I have always found it interesting seeing the comparison of vibrant green glazes used in Southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Pennsylvania to the the country French potters. For example, a green glazed storage jar recently sold at Willis Henry Auctions at a sale held in Plymouth Massachusetts. The straight-sided jar is one of only a handful known in this form. It was made by one of the dozens of potters who worked in either Berkely, Somerset or Taunton, Massachusetts. It probably dates between 1800 and 1840. The green glaze and form are some-what comparable to forms made by country potters in France. There is a great understanding that German and English forms were heavily applied in America in the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century, but forms and glazes used in rural parts of France were also seen. I am not sure if its is a coincidence or if there is a relationship, but the French green storage jar seen in the photo below is defiantly a form associated with potters from Maine to Pennsylvania. It is most often related to New England potters.
Green Glazed Southeastern Massachusetts Redware Jar
Ca. 1800-1840
Photo Courtesy: Willis Henry Auctions - Marshfield, Ma
French-Made Green Glazed Earthenware
All Ca. 19th Century
Photo Courtesy: Country French Kitchens, Fernandez, Gibbs Smith, 2008
If you notice the French storage jar in the center of the photo, its idea is similar to the jar made in Southeastern Massachusetts, but they are both contrasting when you look at how each was made. The Massachusetts jar is thinly potted while the French jar is much heavier. The French form's thickly potted manner is also comparable to green vases sometimes attributed to John Alld in Hollis, Maine and the potters who worked in Dublin, New Hampshire (Chesham County). If you continue to look at that photo, you'll notice jugs with carrying handles similar to the redware harvest jug I wrote about last summer (report); however, I am still not convinced it is a French potter - and for discussion purposes, let's say I am correct.
18th or Early 19th Century Redware Harvest Jug
Found in Maine
The use of kaolin clay (white) was pointed out to me by a well-known Cape Cod antiques dealer last summer. This type of production was regularly seen by European potters, but its also seen on products of many eighteenth century American potters. I have seen it on shards of colonial potters in Philadelphia - New York City - Boston - Charlestown, Massachusetts - Portsmouth, New Hampshire - Essex County Massachusetts - and Newburyport, Massachusetts. There are slip decorated or marbleized plates typically associated with late eighteenth or early nineteenth century Dorchester, Massachusetts which even show kaolin under the glaze. It is a technique that I personally do not see much use of from nineteenth century American potters, but it was used by earlier potters. That doesn't mean it wasn't used in the nineteenth century - it just means it wasn't as popular as it was with colonial potters. John Tabor actively used the product in New Hamsphire in Maine with kaolin pipes he produced in the nineteenth century, but its a product that was not used as much when the 1800s began. It was used with slip decoration - and that, too was a product that declined in many areas after the American Revolution.
Notice the Kaolin Clay (White) Under the Green Glaze
The harvest jug was found in rural Maine - so I do question how a possible French-made jug like this, ended up in a barn in rural Maine. It it were eighteenth century - then it is possible a shipload of French products were dropped off at a military fort where a small community had developed around. That sometimes happened in Maine, when the land was still governed by Massachusetts. Many forts emerged during the French and Indian War that needed supplies, but I do not think that is the case.
What also strikes me as unusual - is the amount of kiln furniture still stuck to the bottom of the harvest jug. Nineteenth century products do not usually have this kind of excess still attached to the vessel. Colonial products certainly do since nearly everything that emerged from the kiln whole was sent to the marketplace. It seems potters were cleaner with their products after the American Revolution into the nineteenth century. I would think this idea was also true with European potters. It is my belief that if this is a French product - it was not sent to America as part of an export system - rather, it traveled with a French person who migrated to America. I have never read or heard of country French potters exporting their products to America especially after the American Revolution. I think it may be far fetched to say it traveled with someone, too.
Kiln Furniture Stuck to the Bottom of Redware Harvest Jug
Another possibility is the jug was made by an immigrant French potter, who took their trained heritage to America - and that's what I think may be happening with this jug. There were many French-Canadian potters who worked in Canada that drew inspiration from their Old World heritage. Similar carrying handles are seen with earthenware made in Quebec and it has even been attributed to Maine potters. There is not enough of a collective understanding with how all the Maine potters approached the potter's business. For every well-documented potter, there are others where virtually nothing is known of their work. The northern part of Maine has a strong French-Canadian influence. There had to have been potters who worked up there that not much is known of today. I also know products from Western New York and Vermont potters have been found in Northern Maine. I think the same lack of understanding can stand true with the country potters in Canada.
Canadian, Maine or French Redware Storage Jar
Missing Original Lid
Found in a Long Term Quebec Context
Ca. 1750-1760
Dark Green Glaze
Photo Courtesy: Early Canadian Pottery, Webster, 1971
The manner in which the bottom of the handle has been applied (wide to narrow point) is seen by New Hampshire and Maine potters. It is even seen on some redware pitchers made in Southeastern Massachustts. This particular back handle is different than all of the jugs attributed to France that I have examined and read about. It's not how handles were usually applied by French country potters, but the spout is similar. Its also interesting to point out that most of these country French products were thickly produced, which is similar to many of the products made in Northern New England.
Unusual Handle Attachment in the Manner it Ends in a Sharp Point
The color of the interior glaze is also worth a discussion since the green dots are also seen on nineteenth and twentieth century products from New Hampshire, Maine, Nova Scotia and Quebec (search past reports). The dots were probably caused from an abundance of copper in the clay; however, in this particular instance the green dots on the harvest jug may have been from the green exterior glaze that somehow dripped onto the interior glaze. This particular interior cream glaze with green dots is exact to glazes on products made in nineteenth century in Nova Scotia.
Worn Away Interior Glaze in the Main Part of the Jug
Cream and Green Spotted Interior Glaze Remains Intact Around the Neck
The form on this next jar is comparable to potters in Nova Scotia and Maine potters, like Joseph Philbrick in Skowhegan, Maine where a narrower base was used to compliment its wider shoulders. If you also notice, the glaze and green dots on this jar is identical to the interior glaze used on the redware harvest jug. The form is attributed to Nova Scotia in the book, Early Canadian Pottery. I have not been able to find a comparable form made in France, which leads me to believe it was not made in France. If that is the case - I find the interior glaze on the harvest jug to be suspect to a non-French potter. The storage jar is currently for sale at Brentwood Antiques in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. The Portsmouth, New Hampshire dealer told me he found it in Maine. I wonder if its only a coincidence that both of these forms with similar glazes were found in Maine - or if I should view it as an actual indicator of a northern New England or a Canadian potter. I am also curious to know if the green dots were near a green glazed vessel in the manufacturing of products? These green dots are slightly different to those seen in Southern Maine and Western New Hampshire.
I actually believe the green dots are from the clay, glaze and kiln heat reacting - but it is interesting to point out all the possibilities. I feel the harvest jug and the storage jar were made in the same area by potters who were related to traditional French techniques - but whether it is an actual French potter - I'm not completely sure about that.
19th Century Redware Storage Jar
Notice the Cream Glaze and Green Dots - Nearly Identical to the Harvest Jug's Interior Glaze
Interior Glaze Similar to the Harvest Jug's Interior Glaze
Clay Color of Jar and Harvest Jug Are Very Similar
I think there are arguments for French, Canadian and Maine potters with the harvest jug. I am not yet convinced either way. I think there are legitimate cases that can be had for each area. The form probably originated in France, but there are a number of characteristics which lead me to believe the style transcended across the Atlantic Ocean - where it was then used by a potter who worked in Northern New England or the French areas of Quebec or Nova Scotia. I feel the harvest jug is also late eighteenth century or early nineteenth century. I also wonder if the use of green glazes in America (both dark and light green) originated with French styles rather than German or English influences. There isn't much discussion about how French potters influenced the American potter's industry. There had to have been some kind of influence. The French really placed a heavy focus towards the use of green glazes by its country potters similar to many of the country American potters. I personally find that fascinating. I'm hopeful there is some sort of connection.
Much More to Come…
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