18th Century Redware of Manhattan, Charlestown and Philadelphia

The idea of eighteenth-century redware produced locally in nearby Boston, New York City and Philadelphia has always fascinated me. The potters industry no longer exists today, but more than two hundreds years ago - it was a part of everyday culture. The lone ceramic artifacts of any early homestead, town or city can tell the story of everyday life as much as any other relic or antiquity can.

I have had the honor of seeing examples from all three areas and surprisingly, each area has its own distinctive characteristic. Unfortunately, I have only handled local New England remains. The idea of New York City and Philadelphia would be exciting. I feel this could be the greatest and most important study ever attempted in the field of early American ceramics - the opportunity to see the redware from these three major colonial cities and compare the work. If it were ever assembled and published, it would make for potentially the most important book ever written on early American pottery.

The following photos are a sample glimpse of the potential eighteenth-century domestic sherds excavated from each area. There are no attributions at this time to either a domestic or foreign potter, but all examples can easily be argued for a local maker.

Likely 18th Century New York City Redware

Slip Decorated Redware Bowl - Late 18th Century

Likely a Local Domestic New York City Potter

Excavated in Manhattan - South Street Seaport

Photo Courtesy: Chrysalis Archaeology - Brooklyn, New York

Exterior of Slip Decorated Redware Bowl - Late 18th Century

Excavated in Manhattan - South Street Seaport 

Photo Courtesy: Chrysalis Archaeology - Brooklyn, New York

It's interesting seeing the exterior of the bowl demonstrating slip decoration. Typically, this area would have been left unglazed by the potter. It didn't serve any means for the potter or owner besides a decorative tool. The slip was probably rarely seen when in use at the dinner table or around the kitchen. The decoration style on this bowl is similar to a milk pan I own as part of my collection - made more than fifty-years later. Could there be a connection? Was this nineteenth-century potter trying to imitate the work of the early New York potters? It seems this decorative style was popular with many of Connecticut's nineteenth-century potters. Can we make an association between early New York and later Connecticut?

Connecticut or Southeastern, Massachusetts Redware Milk Pan

Early to Mid 19th Century

Hervey Brooks (Goshen, Ct) and Nathaniel Seymour (Hartford, Ct) also worked with similar slip styles. Massachusetts potter, Rick Hamelin told me once, that Hervey Brooks is regarded as not having a steady hand when applying slip to a vessel. It is only theory, but it appears the maker of the bowl found in Manhattan did not have a steady hand. Nathaniel Seymour is also seen as not having a steady hand. Could Brooks and Seymour have possibly been trying to imitate the early New York style? Nathaniel Seymour's skilled hands appears most similar to the work found in Manhattan. It's certainly interesting to see and compare! Take a look and compare for yourself.

Hervey Brooks Milk Pan or Deep Dish - Goshen CT

Early to Mid 19th Century

Photo Courtesy: reggiesreenactments.blogspot.com/

Redware Dish or Plate Pictured Bottom - Middle

Nathaniel Seymour Slip Decorated Redware Dish or Plate - Hartford, Ct

Late 18th to Early 19th Century

Photo Courtesy: Nadeau's Auctions - Windsor, Ct

It's interesting seeing how slip decorative techniques differed from the Northeast to Pennsylvania and the many more relevant American redware communities and regions. Unless there was a potter who had roots from another region - it appears that the use of slip really was unique to each isolated area, but within each area - potters appear to have influenced others through style, form and technique.

The ensuing eighteenth-century redware pitcher seemed incredible to me. It's style is unique. It may have served an obvious household purpose as a pitcher, but additionally the use may have been on a stove, too - for coffee or tea. There was likely a lid at one time. The only comparison I can make between this form and other period wares were the redware forms produced in Jackfield, England. I personally do not believe its a good comparison aside from a similar use and glaze color. The form appears purely unique.

Redware Pitcher Type - 18th Century

Likely a Local Domestic New York City Potter

Excavated in Manhattan - South Street Seaport 

Photo Courtesy: Chrysalis Archaeology - Brooklyn, New York

 Redware Deep Dish or Bowl - 18th Century

Likely a Local Domestic New York City Potter

Excavated in Manhattan - South Street Seaport 

Photo Courtesy: Chrysalis Archaeology - Brooklyn, New York

 Redware Dish or Plate - 18th Century

Likely a Local Domestic New York City Potter

Excavated in Manhattan - South Street Seaport 

Photo Courtesy: Chrysalis Archaeology - Brooklyn, New York

Likely 18th Century Charlestown, Massachusetts Redware

I am not ready to make any attribution for this chamber pot. It was found in the City Square District as part of the Big Dig's archaeology project of the 1980s. It was likely made between 1750 and 1770 by a local potter, but for archaeology purposes - more research still needs to be conducted for complete accuracy. An attribution for nearly all redware and stoneware found in Charlestown will eventually have an attribution.

 Likely Charlestown, Ma Redware Chamber Pot
Circa 1750-1775
Excavated in City Square District of Charlestown, Ma
Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Ma

Nicely Applied Ribbed Handle
Excavated in City Square District of Charlestown, Ma
Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Ma

 Side Shot of Applied Handle - Notice Where It Was Attached
Excavated in City Square District of Charlestown, Ma
Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Ma

Unglazed Bottom of Chamber Pot

Excavated in City Square District of Charlestown, Ma
Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Ma

This is only one example of the many forms and decorative styles seen in the enormous amount of redware unearthed in Charlestown. I have always found it interesting seeing the style used by this potential one Charlestown potter. This is not the only instance the "swag type" design is obvious within the artifacts collection. 

Very interestingly, Frederick Carpenter, a stoneware potter of late eighteenth and nineteenth-century Charlestown, Massachusetts used a similar decorative technique on his jugs. Could there be a connection? Is it possible that Carpenter only expanded his perception of the "swag" to what many would see as a folk art technique used in colonial Charlestown?

My suspicions towards this idea are continuing to grow - especially with what I have most recently seen in Manhattan.

Frederick Carpenter Stoneware Jugs - Charlestown, Ma

Early 19th Century

Photo Courtesy: Skinner, Inc. - Boston

 "Swag" Type Design Used by Frederick Carpenter

 "Swag" Type Design Used by Frederick Carpenter

 "Swag" Type Design Used by Frederick Carpenter

I have previously reported on this idea of imitation in only Charlestown, but with idea of Manhattan - I am now realizing it could potentially be on a national level. The decorative technique seen in slip within Manhattan is not currently seen in Charlestown. The styles and forms of both areas appear to be individual to the region.

Report: Swag Design in Charlestown, Ma

Early 18th Century Philadelphia Redware

Reportedly Hillegas Brothers Redware - Philadelphia, Pa

Circa 1720-1746

Photo Courtesy: Bill Liebeknecht, Hunter Research, Inc - Trenton, NJ

According to Bill Liebeknect, "George-Peter Hillegas and Michael Hillegas were German immigrants of French Huguenot decent. They came to Philadelphia in the ealy 1720s and began making pottery around 1728. They owned property on Second Street in the years between 1735 and 1746. In 1991, Hunter Research, Inc. conducted archaeological investigations at this location and encountered large pits filled with redware waster materials. Other recovered (aside from those pictured above) vessel forms thought to be made by the Hillegas brothers are storage vessels/crocks, a milk pan with a distinctive incised wavy line, a dark brown porringer and a wheel thrown plate or chargers." (Archaeologist George Cress Master Thesis, 2002) 

Here is a link to George Cress' thesis.

It appears that early colonial Philadelphia used a combination of slip and trailing green glaze with its redware. These are known decorations used by Pennsylvania potters for decades later - which continued into the nineteenth-century. 

The redware forms may have varied from city to city in America's earliest years, but the British rule still dictated what could and could not be manufactured within the colonies. The forms may have differed, but the intended uses were limited to only a number of household functions.

"During the 17th and 18th centuries, locally produced redware was usually utilitarian and sometimes of poor quality. From the 1680s through Revolutionary War, potters were restricted by the British from making fancier wares and could only make the more basic forms such as chamber pots, pans, butter pots and other common pieces found in the kitchen and pantry. These types of wares were not economical to ship from Europe and so local production was tolerated." (American Potter - Julia Smith)

I begin my research at the Strawbery Banke Archaeology Department's collection of early Portsmouth, New Hampshire redware today. It's an incredible collection that will be a strong part of my future writing and research. There will be much more to come...