A Comparison of Decorative Techniques Used in Beverly, Mass, Middlebury, VT and Monmouth, ME

A quick study of the Charles A. Lawrence red earthenware pot discovered in Salem, Massachusetts has revealed a few characteristics applied by potters who came before Lawrence elsewhere in New England. It may be a coincidence or it may not. I have placed the Beverly, Massachusetts made crock next to a traditional William Pecker red earthenware stew pot - made in Merrimacport (West Amesbury), Massachusetts for a size comparison. The Pecker stew pot stands about five inches tall. The Lawrence crock measures nine inches tall, thirteen inches from handle-to-handle and each ring is three inches in diameter.

(Left) Charles A. Lawrence Red Earthenware Crock - Beverly, Ma

Ca. 1866-1891

(Right) William Pecker Red Earthenware Stew Pot - Merrimacport, Ma

Ca. 1790-1820

The first comparable characteristic I noticed is the snowflake-type designs that cover the Beverly pot. The Safford Family Pottery in Monmouth, Maine used a similar design. The Saffords sometimes applied a few subtle snowflakes; however there are other instances where snowflakes were applied all over any given form in rows. Snowflakes were only used in a sparing amount in Monmouth. It wasn't a decoration that adorned a large amount of wares. The snowflakes were usually used when a company stamp was applied or on a finely decorated form.

Safford Pottery Lidded Red Earthenware Crock - Monmouth, Me

Crock Impressed with Safford Pottery Name and Snowflake Designs

Ca. 1840-1860

Photo Courtesy: Maine State Museum - Augusta, Me

Charles A. Lawrence Red Earthenware Crock - Beverly, Ma

Crock Impressed with Many Snowflake Designs

The second comparable characteristic that stands out to me is the use of an applied pie crust edge at the lip of the crock. Pie crusts were used on the most prominent forms made in Middlebury, Vermont by Edwin William Farrer in the nineteenth century. These forms are highly sought after today by museums and accomplished collectors. Pie crust decorations were used on eighteenth and early nineteenth century plates by many utilitarian potters from the Mid-Atlantic region north into New England, but I cannot recall ever having seen it used prominently on a jar like William Edwin Farrer did in Middlebury. Farrer may have been unique with this idea. There are only a handful of these Middlebury examples known to exist today.

Edwin William Farrer Red Earthenware Jar - Middlebury, Vt
Crock Shows a Great Amount of Applied Pie Crust Decoration

Ca. 1840-1860

Photo Courtesy: Art Institute of Chicago - Chicago, Il

Charles A. Lawrence Red Earthenware Crock - Beverly, Ma
Crock Demonstrates Applied Pie Crust All Around the Lip

It seems like the crock Charles A. Lawrence made, may have drawn inspiration from past potters in northern New England. There may be no actual way to prove it, but there is no doubt to me that there are similarities seen from techniques used in Monmouth, Maine and Middlebury, Vermont. The pictures seen on this website really do not do the Beverly crock any justice. It really needs to be seen in person to see the amount of effort that went into its production. It would be really fascinating to learn if the Beverly crock really was partially influenced by designs from other accomplished New England potters. I have a feeling it was!

Much More to Come...