After wrapping up my studies for the day, I chose to take advantage of the scenic rural area and pick through the local antique and second hand shops for any potential unidentified early American ceramics. I looked around the Saco River communities and as far east - as Route 1 in Scarborough, Maine.
I did come across a few interesting redware examples that included a nice Virginia mold made by an important known nineteenth-century maker in a yellow glaze with orange halos - but, the most surprising find - was this nineteenth-century teapot hidden in a second-hand vintage shop. It was mixed in amongst a number of turn of the twentieth-century American utilitarian household ceramic wares.
Teapot Found in Southern Maine
19th Century Redware Teapot
Likely an Early American Manufacturer
Likely an Early American Manufacturer
Original Lid - Very Nice Form
Redware Body - Unglazed Bottom
Scars From Stacking Devices are Seen
When I first saw the teapot - I immediately thought it was something special. I knew the form was a known nineteenth-century English form, but the English wares are all refined ceramics with a white body. This teapot has a red body and my initial thought was a possible rare example from nineteenth-century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Let me explain my attribution.
19th Century English Teapot
Photo Courtesy: Private Collection
19th Century English Teapot
Photo Courtesy: Private Collection
19th Century English Teapot
Photo Courtesy: Private Collection
A potter by the name of Andrew Miller is identified in the book, "Handcraft to Industry: Philadelphia Ceramics in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century."
"...Of great importance to the future of the Philadelphia inudstry, however, was the fact that they began the production of black and brown china, a type of tableware that could successfully compete with the imported fine ceramics but require none of the sophistication of their manufacture.
Andrew Miller probably had been among the many Philadelphia potters making the brown-and-black-glazed kitchen and other common household wares that had been a major part of the eighteenth-century potters' output. Sometime between 1808 and 1810, he adapted his traditional materials to the manufacture of a finer product in imitation of English tableware.
Black-glazed china was peculiarly well suited to this industry that was still essentially traditional but was attempting to compete with sophisticated imported products. The local red clay continued to be used, thus avoiding the necessity of locating and learning to work with the light-colored clay used in the manufacture of English refined tableware. The glaze was a standard lead glaze to which manganese was added to produce a dark color.
Though dark-glazed china was introduced to replace the embargoed imported wares, it continued to be made after the end of the war (Revolutionary War). Indeed it remained in regular production at least until mid century." (Handcraft to Industry: Philadelphia Ceramics in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century - Susan H. Myers, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1980, Page 12)
A comparable example of these later nineteenth-century wares in Philadelphia can be seen within the skilled work of the Scottish immigrant potter, Thomas Haig. Haig worked in both redware and stoneware, but for the sake of this study - he is known for making black glazed teapots with a red body - likely imitating the work of English potters.
Thomas Haig Attributed Redware Teapot
Circa 1830-1850
Philadelphia, Pa
Photo Courtesy, Brooklyn Museum - Brooklyn, NY
Production of this described "dark-glazed" china was happening across Federal America in many potter's workshops and kilns. Black glazed wares that mimicked the imported English ceramics were produced in New England, New York, Pennsylvania and related areas. The majority of the produced tablewares were shipped to the major American cities for retail distribution.
For example, the work of Thomas Crafts in Whately, Massachusetts was known for applying an English type of black glaze to his teapots that were exported to Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. The deep black color used in Whately can be compared to the black glazes used on the Jackfield wares of the period in England.
For example, the work of Thomas Crafts in Whately, Massachusetts was known for applying an English type of black glaze to his teapots that were exported to Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. The deep black color used in Whately can be compared to the black glazes used on the Jackfield wares of the period in England.
Likely Thomas Crafts Redware Teapot - Whately, Ma
Early 19th Century
Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Ma
I personally do not have an attribution for the teapot I found over the weekend. Fine black glazed wares with a red body were produced all over America in the first half of the nineteenth-century. However, I do feel the teapot I found may likely demonstrate a Philadelphia influence. The Philadelphia area was seen as a place of great innovation during the nineteenth-century - within the field of early ceramic experimentation.
The Maine found teapot is much-more advanced in form when compared to the simpler teapots produced in Massachusetts and New York with no real influence in form - rather only use. With the idea of the Maine teapot's form likely imitating a known English form - it leads me to believe a Philadelphia attribution may likely be possible. Nineteenth-century Philadelphia is especially known for its advanced attempts at copying or imitating the finer imported English wares - and this teapot could very-well be one of these attempts.
The Maine found teapot is much-more advanced in form when compared to the simpler teapots produced in Massachusetts and New York with no real influence in form - rather only use. With the idea of the Maine teapot's form likely imitating a known English form - it leads me to believe a Philadelphia attribution may likely be possible. Nineteenth-century Philadelphia is especially known for its advanced attempts at copying or imitating the finer imported English wares - and this teapot could very-well be one of these attempts.
A similar green glazed form was seen as part of National Parks Services Philadelphia Archaeologist, Debbier Miller's presentation of artifacts unearthed at - or nearby Independence Park in Philadelphia at Dish Camp in Eastfield Village, New York earlier his year. That form was attributed to a known Philadelphia potter.
Similar Formed Green Jar in Sherds at Bottom of Photo
Early 19th Century - Philadelphia, Pa
Photo Courtesy: National Parks Service - Philadelphia Archaeological Collection
If you would, take a moment and carefully look at the photo of the teapot. I feel it may be a very important discovery in the field of early American ceramics.
Could this form be a short-lived American experiment? It may very-well be. I have never seen this form with a red body before.
It is in my opinion, that the teapot is certainly nineteenth-century and most-likely an American product. The following photo is a better representation of the actual glaze color than the photos above - which were taken in bright light.
Could this form be a short-lived American experiment? It may very-well be. I have never seen this form with a red body before.
It is in my opinion, that the teapot is certainly nineteenth-century and most-likely an American product. The following photo is a better representation of the actual glaze color than the photos above - which were taken in bright light.
Possibly Philadelphia, Pa Redware Teapot
19th Century
What do you think? I am highly doubtful this teapot was made by an early New England potter, but I do feel it is American and very-possibly, Philadelphia.
A Quick Tease Ahead: I will be writing about a nineteenth-century Dorchester, Massachusetts brickmakers contract I discovered with my studies at Harvard University's Baker Library. More Charlestown utilitarian wares and plenty more to come...please stay tuned.
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