This afternoon, I went out picking with my father in central New Hampshire to a few places that I have found success at in the past two or three years. Pictured below is what I discovered today.
This first piece was sold to me as a "redware toothpick holder," while I am not positive of that specific purpose - I was told it was found locally. These are the characteristics that I noticed before I ultimately purchased this small piece:
1) It is hand-thrown.
2) It is in the form of a barrel, which was a form used by nineteenth-century potters in New Hampshire.
3) It is black glazed, which was a glaze commonly used by potters in New Hampshire.
4) Each barrel rib is highlighted in gold, which was a trait used by nineteenth-century potters in the central part of New Hampshire.
5) The color of the clay looks correct for products made in New Hampshire.
If an attribution were to be developed - I think a comparison of the following red earthenware mug that sold through Norman Heckler Auctions in 2012 in Woodstock Valley, Connecticut should be considered. I personally know of about a dozen or so of these types of barrel-formed mugs in private New England collections today.
What I really notice on these mugs is that each is decorated with gold on each barrel-rib much like the small "toothpick holder" seen above. According to the auction house, "This is a rare political item from the Tilden and Hendrick's presidential race of 1876 " (see the inscription on the mug below).
According to Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares) most of these barrel-formed political mugs were made at the Clark Pottery in Concord, New Hampshire in the 1870's.
This first piece was sold to me as a "redware toothpick holder," while I am not positive of that specific purpose - I was told it was found locally. These are the characteristics that I noticed before I ultimately purchased this small piece:
1) It is hand-thrown.
2) It is in the form of a barrel, which was a form used by nineteenth-century potters in New Hampshire.
3) It is black glazed, which was a glaze commonly used by potters in New Hampshire.
4) Each barrel rib is highlighted in gold, which was a trait used by nineteenth-century potters in the central part of New Hampshire.
5) The color of the clay looks correct for products made in New Hampshire.
19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Barrel-Formed Holder with Gold on Each Rib
Likely Made in New Hampshire
Ca. 1860's to 1880's
Found Today in Central New Hampshire
Stands 2" Tall
View of the Base
View of the Interior
This Holder was Hand-Thrown
If an attribution were to be developed - I think a comparison of the following red earthenware mug that sold through Norman Heckler Auctions in 2012 in Woodstock Valley, Connecticut should be considered. I personally know of about a dozen or so of these types of barrel-formed mugs in private New England collections today.
What I really notice on these mugs is that each is decorated with gold on each barrel-rib much like the small "toothpick holder" seen above. According to the auction house, "This is a rare political item from the Tilden and Hendrick's presidential race of 1876 " (see the inscription on the mug below).
According to Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares) most of these barrel-formed political mugs were made at the Clark Pottery in Concord, New Hampshire in the 1870's.
19th Century Red Earthenware Barrel-Formed Political Mug with Gold on Each Rib
Mug was Made for the Tilden and Hendrick's Political Race of 1876
Lura Woodside Watkins Attributes These Political Mugs to the Clark Pottery in Concord, NH
Photo Courtesy: Norman Heckler Auctions - Woodstock Valley, Ct
I also discovered this wonderfully made red earthenware inkwell with a fluid-type glaze. Based on the fluid glaze (see bottom of inkwell below) I feel this piece may also be related to the Clark Pottery in New Hampshire. When I use the term "fluid glaze" I mean it is a thick glaze; this type of glaze is seldomly seen in New Hampshire. However, I often see it used on products in museums that were manufactured (and attributed to) at the Clark family pottery in the Concord and Lyndeboro, New Hampshire areas.
There were multiple generations of Clark family members in New Hampshire that began in the late eighteenth-century - and the family's work continued up through the late-nineteenth-century. For more information on this subject and family, see Lura Woodside Watkins' book, "Early New England Potters and Their Wares" (pp. 120-129).
Red earthenware inkwells made by utilitarian New England potters are a rare commodity today - and a skilled form with such an attractive glaze like that seen below is highly sought after. I think its a wonderful find!
19th Century Hand-Made Red Earthenware Inkwell
Likely Made in New Hampshire
Ca. 1840-1880
Found Today in Central New Hampshire
Stands 1 3/4" Tall
Another View of the Attractive Glaze
View of the Base
Measure 2 1/4" Wide
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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