George Ohr pot goes to Mississippi woman at auction

A piece of local art history has been sold in a Gloster, Mississippi, auction for $4,000.

Joaunna Coon discovered several pottery pieces made by the Mad Potter of Biloxi, George Ohr, at a storage unit auction.

Coon, an auctioneer who owns Gavel & Roux auction house, said Ohr’s pieces can range from $3,000 to $5,000.

Though several out-of-town bidders were calling in, a local woman took the piece home. Coon said she’s glad the piece will remain in Mississippi.

“I had people call from all over the country for the George Ohr. I had three phone bidders — I had four but couldn’t get the fourth one on the phone — and I had a local lady from Meadville, Mississippi. She came in and she had several pieces of George Ohr,” said Coon.

“I’m not going to say her name because I don’t know if she would want me to, but she told me that piece of pottery was going home with her. So when we did the auction, she outbid the phone bidders.”

George Ohr’s career spanned from 1879 to about 1910.