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...
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