A Newly Found 19th Century Red Earthenware Herb Pot Discovered Inside a Farmhouse in Goffstown, New Hampshire

The town of Goffstown, New Hampshire was incorporated in 1761. It was named after Colonel John Goffe - a man who was born in Boston and mostly known for his important role as a colonial American soldier. The local waterways provided a sufficient place for early English settlers in the eighteenth-century that actually predate 1761 - and as a result, numerous early homes are dispersed in the area. It's always exciting for me (and I imagine others) - to actually see what some of these early homes contain today. Sometimes the homes have even been preserved with part of its contents from centuries ago. My parents sometimes call this state over the years as being, "preserved in poverty." Through the course of time, homeowners do not always have the means to afford to upgrade their possessions and rather, the ownership is passed from one occupancy to the next. Essentially, the contents remain in the home - and equally as important, architectural features remain with the home for decades and even sometimes centuries.

This was apparently the case with a home in Goffstown - where an antique dealer recently purchased part of the contents from an old farmhouse.

According to the antiques dealer, "...The house and barn were packed with all sorts of vintage and fresh to the market items...It was a very-old country farmhouse with all the expected and even unexpected finds." I happen to have been lucky enough to have purchased one of these finds, which I believe is a small rare red earthenware herb pot or a cup. It's form somewhat corresponds with a style attributed by Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares) to Vermont's nineteenth-century red earthenware industry; although there are some features seen on this Goffstown-found form and particularly the glaze color - that seem to also relate to potters in Maine as well. I should also mention it doesn't really say, New Hampshire-made to me.

I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to examine Watkins entire collection when I visited the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. last fall. The form in Watkins collection is much-larger than the herb pot or cup found in Goffstown - it reminded me of a batter pitcher more than anything else. I believe she only attributes the so-called batter pitcher based on its discovery in Vermont sometime before 1950. I do not believe this form is pictured in her book, but it was taken by the Smithsonian as part of her collection. I found the Smithsonian actually had more red earthenware owned by Watkins than what was shown in Early New England Potters and Their Wares.

There are distinct connections between the two forms in this report; however there are obvious differences as well that include the footed bases - the form in the Smithsonian has a rounded footed base while the form from Goffstown has a flattened base that is similar to a Maine jug I recently purchased in Maine. It should also be taken into consideration that the handles are similar - and so aren't the clay colors.

Mustache cups made in parts of central New Hampshire also took on a similar form, but they are not quite the same. The greenish glaze you are about to see isn't exactly what I have come to know as a "New Hampshire color" either.

This here is the form kept at the Smithsonian.

19th Century Red Earthenware Pot (Possibly a Batter Pitcher) Found in Vermont
Purportedly a Vermont Product
Stands 6" Tall
Lura Woodside Watkins Collection
Photo Courtesy: The National Museum of American History, The Smithsonian - Washington, D.C.

View of the Handle and Rounded Base - Also Seen is Some Nice Incised Decoration Around the Top
Photo Courtesy: The National Museum of American History, The Smithsonian - Washington, D.C.

What's especially intriguing to me about the farmhouse find in Goffstown, New Hampshire is the almost florescent-like light green glaze. It's quite attractive to see in person -and really unique when compared to other  green glazes applied by potters elsewhere in New England. The color really says, "I Was Made in Maine" to me.

 Possibly a 19th Century Red Earthenware Herb Pot (Without a Lid) or a Cup

Wonderful Light Green Color

Ca. Early to Mid-19th Century

Stands 3 1/4" Tall

Diameter: 5" Wide

 Wonderful Applied Handle

 View of the Flattened Foot and the Base

Close-Up of the Handle, Thumb Print and the Flattened Foot

Maine Red Earthenware Jug with a Similar Clay Color and a Similar Flattened Foot

Ca. Early to Mid-19th Century

Stands 6" Tall

Before this report ends, I would like to share a pair of hand-modeled unglazed red earthenware figures recently discovered by a person who cleans out homes on Boston's North Shore. Each is playing musical instruments. I thought they were pretty neat so I picked them up for my personal collection. They appear to have some age to them. I am not aware of their origin or even a date of manufacture; although I do assume they were made sometime in the twentieth-century. When I first saw them - they really appeared unique so I felt they were worth the study. Any thoughts, opinions or knowledge is more than welcome!

 A Pair of Red Earthenware Animals Playing Instruments

Found in a Home on Boston's North Shore

Each is Hand-Modeled

Ca. Likely 20th Century

Left Figure Stands 5 1/2" Tall

Right Figure Stands 5 1/4" Tall

Side View of Both Figures

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...