A Very Important 19th Century Red Earthenware Vase - Attributed to Merrimacport, Massachusetts

According to Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares), "…This trend of bric-a-brac may be observed at other redware potteries that were running in the 1870s and 1880s. At Exeter (NH), at Merrimacport (Ma)…(page 223)" - This is a statement that has puzzled me ever since I first recognized what Watkins meant by the phrase bric-a-brac. Defined - it means: A miscellaneous collection of small articles commonly of ornamental value or decorative quality.

According to Wakins, below are the potters who worked in Merrimacport (formerly West Amesbury), Massachusetts - there is no indication that a potter or potters were employed in this area in the 1870s or 1880s; although she does include the sentence seen above in her book. I truly believe for her to make such a statement - she must have received this information from talking with old-timers, period advertising or early publications. There was obviously a strong recollection for her to write such a definitive statement.

It is very possible that one of the later potters listed below owned a business in the 1870s and 1880s. Richard Chase may be that potter - especially since he is related to all the previous potters who owned businesses in Merrimacport.

Merrimacport (formerly West Amesbury) Potters

1) Benjamin Bodge (West Amesbury, MA) – bapt. 1746 – Pecker trained under & brother in-law
2) William Pecker (Merrimacport, MA) – 1758-1820 – trained under Benjamin Bodge

3) James Chase – Pecker’s nephew (Merrmimacport, MA) – 1779-1849

4) Phinieas Chase – James’ son (Merrimacport, MA) – 1820-1863

5) Sargeant Smith (Merrimacport, MA) – 1825 – may have worked at Chase Pottery

6) (?) Mann (Merrimacport) – 1852 – may have worked at Chase Pottery
7) Richard Chase (Merrimacport, MA) – 1856

After careful consideration of what was happening in the 1870s and 1880s with coastal Massachusetts potters - it has been my belief that whatever this business was that operated in Merrimacport during this period - must have made similar products like those seen at the business run by Charles A. Lawrence in Beverly, Massachusetts. It would make the most sense especially considering what was happening to country potters during the Industrial Era. In order for potters to compete with the larger factories they had to become creative. Sadly, no piece has ever been properly identified to Merrimacport after 1870 -- until recently!

This is very exciting!

I managed to find a piece today from a local Newburyport-area home with many characteristics shared with wares made by William Pecker in Merrimacport (Ca. 1784-1820) and C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly (Ca. 1866-1906). The piece is in the form of a vase. It is very-thinly potted in a wonderful-mastered form with great proportions. 

To start, it is painted in a goldish-reddish color, which is similar to paint colors used in Beverly. The base is also painted like the Beverly products. That's not the exciting part. The exciting part is the fact that the top of the vase is nearly identical to the tops of most William Pecker-made jugs - and it shares a sharply cut base that is nearly identical to how William Pecker added his footed bases. The way Pecker made his bases are also somewhat unique. It's all very small, but noticeable if you look at it up close. The bases come down at a sharp angle and then they are cut off at another sharp angle towards the base or bottom. This is exactly how the footed base on the vase is done. That's absolutely incredible to me! It appears that whoever this mystery potter was attempted to pay homage to William Pecker with how he made some of his products - or he at least stayed with the ways of old for the new. Most of the potters who worked in Merrimacport were related so there is a chance this potter may have been a descendant of Pecker.

I have to find out who this potter is - to begin, they were definitely accomplished. As far as I know (and I've seen a lot of private and museum collections all-over the east coast), this is the first piece ever attributed to this period in Merrimacport, Massachusetts. Now that's exciting!

(Center) Merrimacport, Ma Red Earthenware Vase

Ca. 1870s or 1880s

(Left) William Pecker Red Earthenware Pitcher - Merrimacport, Ma

Ca. 1784-1820 (Notice the Base)

(Right) William Pecker Red Earthenware Jug - Merrimacport, Ma

Ca. 1784-1820 (Notice  the Top)

This was not the only discovery I made at this location…there will be more to this story in time!

Please Stay Tuned…Much More to Come...