This booklet details the remarkable history and restoration of a monumental tile mural produced by the Rookwood Pottery Company in 1914. Depicting ships at anchor in striking hand-tube-lined detail, the original work spanned over 70 feet in length and more than 5 feet in height. Each tile was carefully crafted, glazed, and numbered for precise assembly, yet the mural was never installed and remained in storage for decades.
The story follows the rediscovery of multiple sections over the years—first in the late 1980s in Kentucky, later from the Motawi Tile Works—and the realization that these fragments were part of a single, massive composition. Acquired by the Two Red Roses Foundation, the tiles underwent years of meticulous conservation led by restorer Ken Lay. Missing tiles were reconstructed, damaged ones repaired, and original glazes revived to their former brilliance.
The result is a 67-foot-long mural now permanently installed at the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. A separate, restored four-column section is displayed nearby for close viewing, allowing visitors to study the artistry and craftsmanship that went into each tile.
This publication provides an in-depth account of the mural’s creation, disappearance, recovery, and restoration, illustrated with archival images, process photography, and final installation views.
