William S. Lieth (Bill) of Burke, VA passed away on April 9th, 2013 at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, surrounded by his loving family. Dear son of Dolores (Nutt Lieth) and Stanley W. Lieth. He was the beloved husband of his wife, Suzanne Matason. He is also survived by his stepsons, Michael Matason of Arlington, VA and Thomas Matason of Bozeman, MT, cherished sister, Leslie Lieth Tedeschi (Philip) of New York City and brother, Douglas Lieth, of Warwick, NY. He leaves a niece, Katherine Tedeschi and nephews, Paul Tedeschi and Ryan Lieth.

Bill grew up in Brooklyn, NY. After graduation from C.W. Post College of Long Island University, he lived in the Washington metropolitan area for most of his life. He earned his JD from George Washington University and was a government contracts attorney during most of his legal career. At his death, Bill was employed by Deloitte LLP and was a Director in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Federal Practice. Bill’s colleague in the OGC, shared that “he was an outstanding attorney and dedicated team member. His friends and colleagues loved Bill for his often biting and hilarious wit, and his propensity to always tell it as he saw it.”

Bill was an avid pottery collector and his collection was recently sold.
FALLS CHURCH, VA.- The 1,000-piece art pottery collection of William S. Lieth will be auctioned by Quinn’s Auction Galleries on Saturday, Dec. 7. A vast and impressive array, the Lieth collection includes masterworks from such great names as George Ohr, Kataro Shirayamadani, R. Guy Cowan, Newcomb and Wayland Gregory. Lieth amassed one of the largest and most diverse collections of Cowan pottery in private ownership. It contains more than 500 pieces, including one of the only 25 “Eve” sculptures ever made by R. Guy Cowan, founder of Cowan Pottery. Eve was created by Cowan in 1928. Just three years later, in 1931, Cowan Pottery went out of business. The sculpture is decorated in terra-cotta glaze and estimated to bring $2,000-$4,000. Also featured is a pair of metallic elephant bookends estimated between $400 and $600. These bookends feature an uncommon bronze metallic glaze that was used by Cowan Pottery. Also included are works by Cowan Pottery’s Thelma Frazier Winter, Margaret Postgate, Walter Sinz and Alexander Blazys. Some of the most desirable items in the sale are the seven pieces by famed Biloxi, Mississippi, potter George Ohr. Included is one of Ohr’s famous lobed bowls he nicknamed his “Mud Babies.” The form demonstrates a refined clay with collapsed folds in a green glaze. Ohr’s impressed signature, “G.E. Ohr, Biloxi, Miss,” is on the bottom beneath the remnants of an uncontrolled glaze (est. $3,000-$5,000). The second-largest portion of the Lieth collection features incredible works from Rookwood Pottery. An 1882 pitcher created by Maria Longworth Nichols, who established Rookwood Pottery Co. in 1880, is one of the top entries. Its decoration features a scene of an owl perched on a tree branch eating his caught dinner with a fork (est. $1,500-$2,000). Rookwood works by Kataro Shirayamadani include an 1894 vase decorated in Rookwood’s standard glaze with a foliate design (est. $1,500-$2,000). Other noteworthy designs include pieces by Anna Marie Valentien, Sara Sax, Matthew A. Daly, Elizabeth Lincoln, and Sally Coyne. The collection also features Newcomb pottery from the women’s college of Tulane University in New Orleans. The Newcomb selection includes a bud vase created by Joseph Meyer and decorated by Marie De Hoa LeBlanc. The decoration features a white clay body with a blue, green and yellow glossy glaze with a daffodil pattern (est. $3,000-$4,000). Other works include pieces by Ada Witt Lonnegan, Mazie Teresa Ryan, Maude Robinson, Sadie Irvine and Lillian Ann Guedry. No American art pottery collection would be complete without Roseville, and the Lieth collection boasts some of the most elusive patterns and forms. The 120-plus pieces of Roseville feature patterns such as Ferrella, Monticello and Futura. Quinn’s Auction Galleries Dec. 7 Pottery Auction featuring the collection of William S. Lieth will commence at 11 a.m. Eastern. For additional details on any lot in the sale, call 703-532-5632 or e-mail info@quinnsauction.com. Visit Quinn’s online at www.quinnsauction.com. The auction catalog may be viewed online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.