Paul J. Katrich

Positively Unique and Rather Extraordinary
Luster Pottery

The Bells

by Edgar Allan Poe

"The Mercy Of The Fire"
Luster Vessel 1100 (14-1/2").

"The title comes from a stanza in
Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, "The Bells":
Bells are "appealing to the mercy of the fire."
To a potter, fire is fundamentally a creative element.
I also enjoy the idea of fire as a source of
redemption or purification. The abstract flames
on this animated vase are striving for something
positive. You may be the judge of their objective."

[Description by Paul J. Katrich]

To see a larger photograph,
please click on an image.

The Bells

by Edgar Allan Poe

- 1849 -

I

Hear the sledges with the bells
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

II

Hear the mellow wedding bells,
Golden bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
Through the balmy air of night
How they ring out their delight!
From the molten-golden notes,
And all in tune,
What a liquid ditty floats
To the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats
On the moon!
Oh, from out the sounding cells,
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
How it swells!
How it dwells
On the Future! how it tells
Of the rapture that impels
To the swinging and the ringing
Of the bells, bells, bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells
To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!

III

Hear the loud alarum bells
Brazen bells!
What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells!
In the startled ear of night
How they scream out their affright!
Too much horrified to speak,
They can only shriek, shriek,
Out of tune,
In a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire,
In a mad expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire,
Leaping higher, higher, higher,
With a desperate desire,
And a resolute endeavor,
Now - now to sit or never,
By the side of the pale-faced moon.
Oh, the bells, bells, bells!
What a tale their terror tells
Of Despair!
How they clang, and clash, and roar!
What a horror they outpour
On the bosom of the palpitating air!
Yet the ear it fully knows,
By the twanging,
And the clanging,
How the danger ebbs and flows:
Yet the ear distinctly tells,
In the jangling,
And the wrangling,
How the danger sinks and swells,
By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells
Of the bells
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells
In the clamor and the clangor of the bells!

IV

Hear the tolling of the bells
Iron Bells!
What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!
In the silence of the night,
How we shiver with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone!
For every sound that floats
From the rust within their throats
Is a groan.
And the people - ah, the people
They that dwell up in the steeple,
All Alone!
And who, tolling, tolling, tolling,
In that muffled monotone,
Feel a glory in so rolling
On the human heart a stone
They are neither man nor woman
They are neither brute nor human
They are Ghouls:
And their king it is who tolls;
And he rolls, rolls, rolls,
Rolls
A paean from the bells!
And his merry bosom swells
With the paean of the bells!
And he dances, and he yells;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the paean of the bells
Of the bells:
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the throbbing of the bells
Of the bells, bells, bells
To the sobbing of the bells;
Keeping time, time, time,
As he knells, knells, knells,
In a happy Runic rhyme,
To the rolling of the bells
Of the bells, bells, bells:
To the tolling of the bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells
Bells, bells, bells
To the moaning and the groaning of the bells.

Click Here to View
"The Mercy of the Fire"
Luster Vessel at the
New York Ceramics Fair - 2007

Click here to view
"Evening Star"
a luster vessel inspired by that
Edgar Allan Poe poem.

This website contains a complete visual archive
of the ceramic works by noted Studio Potter
Paul J. Katrich. His pottery is part of
important, public and private collections.

We hope you find the same delight
from these images and information
as was found in creating the pottery.

Internet Archive and History

We have kept this Internet archive since
the earliest existence of the vessels.
Believing Katrich Pottery to have permanent
value and historical resonance, we have
expended substantial resources, both material
and intellectual, to maintain this record.
In so much as possible, it is absolutely complete.

This documentation virtually assures the
authenticity and integrity of all Katrich vessels,
however far they may travel. Our collectors will
always enjoy total access to the true story of
their cherished pottery.

To our knowledge, no other studio pottery,
vintage or modern, can claim so sober and
comprehensive an account of unique work.
In the realm of ceramics, nothing comparable
has been attempted or so long preserved.

We welcome visitation from collectors, students,
scholars and pottery enthusiasts of every stripe.
Katrich Studios, Inc., is the ultimate authority
for the works of Paul J. Katrich.
We hope that you enjoy our efforts.

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Design and Lecture Services

Paul J. Katrich is a modern traditionalist.
He is also a degreed Art Historian
and frequent guest lecturer in the
fine and decorative arts.

An accomplished sculptor and artist in many media,
he offers a variety of professional design services.

"I am always delighted to speak to
you regarding your needs and interests.
I am pleased to discuss gallery and museum shows,
charitable events, commissions, lectures or
special purchases. You may expect a prompt
and polite response." - Paul J. Katrich

Your questions and comments
are gratefully received,
by sending e-mail to
Luster@Katrich.com
or by phoning (313) 359-3400


To see a larger photograph,
please click on an image.

Fine Art Pottery

The pottery consists of fine,
hand-thrown ceramic vessels,
fired with rare colors and treatments,
including in-glaze iridescent lusters.

Each piece is utterly unique
in design and execution:
no repetition is possible.

Flawed or inferior examples are
destroyed: no second-quality Katrich
pottery is ever permitted to enter
the marketplace.

An artist-signed and sealed
"Certificate of Authenticity",
with the work's # and image,
accompanies each vessel.

The Pottery Marks
of Paul J. Katrich

From 1997-2005
his Registered Trademark
(a Grecian Sphinx)
was glazed and fired
onto the bottom
of the vessels.




Beginning in 2006
his Registered Service Mark
(a Grecian Sphinx with
"Katrich" added below)
has been glazed and fired
onto the bottom
of the vessels.

The Katrich Mark

A Personal Description by the Artist

"A Grecian Sphinx appears on all authentic ceramic works of Paul J. Katrich. The Sphinx is a symbol shrouded in myth and antiquity; revered in many cultures. "I adopted this signature to demonstrate respect for the artists of the ancient East, whose pottery is a constant source of wonder. For me, the Sphinx is a guardian of arcane knowledge and many mysteries. "By tradition, the vessel held in her paws denotes life and special insight. "She has faithfully served Katrich Studios, as a companion and good-luck token, for many years. May she do as much for the possessor." Paul J. Katrich

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Photography and website about Paul J. Katrich are by George A. Lees. All text and graphics at this website are copyright protected. The descriptions, designs and photography of the art, pottery and history of Paul J. Katrich are copyright © 1995-2008 Katrich Studios, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Individuals and entities may not reproduce, use, copy, plagiarize or otherwise borrow anything without the express written permission of Katrich Studios, Inc. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of U.S. and international copyright law. The only exception is for limited, traditional "Fair Use", where attribution to Paul J. Katrich must be indicated. Additional text and photography with links about places, events and websites are owned by their respective copyright holders. Katrich Studios, Inc., provides these links as a courtesy, and is not responsible for use of these links or the content on other websites. Your privacy: if you send us e-mail and paper addresses, they are only used to send tickets and information about Katrich Studios. We will not sell or give your addresses to others. The Trademark of Paul J. Katrich, shown on these pages and elsewhere, is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office, and all rights are reserved. The Service Mark of Paul J. Katrich, shown in a menu and elsewhere, is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office, and all rights are reserved.

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