Mary Chase Stratton papers
name: label: Creator
content: Stratton, Mary Chase Perry, 1867-1961
label: Names
content: Pewabic Pottery (Firm)
label: Names
content: Freer, Charles Lang, 1856-1919
label: Names
content: Lux, Gwen
label: Names
content: Perry, William Walbridge, Dr.
label: Photographer
content: Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973
topic: label: Occupation
content: Ceramicists -- Michigan -- Detroit
label: Occupation
content: Educators -- Michigan -- Detroit
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women ceramicists
label: Topic
content: American studio craft movement
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated by Mary Chase Stratton in 1961. Some material was lent for microfilming in 1973 by Mrs. Ella Peters, secretary to Stratton, and returned after filming.
creator: label: Creator
content: Stratton, Mary Chase Perry, 1867-1961
setName: label: See more items in
content: Mary Chase Stratton papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of ceramicist and educator Mary Chase Stratton measure 0.5 linear feet and date from circa 1846 to 1959. The collection provides scattered documentation of Stratton's career through artwork including a lithograph signed by Gwen Lux; an award to William Stratton and an honorary degree to Stratton; correspondence from Stratton's father and a few others; personal photographs of Stratton, family members, and photographs of works of art; and a photograph of Charles Lang Freer by Edward Steichen. Also found are printed materials including a brochure for Pewabic Pottery. Among several writings is an unpublished autobiography.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Mary Chase Stratton (1867-1961) was a ceramicist and educator, and a founder of Pewabic Pottery in Detroit, Michigan. 

Stratton was born in Hancock, Michigan, to Dr. William Walbridge Perry and Sophia Barrett Perry. Stratton and her mother moved to Ann Arbor after the murder of Dr. Perry in 1877. Stratton's artistic interests were encouraged by her mother who hired art teacher Lily Chase to instruct her. The family later moved to Detroit where Stratton became a prominent figure in the art world. She co-founded Pewabic Pottery with Horace J. Caulkins around 1903 and after a few years in business they found a permanent home for the pottery studio in a Detroit building designed by William Stratton, who would become Stratton's husband in 1918. 

The studio, now a National Historic Landmark, created architectural tiles found at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Kingswood School for Girls in Cranbrook, the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit, and numerous other public buildings. Stratton taught at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan where she established the ceramics department. 

Stratton died in 1961.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 0.5 Linear Feet
label: Extent
content: 1 Microfilm reel
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1846-1959
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.stramary
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Microfilm reels
label: Type
content: Drawings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2022. Portions of the collection was microfilmed on Reel 593 and was returned to Ella Peters after filming. This microfilm was described in a finding aid by Jayna Josefson in 2025 and the microfilm was digitized in 2025 with funding provided by Smithsonian Collections Information System (CIS) IRM Pool Fund.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: The collection is available on 35mm microfilm reels 1010 and 1021. Microfilm reels are available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm. 

Portions of the collection have been microfilmed on reel 593. The microfilm has been digitized and is available on the Archives of American Art website.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
originalsloc: label: Existence and Location of Originals
content: An autobiography was lent by Mrs. Ella Peters, secretary to Stratton, for microfilming and returned after filming.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of ceramicist and educator Mary Chase Stratton measure 0.5 linear feet and date from circa 1846 to 1959. The collection provides scattered documentation of Stratton's career through artwork including a lithograph signed by Gwen Lux; an award to William Stratton and an honorary degree to Stratton; correspondence from Stratton's father and a few others; personal photographs of Stratton, family members, and photographs of works of art; and a photograph of Charles Lang Freer by Edward Steichen. Also found are printed materials including a brochure for Pewabic Pottery. Among several writings is an unpublished autobiography.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Pewabic Pottery records, 1891-1973.