on-yellow glaze and dark brown clay. 















Puppies








Cute unmarked cobalt. Broadmoor for sure.











Cream-glazed pup on matte blue tray. Unmarked Broadmoor.











This cream on red tray has a Broadmoor ink stamp.











Squirrels - two types




High Tails

Print





The cobalt also looks to have an old remnant price tag.
 















Cream on red ashtray. Unmarked Broadmoor.











Unmarked Broadmoor yellow.







Low Tails








This one is another pinched from an auction listing. Mostly readable Broadmoor ink stamp.









We bought this broken green one for pennies for its ink stamp.












Here's a cream one on a round green tray. Broadmoor ink stamped.








And one on red.










Jayhawks - two types




Type 1





Broadmoor jayhawks usually sell for crazy numbers at auction. Records have them selling sometimes north of $300. Hard to find, yes, but no way that rare.








We thought we got a deal on this one for around $50 or so. Marked. It was poorly repaired and ours just long enough to photograph.











Same bird on a round tray. Probably Broadmoor with its tray.







Type 2








Here's a second type. Speckled = Dickota?













Cougars








This one may be the hardest to find. Broadmoor ink stamped.

(We find cobalt glaze on the high-relief astray especially attractive.)





Colorado Pottery also shows the big cat on a round Lakewood Pottery tray. Note the pottery acquired Broadmoor molds after it closed in early 1939.












Please contact us if you have insights on this or other topics. Thank you.