WESLEY TRIPPETT | “CRAB” INKSTAND

Wesley H. Trippett began his career working for Tiffany Studios in New York as a designer of architectural and decorative metalwork. He became acquainted with pottery during his tenure at Tiffany, where he modeled clay to articulate his designs. When he moved to California around 1895--a move motivated by his struggle with tuberculosis and need for a milder climate--he settled in Redlands and founded Redlands Pottery around 1904. The present inkstand, which Trippett signed on the crab's foot, appears to be an experimental work and showcases the artist's skill for modeling subjects from nature. The subject of the inkstand harkens to one of Trippett's "Crab" Vase--one of his most successful and recognizable pottery designs at Redlands.