Warren F. Hartmann Obituary
Warren F. Hartmann was born February 15, 1942.
Warren was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Harriet E. and Henry F. Hartmann, and his son Warren F. Hartmann, Jr. He is survived by family members Doris, Timalea and granddaughter Julianna Haley Hartmann, Kerry, Jim and Kristopher Konopka and his dear friends William Bouck and family, Albany, NY, Jeff ingram and family, Laurel, MD, the Tony Zipp family, Sparks, Maryland and countless friends and acquaintances who knew him and eagerly sought his company.
Warren enjoyed playing baseball, participating in Little League as a youngster and playing on baseball teams as an adult. He enjoyed fishing throughout his life. As Warren's parents were in the antique business, he would travel to antique shows and flea markets with them at a time when it was 'a great time to find antiques'.
Following his graduation from high school Warren enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Warren was very proud of his service, and was grateful to the Marine Corps for giving him a strong foundation that would last him a lifetime.
Warren worked at IBM for better than two decades and then worked for the Harmer Rooke Galleries, New York City, including two years as the director of the American Stoneware Department.
Beginning in 1971, when he started his business, Warren went on to spend more than 50 years buying, selling, studying, researching his true passion, that of early American stoneware, and eventually became a leader in his field. He took great joy in learning the attributes of stoneware, comparing unmarked pieces with marked pieces, determining where and when they we made, who they were made by, and took even greater joy in discussing the who's, when's and where's with his good friends who shared his passion.
Warren participated in the Albany Institute of History and Art's exhibit, Paul Cushman: The Work and.
World of an Early 19th Century Albany Potter" (January 20 – May 27, 2007), by lending 7 pieces to the exhibit from his personal collection and by writing the article "A Group of Early Albany Stoneware: A Mystery Solved" that was printed in the exhibition's catalog.
In 2011. Warren was interviewed in the "New England Antiques Journal" January edition by Randall Decoteau where he discussed how he got started in the stoneware business, how, where his primary interest was always in American Stoneware, it took him approximately ten years to narrow his focus and develop his keen interest in New York and Hudson Valley stoneware produced from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. He spoke about the characteristics of this stoneware, what forms were made, the process used to create the stoneware, the glaze and decorations used, and the source of the clay used. He gave advise to beginning collectors, urging them to focus in on what intrigues them the most about the stoneware and discussed the relative importance of the condition of the stoneware when considering a purchase.
Warren finished the article by telling how he learned so much about stoneware. He said: "I started by going to every museum, show and auction that I could. I believe the more pieces you see and handle, the more you will know about stoneware in general as well as stoneware in your area of specialization. I'm always learning and that's really the exciting part of collecting stoneware.".
In 2012, the Chipstone Foundation printed Warren's article, "The Stoneware of Early Albany: A Mystery Solved" in their 2012 edition of "Ceramics in America", in which fifteen figures were included that were attributed to the William Capron pottery, Albany New York, and figures of two pieces marked "Albany/Ware".
Warren lived a full life with good friends, family and maintaining his consistent dedication to learning as much as possible about early American stoneware.
And now must say goodbye to a friend, colleague and someone who was family and considered family to many. He shall live on in our hearts and we will remember the fun-loving, curious, smart, exceptional man that was Warren F. Hartmann.
