Jugtown historian Steve Compton to trace pottery’s history in Asheboro library talk

Steve Compton

ASHEBORO – The history and influence of Jugtown Pottery will come to light in a talk by pottery historian and collector Steve Compton at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 5, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Randolph County Public Library, Compton’s appearance is free and the public is invited.

His talk, “Jugtown Pottery 1917-2017: A Century of Art and Craft in Clay,” shares a title with the book he published in June tracing the pottery’s history.

Jugtown was founded by Jacques Busbee, an artist from Raleigh, and his wife Juliana. Arriving in Seagrove in 1917, they gave national exposure to the traditional potters of the area by featuring the area’s wares in Juliana’s Greenwich Village tea room and shop.

The enterprising couple later founded Jugtown and employed local potters, paving the way for the development of the Seagrove area as the nation’s pottery center.

Compton’s talk will feature images from his lavishly-illustrated book.

Compton is an avid collector of mid-18th to mid-20th century pottery and has penned numerous books and articles about it, including Seagrove Potteries Through Time and It’s just Dirt! The Historic Art Potteries of North Carolina’s Seagrove Region. Widely recognized for his expertise, he is frequently called on as a lecturer and exhibit curator.

He formerly served as president of the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, and is a founding organizer of the North Carolina Pottery Collectors’ Guild.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.