The Red Earthenware of Albany, New York Uncovered Through Archaeology: Report No. 1

The idea that eighteenth and nineteenth-century American utilitarian potters exported their products outside of their region for distribution is a scenario that should be analyzed with the more established urban industries today. It is possible that potters who operated near a major river, port, harbor...etc. were more efficient in such an export process than were potters who were landlocked.

For example, I do not necessarily believe small country potters regularly sold their wares at great distances; however, the eighteenth and nineteenth century products from industries in places like Charlestown, Massachusetts (red earthenware and stoneware), New York City (stoneware and possibly red earthenware) and Philadelphia (red earthenware and stoneware) were typically shipped to further locations than the small country potters, which I just described. Although, without proper paperwork from merchants/retail distributors, potters or a concentration of sherds inside an archaeological deposit (like a merchant's business or at a dock) - it makes such an understanding open for skepticism with how a particular artifact or sherd may have appeared.

When I visited Philadelphia National Parks Services Archaeologist, Debbie Miller's lab last fall - I saw a wonderful small slip-decorated dish decorated with a heart in the center.  The letters "S and P" had also been placed inside of the heart, where they seemed to possibly represent a person's initials. The heart appeared like it had been stamped by the potter or possibly a potter's decorator. Coincidentally, a similar style of stamp is found twice on a slip-decorated dish from Philadelphia that I viewed last month at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York.

The plate was recovered as part of archaeology conducted in downtown Albany in the late-twentieth century, which exposed an entire city block in eighteenth and nineteenth century contexts. The excavation happened because of a parking structure that was scheduled to be built in the city.

According to the archaeology reports - there were roughly one hundred archaeological features that were produced from filled in land at this site. The area was built out into the Hudson River over an estimated century or more. The land was built out solely intended for use. Essentially, waterfront buildings were constructed and the land was put to good use on top of the filled in land.

Archaeological features included rock lined privies, wood lined privies, brick drains, basements (homes and businesses), clay lined cisterns, retaining walls and such. The earliest recorded feature dates from the 1750s (there are a few from this period) and the latest was uncovered near the turn of the twentieth-century. What's interesting about this particular area is that the original homes and businesses were not entirely removed, but rather they were built on top of in the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries. Also according to the reports, "...More than thirty building features dating primarily from the late 18th to the mid-19th centuries were encountered during the excavations."

Albany was a major center for transportation in the eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries - and this is certainly represented with the ceramics excavated at this site. The archaeology reports reveal that English ceramics, continental European ceramics and Chinese ceramics were all uncovered.

Here is a hand-drawn map of how the entire site appears in Albany - it has been subdivided by archaeological areas. The plate was uncovered in Area 3.

Map Drawn of the Site in Albany, NY

The Plate or Shallow Bowl Came Out of Area 3

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

Here is a closeup of Area 3.

Area 3 Where the Plate or Shallow Bowl Was Found in Albany, NY Archaeology Site

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

Philadelphia Plate Recovered in Albany, New York
This Philadelphia plate was found inside an area that was reportedly not defined as an archaeological feature - therefore, there was no real datable context. However, the plate was uncovered well below the surface, which suggests that it was buried before all of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century material recovered on top of it. It was found with clay, timbers, brick and stone.  Based on the style - I would suggest the plate was made between 1780-1820.

 Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Plate or Shallow Bowl

Uncovered in Albany, NY

Likely a Philadelphia Manufacturer

Likely Ca. 1780-1820

Notice the Two Marks

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

  Plate Marked with Arrows  - with "Mark No. 1" and "Mark No. 2" Indicated

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

 Mark No. 1 (Center of Plate)

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

Mark No. 2 (Near the Edge of the Plate)

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

Dish Recovered in Philadelphia
Here is the small dish from Debbie Miller's collection in Philadelphia, which I referenced above; whereas, I am not saying there is any direct relationship between these two objects. But I thought it was an interesting comparison to see the marks on both of these pieces.

 

Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Dish Recovered in Philadelphia

Notice the Heart Impression in the Middle of the Dish

 Photo Courtesy: National Parks Services Philadelphia Archaeology Department

Mark Seen on the Dish

Inside the Heart Reads, "S P"

Photo Courtesy: National Parks Services Philadelphia Archaeology Department

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