THE ANDREW CLEMENS "MARY" SAND BOTTLE, C. 1885

THE ANDREW CLEMENS "MARY" SAND BOTTLE, C. 1885. Contained in a sealed glass pint size drug bottle, the front with an American eagle and American flag within a framework of diagonal colored banding and diamond pattern above and organic flowing band of multi colored sands banded by repeating layered patterns. The verso with oval cartouche displaying a large bouquet of flowers encircling the name MARY and above, the shoulders draped in a repeating swag pattern. Underside with original printed label "Pictured Rock Sand, put up by A. Clemens, deaf mute McGregor, Iowa". Overall height 7 inches.

Provenance:
Peter G. Takos (1889-1976) Dubuque, Iowa where acquired circa 1930, upon his death to his son, Peter Joseph Takos (1922-1986), and upon his death, to his wife Elizabeth who in 1996 gifted the bottle to her son-in-law, Dr. Darryl Mozena, husband of Terry (Takos) Mozena.

The Van Gogh Sand Artist of the Mississippi River
The Art of Andrew Clemens (1857-1894)
Every so often the world is gifted with an artist of extraordinary talent often born into obscurity in a provincial setting. Iowa native, Andrew Clemens, is one such example. An artist born in the rural heartland of 19th century America and despite a severe handicap would go on to develop a genre (sand painting) into something never before seen. Deaf, mute, self-trained, and self-determined, Clemens’ sand bottle art reflects a skill equal to Fabergé and a uniqueness equal to Van Gogh. Andrew Clemens was born in the Mississippi River town of Dubuque, Iowa on January 29, 1857. He was one of six children born to John and Margaretha, who were immigrants from Germany, arriving in the United States in 1851. When he was less than a year old, his family moved 60 miles north of Dubuque to the quaint Mississippi River town of McGregor, Iowa. At a young age, he was afflicted with encephalitis which caused him to lose his hearing and as such his ability to speak. At age 13, Clemens entered the Iowa State Institution for the Deaf located in Council Bluffs, Iowa. There, not only did Andrew learn the foundations of math, reading, writing, and language, but vocational skills as well, especially in the carpentry shop. No one is quite sure when Andrew first began making sand bottles or what exactly was his inspiration. The art itself (colored sand arranged in sealed bottles), was not unknown at that time, circa 1875. However, there are no known examples that come anywhere near the artistry, craftsmanship, and skill exhibited in Clemens’ bottles from his mature period, especially his magnum opus The George Washington bottle (1888), now housed at the Iowa State Historical Society. The earliest description of his work is from an article in the North Iowa Times publication dated July 29, 1875. Bottles dated as early as 1876 exhibit the American eagle with flag, but are not nearly as refined as his later bottles, such as those in the offered lots. By 1892, Clemens published a price list for his “Pictured Rock Sand Bottles.” The prices ranged, based on the size and complexity of the design, from as little as $0.50 to $4.50 per bottle. It would appear from the records that the most popular size chosen by customers were the one-pint glass drug bottles with fitted stopper. The materials for his creations were harvested from the colored grains of sand found in the basal portion of the sandstone near Sand Cave, in an area now known as Pikes Peak State Park, Iowa. To create his art, Clemens carefully inserted various layers and colors of presorted sand into glass bottles and created geometric, lettering, and figurative designs with the simplest of tools made from wire and polished knitting needle sized hickory sticks. His process utilized no adhesive and only the pressure from the other grains of the tightly packed sand held the artwork together. When he had completed a bottle, he sealed the stopper with wax and placed a pre-printed label on the underside as exhibited on the offered lots. It is worthy to note that the printed label quite purposefully and perhaps proudly identifies the artist as a “Deaf Mute”. Just why Clemens chose to include this data about his disposition is unknown. Perhaps it was in response to the feeling of inadequacy he might have experienced as a 19th century man with a disability which he clearly overcame. Perhaps a message to naysayers that the only limits one really has are the ones they place on themselves. What is also interesting is that on many sand art bottle specimens, Clemens created a very abstract but organic flowing band of multi colored sand reminiscent of future abstract expressionist or surrealist painters juxtaposed to his very deliberate and orderly geometric designs and figurative elements.
Even today, modern sand artists have come nowhere close to creating works with the photographic detail and accuracy that Clemens was able to achieve. Further still, there appears to be no surviving record as to just how many bottles Clemens produced. In one article printed during his lifetime he states that he spent 14 days working on a bottle. And in a letter to a client, he writes spending 2 days producing their particular bottle. To those who have seen his bottles firsthand and held them, they are mesmerizing, for it seems impossible to comprehend just how Clemens achieved such craftsmanship in such a fragile medium and with no apparent training. Considering Clemens’ bottles were produced in only a span of 20 years, it is impossible to estimate how many survive to this day. Springing forth from the heartland of America with materials harvested from the cliffs of the Mississippi River, the artwork of Andrew Clemens reflects the ingenuity of the American spirit, and is truly one of the most unique art forms known – perhaps the very pinnacle of American folk art.

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Condition Report: Overall very good original untouched condition. The glass bottle is completely intact with no damage, restoration or repairs. The sand seems stable with no signs of shifting or moisture.