An Unusual Red Earthenware Pipe Found Today on the New Hampshire Seacoast

On my way home from work today, I made a quick detour a few miles north of where I live to the New Hampshire seacoast; I briefly stopped into a vintage shop that I often visit. I haven't really purchased anything in this shop in quite a while; however you never know unless you look. And today was one of those days that I am glad I stopped. Tucked away in a glass case that held mostly Asian ceramics - I found this wonderful twentieth-century red earthenware pipe with hand painted decoration, a person's name and the year, 1929. Coincidentally, 1929 is also the same year the stock market crashed that ultimately began the Great Depression. The depression was a worldwide epidemic that began in most countries in 1930.

The pipe is signed in paint, Victor Tribouillard. The name doesn't mean a lot to me; although he may have held some sort of importance for a pipe to bear his name.

When I got home, I looked at the pipe under bright light and I noticed that under the V in Victor on the pipe stem are tiny letters that read, Scouflaire Onnaing. And under the pipe rest appeared to be an impressed D inside a miniature seal. The pipe also never appears to have been smoked - which may indicate it may have acted as merely a presentation or display piece of some sort. 

I have handled a number of seventeenth and eighteenth-century red earthenware pipes in a variety of archaeological contexts - and aside from the size of the bore hole - I cannot see any difference in the way those pipes were made from this one. I have actually seen dozens of examples uncovered in a mid-seventeenth-century context in Charlestown, Massachusetts, all of which are very similar to this pipe. I also know of a large concentration of red earthenware pipes, similar to this one that were uncovered on the Isle of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire that had their clay tested - and it was found they came from the West Indies. All were considered eighteenth-century products.

From the brief research I have done - all signs indicate this is a French made pipe, but I have not found any information about the manufacturer that is written in English. Everything is in French! A quick genealogy search revealed a man with the same name (Victor Tribouillard) lived in Paris, France in the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries. He was born on July 30, 1888 and died on July 3, 1948. The years that this man was alive certainly match up accordingly to when this pipe was made; however I do not have absolute truth that this is the same man. This is really a fascinating piece. The paint is very well done - and the choice of paint colors is equally attractive. Not a bad find for under twenty-bucks!

20th Century Red Earthenware Pipe Dated, 1929

It is Marked with the Name, Victor Tribouillard

Stamped with a D on the Bottom of the Pipe Stand

Also Stamped, Scouflaire Onnaing on the Pipe Stem Under the V

Found Today in a Shop on the New Hampshire Seacoast

All the Decoration is Hand Painted
Measures 9" Long

View of the Name

Under the V is the Stamped Company Name, Scouflaire Onnaing

View of the 1929

Stamp on the Pipe Rest

Bottom of the Pipe

Interior of the Pipe Bowl

Another View of the Year

Please Stay Tuned…Much More to Come...

An Interesting Red Earthenware Discovery at an Essex County, Massachusetts Flea Market Today

Today marked yet another visit to Todd's Farm Flea Market in Rowley, Massachusetts; the flea market is held outdoors each Sunday (early spring to late fall) and there is always a possibility that something can be found. You will never know unless you look. The flea market always starts before dawn and continues into the early afternoon (or until everybody leaves). I've never shown up while it was still dark out; however I am usually en route while the sun is on its way up. I've seen some beautiful sunrises this summer. It was absolutely packed today. There were hundreds of dealers who drove from all over New England - many who brought fresh antiques recently removed from homes, barns and where ever else they could have been pulled from.

 Todd's Farm Flea Market - Rowley, Ma

 Todd's Farm Flea Market - Rowley, Ma

 Todd's Farm Flea Market - Rowley, Ma

Todd's Farm Flea Market - Rowley, Ma

Only a matter of minutes after I arrived, I spotted this fabulous red earthenware miniature pitcher or possibly a creamer. The dealer told me she found it buried in a home in Byfield, Massachusetts (a few towns south of Newburyport heading towards Boston). She said it was in a box full of glass. The form's top reminds me of an ancient ewer; although the body and base appears unique. I would say it dates after 1850 because  that is when ancient forms became fashionable here in America.

 19th Century New England-Made Red Earthenware Pitcher or Creamer

Found Today at Todd's Farm Flea Market in Rowley, Ma

Originally Found in a Byfield, Ma Home

Ca. 1860-1880

Stands 2 3/4" Tall

 View of the Front and Spout

 Close Up of the Spout

 View of the Base

Base 2 3/8" Wide

 A View of the Pitcher/Creamer Without Any Light

 View of the Unusual Foot

 Close Up of the Foot

 View of the Neck and Top

 Another View of the Top

View of the Interior

I would also like to show the color of the glaze when a camera flash is used. Aside from a great form, it's also quite a colorful piece!

The Glaze Color When a Camera Flash Is Used

If you notice - there is a small amount of clay that has been exposed from use around the rim; if you look closely you will see a light colored clay with a gray interior. I have been taught that the gray interior is all a result of chemistry inside the potter's kiln. It can technically happen with any potter's products; however most sherds I have analyzed from Philadelphia to Maine and elsewhere do not show this characteristic. But, it is regularly seen on sherds I have collected from Charles A. Lawrence's business in Beverly, Massachusetts after 1866. Interestingly, the clay color on all the Beverly sherds I have handled match the exposed clay seen around the rim on the piece I found today. Since this glaze and form have never been attributed to Beverly before - I am not necessarily saying the pitcher or creamer was made in Beverly - I think you should be your own judge on that. It's just really interesting to see!

 C.A. Lawrence Pottery Red Earthenware Sherds - Beverly, Ma

Ca. 1870s, 1880s or 1890s

 Notice the Clay Color and the Gray Interior

Notice the Clay Color and the Gray Interior 

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

Yet Another Estate Sale in Beverly, Massachusetts.....

A week of anticipation brought yet another estate sale in Beverly, Massachusetts for me; I woke up early this morning to travel south of my home in Newburyport, Massachusetts in hopes I would discover something. Despite my efforts to get to the sale extra early - it appeared that many other people had a similar thought - and when I arrived at the sale at 7:00am (two hours before it began at 9:00am), I was handed number 94, which meant I would be the 94th person to enter the sale once it began. In the meantime, I decided to travel over to the part of Beverly where Charles A. Lawrence once owned a potter's business in the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries producing all sorts of red earthenware and terra-cotta products. The area is directly located on the Bass River just next to the downtown area. It was about a two-and-a-half mile ride from the estate sale

Luckily, when I arrived it was a mean low tide, which meant there was a better chance I would find an artifact related to C.A. Lawrence Pottery than if it were high tide. I went to a spot that was less than a hundred yards from where the original pottery once operated. There was broken sewer tile, seaweed, rocks and mud everywhere; however within only a few minutes of looking - I came across something that looked yellow partially submerged in the mud. And nearby there was another yellow object barely emerging from the mug. I quickly walked over to see what they were - and they were actually river rocks painted yellow with black stripes. Note: The picture below that shows the rocks is not how they actually appeared. This is after I had already pulled both from the mud.

 Bass River Near C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Ma

 C.A. Lawrence Pottery Was Located on the Shore Towards the Back of the Photo on the Right

 C.A. Lawrence Pottery Was Located on the Shore Towards the Back of the Photo on the Right

 Bass River Near C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Ma

It was a Mean Low Tide

 Bass River Near C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Ma

It was a Mean Low Tide

 Bass River Near C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Ma

It was a Mean Low Tide 

This is the Area Where the Painted Rocks were Found

 Bass River Near C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Ma

It was a Mean Low Tide

Painted Rocks Found Submerged in Mud Near C.A. Lawrence Pottery on the Bass River

The Paint Reminds Me of Bumble Bees

The painted rocks reminded me of bumble bees. It is difficult to prove; although C.A. Lawrence Pottery was known for its painted products after 1870. I'll be honest and admit that I am curious to know if these are related to the Beverly pottery. The paint certainly appears old. After all, they were found directly in front of where C.A. Lawrence Pottery once operated (Ca. 1866-1906). There is also a chance that this is all a coincidence and rather, these rocks were painted elsewhere and discarded in front of the pottery, but I would really like to believe otherwise. It just seems natural to say that the pottery which was located only a matter of yards away is responsible - especially since that business painted products for more than three decades. Maybe these were some kind of novelty product the business produced for kids - or maybe it was a  form of advertising, or something of that nature.

 Painted River Rocks Found in the Bass River in Front of C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Ma
The Paint Reminds Me of  Bumble Bees

The White Appears to be the Remains of Painted Wings

View of the Other Side

To give a quick recap about the estate sale; it was held inside a small cape that probably dated from the 1940s. Every room was packed from the floor to the ceiling. There were probably upwards of a thousand glass salts, hundreds of dolls, hundreds (if not more) late nineteenth-century glass bottles (all appeared to be molded), transfer decorated export ceramics, comic books, records, stacks of vintage magazines, stacks of vintage newspapers, early lunch boxes, an enormous amount of sewing related instruments, art, scrap metal, old board games, mid-century Christmas ornaments, clocks, country furniture, modern Native American art, jewelry and so much more. I have never seen so much stuff crammed into one house before. I really felt like Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz from American Pickers considering the environment. Here is a link for the complete estate sale listing - and over four-hundred pictures.

 Best Rate Cleanouts Estate Sale Sign

 People Waiting for the Estate Sale to Begin Just Before 9:00am

People Waiting for Their Number to be Called After Estate Sale had Already Begun

After I watched ninety-three people go in ahead of me (note: many numbers were skipped because people took a number, but they did not return) - I made my way to the back of the house, where many items were available - and then into the basement and the rest of the house. Overall, I didn't have much interest towards anything that had already been purchased ahead of me - or even what I saw in the house. I had hoped for some pottery; unfortunately there was nothing there for pottery.

 Sample of the Piles of Bottles in the Backyard

 Sample of the Piles of Scrap Metal in the Backyard

 Table Full of Vintage Toys and Games in the Backyard

 Room Full of Clocks

 Sample of the Vintage Glass Salts

 Random "Stuff" in a Room on the First Floor

 Sample of the Piles of Sewing Material

 The Kitchen

 Glassware and Ceramics in the Kitchen

 Stairs that Led to the Cellar

 Second Floor Room Full of Toys and Quilts

 Bathroom Full of Dolls

 Second Floor Room Full of Dolls

 Second Floor Room Full of Vintage Mid-Century Christmas Ornaments

 Second Floor Room Full with all Sorts of "Stuff"

 A View of the Cellar

More Clocks on the First Floor

I did purchase a few early glass shades for my parents - and I also dug through all sorts of sewing items on the first floor - to eventually pull out a wonderful large nineteenth-century Sabadath Lake Shaker sewing box. It's a pretty good find! It's actually stamped on the bottom. I was shocked to find this considering what had already been purchased ahead of it. The comic books, lunch boxes and some of the dolls appeared to have value, but in my opinion - this was among the best antiques in the house. Not a bad buy for only five bucks!

 19th Century Sabathday Lake Shaker (Maine) Sewing Box

Ca. Mid-19th Century

Measures 14" x 8"

Stands 8 3/4" Tall with Carrying Handle

 Sabathday Lake Shakers Maine Stamp on the Base

View of the Interior

I also found this hand made lid for a dollar. I am now using it as a lid for a New England red earthenware jar that is in my personal collection.

19th Century New England Red Earthenware Jar with a Lid that I Found Today

It Fits Perfectly!

I had actually considered buying this doll for $50; however I think it would have terrified my niece and nephew so I passed. I also put it in a black and white image to show how it could be frightening to some people in the dark. I think it could have a bit of value.

 20th Century Doll that was For Sale $50
Kinda Creepy, But Also Kinda Cool

The Doll Looks Creepy in a Black and White Photo

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