Winkle Terra Cotta Co. unglazed mascaron

Object/Artifact

National Building Arts Center

Front of a Winkle Terra Cotta Co. unglazed mascaron

A red, unglazed, matte ornamental mascaron depicting a grinning female face, with flowing curly hair and bared teeth

Name/Title

Winkle Terra Cotta Co. unglazed mascaron

Description

A red, unglazed, matte ornamental mascaron (an architectural ornamental face/head without shoulders or a neck) depicting a grinning female face, with flowing curly hair and bared teeth. The mascaron sits on a raised base stamped with the Winkle Terra Cotta Co.

Use

Promotional object, used for the purpose of advertising the Winkle Terra Cotta Co., to deliver samples of their work to potential customers/clients, or to represent products they sold. This was likely a salesman's sample, and the glazed and unglazed mascarons might have been used to show the options for customers looking to order ornamental terra cotta.

Collection

Promotional object displays

Made/Created

Notes

The company began as the Joseph Winkle Terra Cotta works, but in 1889, the business was incorporated under the title of The Winkle Terra Cotta Co. Thus, the mascaron is likely from after 1889.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

Back of mascaron

Transcription

"The Winkle Terra Cotta Co., St. Louis, MO"

Language

English

Material/Technique

Stamped

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Sculpture

Nomenclature Class

Art

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

Terra-cotta

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Measurements are approximate, as the object does not have even planes.

Height

12 cm

Width

12.5 cm

Depth

2.4 cm

Parts

Count

Parts

Mascaron

Material

terra cotta

Color

Red

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Condition Type

Perforation, Fracture, Dust / Particulate Matter

Date Examined

Jul 29, 2026

Examined By

Elena Marshall

Cleanliness

There is slight dirt or dust accumulation in the crevices of the mascaron.

Surface

The surface is in good condition, but there are some white cracks around the front of the mascaron.

Structure

The structure of the mascaron is very delicate, as there are cracks around the base on the back of the mascaron, and there is a hole through the pupil of the figure's right eye, corresponding with the maker's stamp on the back.

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Person

Elena Marshall

Date

Jul 29, 2026

Web Links and URLs

Article taken from a 1904 edition of the journal "Brick" about the Winkle Terra Cotta Co.

Notes

(See Made/Created)

Create Date

July 29, 2026

Update Date

July 29, 2026