James Chase Pottery - Merrimacport, Mass: 1820-1860

My recent visit to various important archaeological and pottery collections in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington D.C. opened my eyes to the skill of American potters as a collective industry. Pennsylvania's artistry with its German and Dutch influenced wares was arguably ahead of many other regions with its skill through applied decorations. The state or region arguably created the most accomplished wares of the entire collective American utilitarian earthenware industry. Redware made in Maine was different to that made in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Western New York redware was really unlike anything made in Virginia. New York City and New Jersey stoneware was different to  that made in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The Moravian potters of North Carolina were really unique with little similarities seen in America outside of Philadelphia. The potters of South Carolina were different to those who worked in George and Alabama. Of course there are exceptions, but each area really did demonstrate its own characteristics when compared to the next. The American utilitarian pottery movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was one of many areas that showed America's desire and eventual accomplishment of independence. The American industry was really one whole entity that altered its regional appearance, but should be seen as a total achievement.

The Lura Woodside Watkins collection of early New England pottery opened my eyes to the variety that each potter worked with. Most potters had a common form and glaze which they are most known for today; however, potters did shy away from their tradition techniques. Glazes did vary and so did forms. Unfortunately, many of these exceptions have not survived today beyond shards - and shards do not typically represent an entire potter's output either.

The Daniel Bayley Pottery site in Newburyport, Massachusetts produced many colorful glazes that ranged from black and browns to greens and oranges with wonderful incised decoration. I did not previously realize the use of wavy line decoration was seen in eighteenth century Massachusetts beyond Essex County and Braintree.

Shortly after Watkins death - the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. put together an exhibit of many of the redware jars, jugs, bowls, dishes, plates, pans and such forms that she had collected in her lifetime. The brochure described how Watkins collected so many wonderful examples of American pottery:

"Taking advantage of the mobility provided by a new form of transportation, the automobile, Mrs. Watkins drove through the countryside and often found objects still near their place of original use or manufacture. In many cases, her careful study of local historical documents enabled her to identify the makers or previous owners of the artifacts. By thus collecting and documenting objects made and used by common men and women, Mrs. Watkins was one of several innovative scholars of her time who studied artifacts in the hope of discovering their importance in the everyday life of the past."

After spending some time studying the Watkins collection - I began to realize that simple forms commonly attributed to a potter were sometimes made by another related potter. Forms did travel or live-on from one generation to the next. Potters did not tend to completely copy each other, instead imitation was commonly seen.

I recently wrote an article about William Pecker and his work in West Amesbury, Massachusetts (today known as Merrimacport) for the New England Antiques Journal. West Amesbury is a small riverside community north of Boston. It's a matter of miles from New Hampshire and located directly on the Merrimack River. The river likely served as a means of transportation for Pecker's business. Wares were probably shipped in both directions. They may have been peddled by dirt roads to the north, too. Pecker died in 1820 when his kiln collapsed on top of him. His nephew, James Chase took over the business.

All I had known of Chase's work until recently were partially glazed utilitarian wares in traditional forms. Watkins does not mention much more than that in her book, Early New England Potters and Their Wares. She only really attributes one crock that is only glazed on the interior. As part of her collection in the Smithsonian - are a few examples of Chase's more prolific work. All were found within the Merrimacport area. The glaze colors are vibrant. They include bright greens, yellows and a wonderful array of orange and yellow halos seen throughout the glazes. The forms include bowls and wonderful pitchers. These forms are typically attributed to Maine potters or William Pecker. They are actually the work of James Chase. Chase Pottery from 1820 to 1860 created wonderful redware. There is no proof of it, but stoneware may have been attempted as well.

It's this concept that I am trying to suggest - that forms and glazes from potters do vary. They did not always stick to any one exact form for their jugs or related jars. They may have manufactured a number of forms. If you read the Pecker article above - I mention a redware jug he made that was decorated in slip with a written date of 1797. It was one-time a part of the important Nolan collection of redware. It has since become a part of another important collection.

I saw this jug last week. Its form is different than the traditional jug form Pecker is most-known for. Pecker may have used a few styles for his jugs. Some of his forms appear to have transformed in the nineteenth century. This is probably what happened with Pecker's jugs. It is not entirely known because there are not enough surviving examples to go by. It should always be kept in mind that the inventory of any potter will probably never be known. We only understand today - what has survived and the shards that are available.

I suggest studying more about your favorite potter. The only work to go by for James Chase is the sole picture seen in the back of Early New England Potters and Their Wares. That example shows his simplest work. The following photo is a covered pot (lid missing) found in a house in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. New Ipswich is a short distance from Merrimacport. It matches one example of Chase's work in the Watkins collection at the Smithsonian. It is simple, but highly skilled and very-well potted. Chase's work from here on transcends into colorful wares that are very influenced by Pecker's forms and ability. Chase did not copy, but rather - he took what Pecker taught him and developed that knowledge into his own style. I'll leave that up to you to determine how those forms appear today. I will say…it is surprising!

 James Chase Pot - Merrimacport, Mass

Circa 1840

Missing Original Lid

Form Similar to Some Jars Seen at the Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Mass

 Nicely Applied Handle

Interior Glaze Color Used on Some of Chase's Utilitarian Work

Similar to that Seen in South Danvers, Mass at the Osborn Pottery

Much More to Come...

A Redware Pot Given for Crocks that Are Exchanged in the 1800s

Have you ever considered the idea of an unsatisfied customer who shopped with the utilitarian potters of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries? What if a crock was defective? What if it leaked? What if it had an interior fracture which was not obviously seen? I have never personally thought of it until recently - but what if a customer was not happy? How did it get resolved? Could they return the crock they bought for a new one? Could they get their money back? Did the potter guarantee their work? Was this even a consideration or were most pots flawless? Did some potter's have a bad reputation for products that were not well made?

A very unusual miniature pot emerged recently in Lynn, Massachusetts. It was manufactured by Hews Pottery of North Cambridge, Massachusetts in the latter years of the nineteenth century. North Cambridge borders Boston. It's about fifteen miles south of Lynn. It appears the pot did not travel far over its more than a hundred and forty year lifespan.

 Miniature Gift Box with Redware Present Inside

Made at Hews Pottery - North Cambridge, Ma

Made After 1870

Box Probably Not Made at Hews Pottery
Probably Made Somewhere Local

Hews Pottery in North Cambridge was a company that had adapted to the Industrial Revolution. Its workforce was large. The company had originally begun in Weston, Massachusetts as a small farming-type business producing typical utilitarian earthenware. However, the industry's demands forced Hews Pottery to alter its business model into a company that adapted with the Industrial Revolution. The business moved to Cambridge and began mass producing earthenware. The wares made in Weston are considered the most rare today. Cambridge forms are still considered rare, but not as much as those manufactured in Weston. The forms in Cambridge showed a major emphasis towards molded wares - while in Weston, all earthenware was hand turned. Hews Pottery is most-known for its line of floral wares, but redware jugs, milk pans, crocks and related forms were also made. The floral line really expanded in North Cambridge. The wares in Weston were more traditional earthenware forms of the period.

 Molded Hanging Flower Pot

Hews Pottery - North Cambridge, Ma

Made After 1870

 Original Chain Used to Hang the Flower Pot

 Shallow Green and Black Flower Pot

Probably Molded

Made in North Cambridge,Ma

Produced After 1870

 Flower Pot was Painted on Top of Red Clay

Rare HEWS Pottery Stamp

The jar found in Lynn gave a very unusual message. From the moment I saw it - I wondered what the purpose of the painted words were intended for. Was it the obvious?

Take a look.

 "Many Happy Returns of This Day"
Saying Painted Across the Rim of Jar

 Floral Scene with a Painted Horse Shoe

 Diminutive Handle with a Painted Floral Scene

Very Nice Form

It reads across the rim, "Many Happy Returns of this Day." I have never previously thought about it, but I wonder when the idea of returned merchandise began. I really don't have an exact answer, but it likely grew with the Industrial Revolution. The idea of mass production may have expanded unsatisfied customers. The only reason I can come up with for this jar - is it was a means to increase customer satisfaction when a product was returned. They were given this small token as a way to keep positive relations with customers. Its really a side of the potters industry that I have never previously considered. It's more than only the potter's industry, too. All industries grew with the Industrial Revolution. Industries really grew from handmade products made in lesser amounts to industry settings inside factory-type buildings. 

Customer satisfaction probably became a concern as companies tried to compete. This small little jar may represent a product line created to keep customer satisfaction after an unpleasant buying experience. 

But I must ask - why is it in the form of a chamber pot? 

Or is it a stylized bean pot? The rim makes it appear as a chamber pot. Either way - the painted floral decoration is original, simple- but very-well done. I have never previously seen anything like this before I found it. I have never seen anything like it since. It's very interesting to see. It really does show the transformation the potter's business took from a small shop setup into a factory atmosphere. A small potter's business most likely could not have afforded to make gift-type products to hand out to customers, but a large enterprise employing more than a hundred workers could. I wonder if there was a bin full of these boxes with little toy miniature figures laying around for customers who returned products. Its fascinating to understand how the atmosphere may have appeared that required the use of such a product.

My interpretation is the jar was given to customers who returned a product; however, there may be other interpretations, too. At the least, its an interesting thought - don't you think? A small redware product given for a much larger one that was returned - I would never have considered that. Very interesting.

Much More to Come...

Charles Lawrence Pottery Handled Vase Part 2

Charles Lawrence Jar Report 1

All the paper and much of the glue has been carefully removed from the Charles Lawrence Pottery jar recently found in a house clean-out on Boston's North Shore. The jar form is wonderful. I am still not sure if the black paint is original or not, but for now - it's staying. There is still a good amount of glue on the jar. It will probably be sent for a professional cleaning soon. I have never personally ever seen anything like it before. The form is accomplished. The applied handles are proportionate to the jar. The jar kind of represents the transformation the stoneware and redware world made in the late nineteenth century into the Art Pottery Movement - which was dominated by such companies as Grueby Pottery, Merrimac Pottery Company, Marblehead Pottery and William Walley Pottery of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in Massachusetts. Many of the American businesses who worked during the Art Pottery Movement worked with molded wares, but most the Massachusetts companies all hand-turned highly accomplished examples. I view the most prominent years at Lawrence Pottery as a cross-over movement between the eighteenth and nineteenth century  red clay everyday household wares to the late nineteenth and twentieth century forms made during Art Pottery Movement. The Beverly examples are still utilitarian by nature, but show more of an interest towards creativity and skill than many other potters. William Pecker (1790-1820) of Merrimacport, Massachusetts and the potters of Southeastern Massachusetts (1790-1830) had a similar vision, too.

For a real national perspective - I would compare the output at Charles Lawence's Pottery to the potters who worked in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia between the 1870s and the 1890s. It can said that Charles Lawrence's Beverly, Massachusetts company of the 1870s to the 1880s produced earthenware that slightly incorporated the utilitarian redware pottery of years past - with art pottery from the years that followed. That's very similar to how many of the Shenandoah Valley potters worked in the late nineteenth century. That's how I view the Virginia examples today. It's utilitarian by nature, but demonstrates a vision of art. (Examples of Shenandoah Valley Pottery)

The jar below likely served a floral need of some-kind. The jar is probably not exactly viewed as utilitarian, but certainly not art pottery either. I view it as some-sort of cross-over example. The Lawrence Pottery was certainly a utilitarian earthenware company that created highly accomplished examples for household needs, but there are some forms that transformed from a utilitarian sense into a jar or vase which appears more special. I feel this jar defines that idea.

 Charles Lawrence Pottery Handled Jar or Vase - Beverly, Ma

Circa 1870-1880

 Nicely Proportioned Neck and Lip

 Nicely Applied Handle

Not Sure If Black Paint Is Original

 Well Proportioned Bottom and Base

 Type of Clay Lawrence Pottery Is Known For

An Overall Great Form

I had thought about leaving the paper on the jar, but its age did not warrant it. The paper was probably from the early to mid twentieth century. When I removed much of the glue and paper - I realized the wonderful form that laid underneath. The glue residue seen is much less than what was originally on the jar.

My hunt for Lawrence Pottery from the 1870s to 1880s continues. I feel this ten year period in Beverly was some of the more accomplished wares from the nineteenth century in New England. Many may disagree, but my reasoning is the skill and unique vision that transformed the wares into unexpected forms discovered today. Its really been a subject that has not received a lot of attention through publication and I am having a lot of fun discovering the unexpected...plus, I live only a matter of miles from where the factory once operated.

Much More to Come...

Discovery: A Great Handled Jar Made in 19th Century Beverly, Mass

Over the weekend - a rare redware form made in Beverly, Massachusetts emerged from a house clean out on Boston's North Shore. The handled jar was covered in a tissue paper-type material from many years ago. The thin paper was placed in an asymmetric design - covering the entire urn or vase. The paper was partially painted while other parts were originally colored. It was likely placed on the jar many decades ago. A type of glue was seen that attached the paper to the urn. There appears to be no condition issues beyond the attached paper and glue that can fortunately be carefully removed. The jar stands ten inches tall. It's really one of the best forms I have seen emerge from the potters who worked on Boston's North Shore of the nineteenth century. The maker was probably Charles Lawrence, but the skilled potter, Edwin A. Rich was also employed at the company in the 1870s. Its feel, form and size are perfect.

 Charles Lawrence Pottery Redware Handled Urn - Beverly, Ma

Made Between 1870-1880

The Paper is Not Original

There is currently a conservation project happening to properly remove all the paper and glue. The jar is beautifully potted with the skill that Charles Lawrence's Beverly Pottery was known for. The black paint around the base and handles are believed to be original, but easily removable if not. The Merrimac Pottery Company in Newburyport, Massachusetts made a similar form at the end of the nineteenth century with painted handles. I believe this is what happened in Beverly with this form. It is possible the Merrimac Pottery Company copied the idea.

The wares made in Beverly between 1870 and 1880 are really unpredictable. The business changed its output in 1870 and its products are really unique. There is no reason why what was made. The company really produced what they felt would sell. I feel the pottery made in Beverly in the 1860s and 1870s are some of the most-accomplished wares manufactured in New England of the nineteenth century - but that's just my feeling - others may disagree.

Initially, a lot of the paper came off easily. It basically just flaked off with a water spray and a safe tool. I believe the jar to have been intended to be used as a vase to hold flowers. All the forms made in Beverly of the 1870s appear to have been high-end products intended for wealthier households or special occasions. Lawrence Pottery had transitioned from everyday utilitarian wares into a company who provided more high-end wares. They likely sold their products to quality stores in Boston and related areas for distribution. I know of a pitcher made in Beverly that is now in a private collection that bears the mark of a prominent Boston merchant on its base.

Paper Removed from Jar

Jar with Some Paper and Plenty of Glue Still On It

Stay tune to see how this jar eventually turns out. It appears to be one of the finer forms I have ever seen produced in Beverly.

Much More to Come...

Early Redware Milk Pan Found in Winterport, Maine

The French and Indian War fought between British America and New France began over a dispute over land in the Ohio River Valley. Both sides felt  they had a valid claim - and eventually, both sides felt threatened by each other over land ownership in the manner each side approached the conflict. War eventually broke out with Britain eventually taking claim of the land known as New France in 1763. A portion of the land that made up New France is what many of us see today as part of Maine. The boundaries became a part of the American colonies and more specifically - it fell under Massachusetts governing control.

A group of Massachusetts soldiers stationed at Fort Pownall in the Penobscott River region of Maine founded the town of Frankfort in 1766. The region was originally a part of New France. The area became a major distribution center for areas that emerged inland of the eighteenth century. Like many rivers of New England that reach the Atlantic Ocean - the Penobscot River does not freeze over in winter months. It was a busy area for trade, commerce and ship building. The area's rich granite quarries became a major commercial enterprise, too. The commercial success of Frankfort's industries led to Maine's growth of further nearby inland settlements.

Frankfort was eventually divided into four equal parts in the nineteenth century. Frankfort became a shadow of its former self when Stockton Springs, Prospect and Winterport all formed.

Winterport was founded on March 12, 1860. The town was the heart of Old Franfort's marketplace. It was located directly on the Penobscott River and served many area needs before it was established as a town in New England. Winterport was a busy area for trade and shipping in the winter months - therefore how it was named Winterport. It served a major distribution center of imports that were received for industries outside the area of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Redware, stoneware, furniture, pewter, silver and produce were likely all included as imports as part of the local economy. Winterport merchants probably received the goods at the town docks and then distributed them to households in the region from shops in the local marketplace. There were likely many contracts between Winterport merchants and the industries which worked to the south. Imports were probably seen at Fort Pownell in 1750s and 1760s, but on a much-lesser scale.

There have been many stories by respected antique dealers of quality examples of early American hand-crafted antiques discovered in area homes in Winterport and the surrounding communities. Recently, I was offered a redware milk pan that came directly out of a Winterport home. Its entire history is not known, but odds are the milk pan is original to the area.

 Redware Milk Pan Found in Winterport, Me

Likely Late 18th or Early 19th Century
Circa 1770 to 1830

Large Redware Milk Pan with Nice Orange Glaze
Measures 17 Inches Across

The early potters in Maine were known for their redware milk pans. The form was a part of nearly all potters inventories and output. However, many Maine-made milk pans typically demonstrate a semi or completely rounded rim or lip. This milk pan's rim is flat and extends downward at a strong angle. I have seen milk pans made in Vermont with an extended flat rim, but those typically extend directly outwards not downwards. The rim on the Winterport found pan is about an inch long. It also shows an exaggerated rounded base that is not typically seen either. That too is a trait sometimes seen in Vermont.

  Redware Milk Pan Rim

   Redware Milk Pan Rim
Measures About 1 Inch in Length

  Redware Milk Pan Rounded Base

This summer I walked along the shores of the Mystic River in Charlestown, Massachusetts to see how the area appeared. I imagined the great battle that took place in 1775 atop Bunker Hill. I thought of Boston - when it was governed by England and the troops that commanded it until George Washington and an army of  patriots overthrew the British in 1776. The loyalists were all then forced north from Boston - into areas that we now see as Canada. If New France had still existed, they may have not gone as far north and instead, ended up in parts of Maine.

The march for America's independence all really began near the shores of Charlestown. I wanted to see what sorts of artifacts may be laying on the shores of the Mystic River. I was curious to see if any obvious redware or stoneware from industries past laid around. It was really a collective gathering of modern artifacts to those that date to the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. There was no real rhyme or reason why what was where, but I still found it interesting.

Artifacts Found in Charlestown, Ma

All 18th or 19th Century

I found an 18th century clay pipe - possibly earlier. Probably an eighteenth century imported Dutch wine, rum or onion bottle. It most-likely predates the American Revolution and may have witnessed all that went on in Massachusetts in the 1770s. There were also a handful of domestic redware and stoneware shards from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The rim on the milk pan reminded me of a similar rim on a shard seen in Charlestown. It was not from a milk pan, but instead, some sort of storage crock. There is no way to really attribute it to a local Boston-area manufacturer, but it is possible. I carefully analyzed both rims and they appear to have a similar manufacturing technique. The rim on the Charlestown shard is smaller, but so wasn't likely the overall form. I personally do not feel the shard found in Charlestown is from the same potter who made the milk pan, but it certainly does indicate how potters influenced each other and techniques traveled.

 Redware Shard Found in Charlestown, Ma

Likely a Form Used for Storage

Found on the Shores of the Mystic River

Probably 18th Century

 Unusual Rim that is Flat and Extends Downwards

 Another Angle of Rim

Shows a Similar Rim to that Seen on the Milk Pan

It is my belief the milk pan was made in either Maine or possibly Vermont by a potter in those industries. A coastal Maine potter would make most sense. They probably used the coast of Maine as a means of transport and traveled west by way of the Penobscott River until they reached Winterport. The flat rim is rather indicative of potters who worked in Vermont; possibly Portsmouth, New Hampshire and apparently coastal Massachusetts. It is possible it did travel from one of these areas, but more evidence would be needed to actually guarantee it. Vermont is certainly a possibility.

Regardless of all that, the milk pan probably made its way into Winterport when it was still a part Frankfort under the import industry that once existed. There are other angles that can be taken on this, too - but I feel this is the most possible and interesting.

I am sure there are a lot of interpretations between the shard found in Charlestown, the milk pan, the imports of Frankfort and the travels early American accessories make over the years. It's all left up to theory and a process of elimination. Antique dealers have been known to pull a number of important antiques from Winterport area homes of years past. In many cases - the antiques have been found to have ties to the marketplace in Winterport that once existed. There is no reason to believe otherwise of the  milk pan and the early home it was found in, but like I said - it's all left up to interpretation.

Much more to come...

Abraham Meade: "The Deacon Potter of Greenwich" - A Rare Example of Stoneware Soon to be Offered at Auction in Maryland

An incredible example of eighteenth century Connecticut stoneware has been consigned to Crocker Farm Auctions of Sparks Maryland. The rare form will be offered in the upcoming November sale. There are many reasons why this rare maker's work should garner much excitement in a matter of weeks. Very rarely do eighteenth century examples  of American stoneware find themselves today in a public marketplace. Most examples of eighteenth century utilitarian pottery do not exist outside of an archaeological context. This particular example appears in wonderful condition with no obvious flaws. It is a masterpiece - that was manufactured by one of America's most important early stoneware makers.

 Abraham Mead Stoneware Mortar and Wooden Pestle - Greenwich, Ct

Photo Courtesy - Crocker Farm, Inc - Sparks, Md

 Abraham Mead Stoneware Mortar and Wooden Pestle - Greenwich, Ct

Photo Courtesy - Crocker Farm, Inc - Sparks, Md

The salt glazed mortar and pestle is attributed to Abraham Meade of Greenwich, Connecticut. According to Crocker Farm - it has descended through the Meade family. The Meade family has been well published over the past twenty years for rare examples of their descendant's work. All are now believed to be in the hands of private collectors.

Meade's skill was incredible. He owned an ability that allowed him to craft stoneware forms in a very thin manner. The refined skill he used was less seen in eighteenth century America - where utilitarian earthenware was most often thickly potted for its intended heavy everyday use. Its purpose was to last from everyday abuse. Meade's forms were thinly potted, but strong enough to last. His skill was very unusual for New England's stoneware industry.

I have personally handled a few examples of Meade's work. It is difficult to realize that his work dates back to the eighteenth century. Its texture, light weight and overall appearance appears brand new. Most of Meade's surviving work has aged very-well. There are some examples that appear modern despite being more than 200 years old.

Meade typically worked with a painted decoration on his pottery. Many examples were dated. Crocker Farm's consigned jar should be highly bid after considering the rarity of its form. The wooden pestle is assumed to be original. I would not be surprised to see it easily surpass $30,000. It's arguably one of the most important forms of eighteenth century New England redware to exist today.

Most American stoneware potters of the eighteenth century were influenced by European techniques. The Greenwich forms were mostly German influenced. I do not know enough about Meade to realize if he worked with mostly a German influence or both - German and English.

Abraham Meade manufactured small stoneware jugs that are similar to the redwar jugs made in southeastern Massachusetts of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is not known if there is a connection, but the forms are certainly similar.

Southeastern Ma Redware Jug

Early 19th Century

Photo Courtesy: James Julia Auctions - Fairfield, Me

Many of the forms Meade made were smaller storage jars which were an unusual size for the period. Other known forms include batter pitchers, jugs, handled jars, crocks and storage jars of various sizes. There are known small storage jars that exist  today that demonstrate Meade family members initials and an applied date in blue or black decoration. Such forms have done very-well at New England auctions of years past.

Small Abraham Meade Stoneware Jar - Greenwich, Ct

Initialed HL and Dated 1791 in Black Decoration

Photo Courtesy: Brooklyn Museum - Brooklyn, NY

Abraham Meade Stoneware Jar - Greenwich, Ct

Late 18th Century

Nicely Applied Black Decoration - A Common Decoration Used by Meade

Photo Courtesy: Brooklyn Museum - Brooklyn, NY

Meade was known for using both asymmetric and symmetric designs. Styles include freehand decorations that appear stencil-like, dots, lines, circles and swirls - all mixed on similar forms that create appealing compositions.

For more about the highly important Abraham Meade stoneware mortar - here is a video from Brandt Zipp of Crocker Farm Auctions. There will undoubtedly be many participating bidders next month.

More to come...

Rather Unusual Incised Shards Found in Peabody, Mass

Essex County Massachusetts saw a great-amount of experimentation from 1870 to 1895 in its potter's industry. The whole notion of the Greek Revival Period  began a transformation of many companies throughout New England. A great search for new innovative products led companies like Charles Lawrence's Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts; Joseph Reed's Pottery and Moses Paige's Pottery - both of Peabody, Massachusetts to experiment into new product lines. Unglazed and painted thickly potted terra-cotta wares became a main objective in Beverly. The potter, Edwin A. Rich's talent for turning untraditional formed wares helped Lawrence and Paige's companies transform as did the industry.

The production of redware was certainly in the decline by the third quarter of the nineteenth century. It was a shadow of its former self and how the industry once appeared in the final years of the eighteenth century. The Industrial Revolution had changed the utilitarian potter's industry in New England forever. Those businesses who wished to compete, had to find new ways to adapt with the ever-changing demands of the marketplace. The population had grown by huge numbers since the eighteenth century. The industry's needs changed from a potter's business that could sustain a smaller marketplace with more accomplished wares in urban environments - into a market, where many potters changed their motives and objectives towards mass production. This led to many molded wares that could easily be produced in a much-greater fashion than could a traditional potter behind a potter's wheel.

Charles Lawrence's business in Beverly made a unique line of wares in the 1770s that were unusual to any other business of its time in the region.

Charles Lawrence and Moses Paige both trained at the Reed Pottery in Peabody before advancing into their own ventures. Charles Lawrence crossed into Beverly to create his own business. Moses Paige eventually purchased the Reed Pottery and ran his own company. The Paige building (and really the entire neighborhood) had originally been home to the Osborn family pottery for generations that began before the American Revolution and continued past the 1850s. The Osborn family was really responsible for much of the earthenware industry that flourished in the greater Essex County area from the 1780s well into the nineteenth century. More than a hundred potters were employed in the area over a half century.

Edwin A. Rich's talent reportedly allowed Lawrence's business to expand into areas it may not have seen if it were not for his ability. A thickly potted, but highly accomplished line of unglazed, glazed and painted wares emerged that were extensive and really unpredictable today. It is surprising to see the forms this company produced in a short ten year period. I have purchased some very unexpected forms recently that include a candle stick, a vase and an oddly formed flower pot. All have an unusual feel that is really only seen in Beverly. There will be more on these forms to come.

I have previously written about the experimentation at the Charles Lawrence Pottery in the 1870s.

Charles Lawrence Pottery Report 1
Charles Lawrence Pottery Report 2
Charles Lawrence Pottery Report 3

Edwin A. Rich eventually left Lawrence's Pottery and began to work at the Paige Pottery back in Peabody. The output at Paige Pottery was similar to that in Beverly. The companies shared a focus towards the production of flower pots that were likely marketed towards greenhouse owners, gardeners and floral shops. Unlike some of the larger manufactories in the Boston area who molded their products - both the Beverly and Peabody businesses mostly hand-turned their wares. Both of these businesses kept the traditional beliefs of the utilitarian potter alive without having to fully adapt to the Industrial Revolution's demands and needs. The feat was unusual for any business of the period - especially those of New England. Surprisingly, Paige Pottery kept production alive well into the twentieth century with Rich employed at the business.

I recently discovered a half dozen or so shards from a thickly potted pot in Peabody, Massachusetts. They are more expected of what was made in Beverly than that in Peabody. Each shard was located next door to where Joseph Reed once lived and about a hundred yards from the old Paige Pottery. The hand-drawn incised design on each reminds me of decoration or design that may have been applied in ancient times.

Redware Shards Discovered in Peabody, Ma 

Possibly a Product of the Reed or Paige Potteries

Likely Second Half of the 19th Century

With so-little information in publication today of the potteries who worked in latter years of the nineteenth century in Essex County - it really is a learning experience through discovery of what was made where. These shards all appear like the manufacturing style seen at the Lawrence Pottery of the 1870s. Could they be a product of Edwin A. Rich's work in Peabody? It would make sense that he may have taken his experiences with him from Beverly to Peabody. Peabody really became known as a place of flower pot production from the final years of the nineteenth century into the twentieth century. The fact there is hand drawn incised decoration leads me to believe the shards are an earlier Essex County product before the mass production of terra-cotta and imports began in America on a global scale in the twentieth century. Today, terra-cotta flower pots are easily seen in stores like Walmart and garden centers that were molded in China.

 Nicely Applied Incised Decoration

 Incised Decoration and Lip of Jar

Likely a Flower Pot

 Interior of Shard

 More Incised Decoration

Interior of Shard

The form appears to me to be a flower pot. Moses Paige's Pottery was especially known for making flower pots in the nineteenth century. But, terracotta flower pots were made in many areas of Massachusetts that included West Sterling, Boston and Newburyport.

I have previously written a number of reports about Moses Paige's Pottery and the business' flower pot production. If you would like to read more, you can use the search option above. Below is the first report.

Moses Paige Pottery Report 1

It's interesting to see and imagine the possibilities behind these shards. I do not have an attribution. It is very-possibly the work of Edwin A. Rich in Peabody, but I have nothing to compare it with since I have never before seen anything like it. Maybe I will find a whole example one of these day that will provide a better understanding!?

Could these shards be a part of the work that Charles Lawrence produced while working at the Reed Pottery? I think that's an unlikely, but still interesting theory. Could they be imports from Charles Lawrence's business in Beverly? It's possible.

Please stay tuned...more to come!

Early Colonial Redware Shards Seen in Danversport, Ma: The Continued Study of Essex County

Danversport Shards Report 1
Danversport Shards Report 2
Danversport Shards Report 3

Further research at the Boston Archaeology Department in West Roxbury, Massachusetts has revealed a similar manufacturing style seen in redware shards - when compared to the redware plate remains found in Danversport, Massachusetts. The remains in Danversport appear like an eighteenth century local manufacturer.

I recently compared those shards to ones excavated by the Boston Archaeology Department about thirty years ago. The artifact kept in West Roxbury has an archaeological context between 1725 and 1740. It was likely manufactured before either of these dates. The South Danvers, Massachusetts potter, James Kettle manufactured earthenware from the late seventeenth into the early eighteenth centuries. Both the remains seen at the Boston Archaeology Department and the shards found in Danversport appear similar. However, the application of slip decoration appears much different. The similarities are possible, but the shards are definitely not from the same potter.

 Redware Shard Kept at the Boston Archaeology Department

Interior of Bowl

Likely from a Local Domestic Potter

1725-1740 Archaeological Context

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Ma

 Redware Shard Kept at the Boston Archaeology Department

Exterior of Bowl

Likely from a Local Domestic Potter

1725-1740 Archaeological Context

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Ma

 Redware Shard Fond in Danversport, Ma

Exterior of Plate

Probably an 18th Century Essex County Potter

  Redware Shard Fond in Danversport, Ma

Interior of Plate

Probably an 18th Century Essex County Potter

  Redware Shard Fond in Danversport, Ma

Exterior of Plate

Probably an 18th Century Essex County Potter

Redware Shard Fond in Danversport, Ma

Interior of Plate

Probably an 18th Century Essex County Potter

I have a sense the plate remains seen in Danversport may be remains from James Kettle's Pottery about a mile upriver. I have no real way to prove it. There are no potters known to have worked in slip decoration after Kettle's Pottery in Essex County. The absence of slip has been purportedly not found up through the nineteenth century, but the day-to-day operations of any potter can be unpredictable. The use of slip after Kettle was certainly not common practice with any potter's output in Essex County, but it may have been uncommonly applied.

I personally believe there were other potters who used slip in Essex County in the eighteenth century; however, there is just no strong proof to make a case for it. 

The remains appear similar to those excavated at the actual James Kettle Pottery site by Harvard Professor Lura Woodside Watkins more than fifty years ago. Beyond that, the use of slip decoration does not seem familiar to any other potters working in New England before 1790. After 1790, the style can be seen with potters employed in southern New England - especially in Connecticut. 

The redware shards in Danversport were found near shards of what appear to be eighteenth century chamber pots from possibly a local potter, too.

 Likely an 18th Century Redware Chamber Pot Shard

Exterior of Chamber Pot

Typically a Glaze Style that is Most-Commonly Seen in Essex County

Found in Danversport, Ma

  Likely an 18th Century Redware Chamber Pot Shard

Interior of Chamber Pot

Typically a Glaze Style that is Most-Commonly Seen in Essex County

Found in Danversport, Ma

   Likely an 18th Century Redware Chamber Pot Shard

Exterior of Chamber Pot

Black Glazes were Commonly Use by Potters Across America in the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries

Found in Danversport, Ma

 Likely an 18th Century Redware Chamber Pot Shard

Interior of Chamber Pot

Black Glazes were Commonly Use by Potters Across America in the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries

Found in Danversport, Ma

Chamber pots were most-popular with seventeenth and eighteenth century potters. The form began to phase out with potters of the nineteenth century. It is assumed each of these chamber pots may possibly be from a local potter. The orangish glaze is especially a style seen at the Osborn Family pottery of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in South Danvers. The black glaze is common to many potters all over colonial America. 

I feel a case can be made for an attribution of the slip decorated shards to James Kettle's pottery, but I am sure there is an argument against it, too. The chamber pots are certainly later in the eighteenth century than Kettle's work. Its very interesting to see such remains in abundance on the shores of areas like the greater Salem, Massachusetts area - where such a rich history, dates all the way back to the first half of the seventeenth century.

Much more to come...