A Remarkable Example of 19th Century Country Red Earthenware

According to William C. Ketchum, Jr's book, American Redware - Redware (chicken) waterers are rare, especially glazed examples. Pictured on page 66 is what Ketchum considers an unusual red earthenware waterer in a yellow lead glaze. He attributes it to a nineteenth century New England potter, possibly from Connecticut or Massachusetts he says.

19th Century Red Earthenware Waterer - Possibly Made in Ma or Ct

Possibly Intended for Chickens

Decorated in a Bright Yellow Lead Glaze

Photo Courtesy: American Redware, William C. Ketchum, Jr., 1991. Henry Holt & Co., NY

I personally have not seen many red earthenware waterers made by New England potters. Until recently, I don't think I have ever seen one before. I have seen examples made by nineteenth century Pennsylvanian potters - and southern potters at the turn of the twentieth-century - and there are also examples made by stoneware potters in parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Vermont - but never from a New England red earthenware potter that I can recall.

The most prominent stoneware examples were probably made by the Remmey family, which worked in parts of of the mid-Atlantic and New York in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Crocker Farm Auctions, based in Sparks, Maryland sold a wonderful example of a waterer made at the Remmey Pottery in Philadelphia at a 2007 sale (see photo below).

The Remmey family was arguably the most accomplished family of American stoneware potters from the early eighteenth century - well into the nineteenth century. The family had ties to industries in New York (City), Maryland and Pennsylvania. Remmey Pottery examples are highly sought after by prominent collectors, institutions and museums today. The family is regarded as helping spark the stoneware demand in early American culture well before 1750 in New York City. That foundation helped the family's success grow in the many decades that followed. The more ornate examples of Remmey Pottery are regarded as some of the most important examples of surviving American stoneware today. Below is an example of the Remmey family's work in the form of a waterer - its use was probably intended for chickens.

Remmey Pottery Stoneware Chicken Waterer - Philadelphia, Pa

Prominently Stamped, Henry / Phila

Ca. 1870

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm Auctions - Sparks, Md

While searching through parts of central New Hampshire recently, I discovered a nicely glazed red earthenware waterer. The dealer told me it had been in her house for many years and she had discovered it locally in New Hampshire. The form is slightly similar to some country waterers made in Yorkshire, England, Devonshire, England and I am sure there are other English potteries, too. It may have been modeled after an English form, but I feel it was made in northern New England. The form seems different and the manner in which the ends of the cover are tucked under  resemble the way some handles are attached on jars from Maine and Vermont potters.

The waterer features a nice medium brown glaze, with faint green decoration and dark brown particles. The attached finial is unusual and very nice. There are two pairs of incised lines - a set is seen at the base of the finial and another pair was placed on the shoulder. These incised lines are very similar to decoration used by potters who worked all over Essex County, Massachusetts - and in parts of New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. It may not help with any type of potential attribution to a specific state, but New Hampshire potters did use more black glazes than brown glazes - while Maine potters were the opposite. Many variations of the color brown were used by small country potters and largely successful potters in Maine. The waterer is also heavy, which is what would be expected from typically less-refined rural potters. Potters who worked in urban areas that usually allowed more industry-type atmospheres often produced more finely made products. Then again, I am not sure how a chicken waterer would have ever been considered a refined product.

19th Century Red Earthenware Waterer, Probably Used for Chickens

Ca. 1860-1880

Found in Central New Hamsphire

Very Nicely Applied Finial, Bowl and Cover

Nicely Applied Double Lines Around Shoulder and at the Base of the Finial

Possibly a Northern New England Potter

Right Side of Red Earthenware Waterer

Notice the Mixture of Green and Brown Glazes

Also Notice the Green Glaze on the Finial

 Left Side of Red Earthenware Waterer

Notice the Mixture of Green and Brown Glazes

 Base of Red Earthenware Waterer

Small Traces of Kiln Furniture Still Attached

Back of Red Earthenware Waterer

Notice the Use of Decorative Incised Lines

My initial thought when I saw this feeder was a northern New England maker. I felt it was probably made in a region that specialized in dairy and farm products such as utilitarian crocks and milk pans - which is what I consider the businesses and industries in northern New England to have been built around. A characteristic that really stood out to me is the faint green glaze mixed in with the medium brown glaze. After some research, I found many glazes from Maine potters used glazes that showed traces of green mixed with another contrasting color similar to how the waterer appears.

These descriptions are all from M. Lelyn Branin's book, The Early Potters and Potteries of Maine. This information provided below details products made by specific potters or businesses in Maine. The glazes are described as only samples of the types of colors used by these potters. These descriptions do not reflect how every product was glazed. It is only a sample taken from forms that have survived in a very-strong context that has provided an accurate attribution.

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John Alld / Alfred, Maine - Reportedly used glazes that were sometimes grayish-green with brown spots - sometimes glazes were also gray and flecked with green.

Bickford Pottery / Buxton, Maine - Reportedly used glazes that were sometimes tannish-green and greenish-brown. A jug attributed to Buxton is different than the glaze on the waterer, but it is still described as a brown glaze with green sponge marks.

Porter Family / Wiscasset, Maine- Reportedly sometimes used a greenish-red glaze.

Porter Lambert / Alfred, Maine - Reportedly sometimes used a greenish-tan glaze.

Kitson Pottery / North Bridgeton, Maine - Reportedly sometimes used a yellowish-green glaze.

Nathaniel Sampson / Hartford, Maine - Reportedly sometimes used a brownish-green glaze.

Norcross Pottery / Farmington, Maine - Reportedly sometimes used a medium brown glaze with yellowish cast. The Norcross Pottery was also known for using a variety of brown glazes that sometimes featured different colored particles - similar to the particles seen on the waterer

There are also many other potters who worked in a variety of brown glazes in Maine. The previous seven names were among the more prominent places worth mentioning.

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As many of you may have read in my previous reports - I have done some work at the original site of the Bickford Pottery in Buxton, Maine. Many shards have been analyzed, which were taken from what appears to be a waste pile directly next to the original kiln. I compared some of the  shards taken from this pile to the waterer and a small group of those shards appear very similar in glaze. Below are two photos that show one of these shards next to the waterer.

 Red Earthenwater Waterer Compared to Shard Taken from Bickford Pottery in Buxton, Me

Colors are Very Similar

I Can Certainly See a Resemblance Between the Two Glazes

I don't necessarily believe the strong glaze comparison between the shard, which was likely underground since the late nineteenth century is an indicator of a maker - it is however rather fascinating to see the resemblance. William C. Ketchum, Jr. described the rarity of glazed New England red earthenware waterers correctly when he wrote,  redware (chicken) waterers are rare, especially glazed examples. It is my belief this waterer was made in northern New England - and perhaps from a country Maine potter; however due to the rarity, it is difficult to suggest where it may have been made. I have never seen another example to go by - so it is tough to try and determine a possible maker. I have been taught by many respected people to never base an attribution alone on glaze, unfortunately - that is all I have going for a comparison on this form are the similarities seen in glazes used by many Maine potters. For now, its a great piece of red earthenware, with a nice glaze, a wonderful form and a very rare survivor.

Much More to Come...