I was given a tip a few months ago by a friend who is a retired Portsmouth, New Hampshire firefighter into the whereabouts of two areas in Portsmouth that are typically rich with all types of discarded artifacts. He told me that he has found all sorts of clues into the city's past in these areas that even include potter's kiln furniture from probably the nineteenth-century. The reason for the kiln furniture is likely because the Dodge Pottery was directly located next to one of these two areas.
The Dodge Pottery site was excavated years ago by archaeologist, Steven Pendry and a team of qualified professionals - the large sherd collection from this site is now kept at the Strawbery Banke Archaeology Department in Portsmouth.
Out of mere curiosity, my nephew and I drove to Portsmouth today with our bikes in the back of my Jeep and we road around the city exploring the two specific areas that I was told about. Both of these areas are tide sensitive since they are linked to the Piscataqua River and the Atlantic Ocean - so the best results would probably be found at low tide; although we were not there at exactly low tide - there was still plenty to be seen.
If you can notice the white house in this first picture - that is about the area of where the Dodge Pottery was located. The Dodge Pottery made a lot of unglazed products from my experience with the archaeology collection at Strawbery Banke. The business made lots of flower pots and utilitarian crocks; however they probably also made a variety of other forms that were not as strongly represented in the collection.
The Dodge Pottery in Portsmouth was directly related to the industry a few miles to the southwest in Exeter, New Hampshire in the eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries. They were related by families and traveling potters.
The Location of the Dodge Pottery in Portsmouth, NH Can be Seen Where the White Houses Stands
The Dodge Pottery Operated Ca. Early to Mid-19th Century
The rock lined, muddy shores of this first area were abundant with sherds from mostly refined nineteenth-century English ceramics and American stoneware. I did come across a group of deposited large bricks that appear to be early eighteenth-century that were extremely interesting. The bricks were likely made nearby - and probably left over from a building or a wall that is no longer in place today.
The Muddy Shores of the First Area
The Rock Lined Shores of the First Area
A Group of Large Early Bricks
Ca. (Likely) 18th Century
Possibly from a Local Brick Maker or a Local Potter
I collected a sample of pottery from this first area - and I also took a brick home to add to my collection of early bricks in my cellar. I think these bricks are all very interesting - and they may have been manufactured by an important local potter - at the very-least, they must have been made by a local brick maker.
18th and 19th Century Artifacts from the First Area
Brick Measures: 9" Long, 4" Wide and 3" Tall
The next area we went to was absolutely loaded with artifacts. The entire bottom was mostly nothing by broken pottery and glass. We found all sorts of red earthenware, stoneware and imported ceramics mixed in with a number of crabs and plenty of mud.
The Rock and Artifact Lined Shores of the Second Area
My Nephew Hunting Along the Shores of the Second Area for Crabs and Sherds
The Rock and Artifact Lined Water of the Second Area
My Nephew Seeing What the Water's Bottom Holds for Sherds, Snails and Crabs
The Rock and Artifact Lined Shores of the Second Area
Overall, in the second area we found a number of American red earthenware sherds (some with slip decoration), plenty of milk pan sherds, American stoneware sherds and sherds from imported ceramics. Many of the glazes on the red earthenware sherds appear like colors seen from nineteenth-century Maine potters - which would make sense since the Piscataqua River is all that separates Portsmouth from the state of Maine. Portsmouth did not have an abundant potter's industry in the nineteenth century; therefore it is likely potters from Maine, New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts likely imported their wares into the city for distribution.
The Collection of Sherds from the Second Area
Small Sherd's Glaze Looks Like Some Glazes Applied in Parts of Maine
Early Slip Decorated Sherd
Possibly Ca. 18th Century
Likely Red Earthenware Milk Pan Sherds
All Ca. 19th Century
More Red Earthenware Milk Pan Sherds
All Ca. 19th Century
I will leave you with these pictures - a friend of mine recently picked this terrific example of red earthenware here in coastal northern Massachusetts. The form is wonderful! It likely served as some-sort of a drinking bowl for animals. It's possible it was intended for use at a farm with small animals; however it also looks like a dog's bowl to me. You're guess is as good as mine! The idea of a dog's bowl is pretty incredible to me! My imagination leads me down a number of possibilities like - could this have been a dog's bowl made for a dog actually owned by a potter? I'm sure a large discussion could be had around this bowl. I have never seen such a form before. I am thrilled to own it. The glaze and clay color appears like some products made in Peabody (formerly South Danvers), Massachusetts, but I would not rule out a Maine potter either - special attention was given to farm and dairy products by potters in Maine in the nineteenth-century.
The bowl is completely solid - and hand-made. It is heavier than it looks.
19th Century Red Earthenware Bowl Probably Used so Animals Could Drink
I Have Never Seen this Form Before
Possibly a North Shore, Massachusetts Maker or a Maine Potter
Ca. 1800-1860
Measures at Top: 6 1/4" Wide
Measures at Base: 6 1/2" Wide
Stands: 3 1/4" Tall
The Wire-Cut Base of the Red Earthenware Bowl
The Interior Glaze of the Red Earthenware Bowl
Please Stay Tuned…Much More to Come...
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