EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: Persistence Pays Off: After Nearly 3 Years - I Finally Acquired a Very Important Stoneware Jug Found in a Wenham, Mass. House in 2012

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Persistence Pays Off: After Nearly 3 Years - I Finally Acquired a Very Important Stoneware Jug Found in a Wenham, Mass. House in 2012

I finally got it! Let me explain!

The lifetime collection of Robert "Bob" Rogers was sold yesterday and today by Massachusetts auctioneer, John McInnis in his downtown Amesbury, Massachusets auction gallery. Rogers, a lifetime resident of Byfield, Massachusetts (and also a long-time family friend) assembled most of his collection by picking throughout the greater Newburyport, Massachusetts area over the last three-to-four decades. Most of the material seen in this sale had never been offered publicly before. It was found in local farm houses up and down Route 1A between Newburyport and Gloucester, Massachusetts. He looked in small houses and well-known estates. He was able to get into properties that have sold some of their decorative furnishings to some of the country's most important museums. Simply put, it was an exciting sale that brought together a large group of experienced collectors and dealers - and not only was the sale exciting, you could feel the excitement within much of the audience.

I actually found out about this sale when I was at an auction John McInnis held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire a few months ago. At that sale, I purchased a red earthenware jug likely made at the Clark Pottery in Lyndeboro, New Hampshire before 1820. As I previewed that sale, I noticed a huge poster that was setup in the front of the room near the auctioneer's podium. The poster advertised the Bob Rogers sale, which would be held on January 2 and 3, 2015. I was completely shocked with what I saw! Prominently placed in the middle of the poster was a stoneware jug that I have been chasing for the past three years; however, I could never get a hold of this jug. Let me tell you about the Robert Rogers sale first before I get into the importance of this prized jug.

John McInnis Auction Hall - Amesbury, Ma

The sale was an eclectic collection that really showed Bob Rogers personality; it included everything from early lighting, to utilitarian pottery, to baskets, to furniture, to local artwork, to early glass, to locally made art pottery and really so much more! Naturally, my interests remained with the pottery. The first day offered an interesting example of Merrimac Pottery made by Thomas Nickerson in Newburyport in the very early years of the twentieth-century. It was marked (impressed) on the base with the word, MERRIMAC with a sturgeon (fish native to the Merrimac River in Newburyport), which is the company mark. Unfortunately, it sold for a lot more than I was willing to pay.

Part of the Red Earthenware and Stoneware in the Robert Rogers' Collection

A Highly Sought After Fort Edwards, NY Stoneware Crock that Sold Today
Ca. 1840-1870

A Nice Bennington, Vt Ovoid Stoneware Jug
Ca. 1800-1840

A Nice Charlestown, Ma Ovoid Stoneware Jug that Sold Today with a Heart Decoration
Ca. 1795-1820

More of the Stoneware in the Robert Rogers' Collection

A Gorgeous Southern Maine Red Earthenware Jug that Sold Today

Possibly Made in Alfred, Me
Ca. 1820-1860

A Nice NH or Mass Red Earthenware Jug that Sold Today
Possibly Related to the Osborn Family of Potters in the 19th Century
Ca. 1800-1840

A Nice Group Lot of Stoneware Jugs that Sold Today

Two of the Three Appear to be Products Made in Charelstown, Ma

Ca. 1790-1830

All of the stoneware and red earthenware sold today - while some of the higher-priced items sold yesterday (furniture, folky signs, clocks...etc.) . Overall, the prices were strong both days. I feel I did very-well and the stoneware jug that I purchased, was among the most historically significant pieces in the entire sale/collection (in my opinion).

Day 1 of the Robert "Bob" Rogers Sale - Friday January 2, 2015

Day 2 of the Robert "Bob" Rogers Sale - Saturday January 3, 2015

There were three lots in the sale that highly interested me today - all of which, were related to the eighteenth and nineteenth-century potter, William Pecker (Ca. 1780-1820) in Merrimacport, Massachusetts. There was what I perceived to be an undersized pumpkin-colored stew pot with manganese brush strokes. It was in wonderful condition with a vibrant colored glaze. It was kind of an in-between size (herb pot versus full-sized stew pot). It was also a rare size. I was the under bidder on this lot. The pot happened to have sold to a friend of mine who I have learned a lot from over the years. Fortunately, I won the other lot, which included a very-rare Pecker Pottery stew pot with a very-rare green glaze, orange halos (possibly caused from iron in the clay) and manganese brush strokes. I only know of five examples of Pecker Pottery today with green glazes - and this is only the second stew pot that I know of in this glaze. The others are two jugs and a pitcher. The jugs happen to be glazed in a much darker green glaze that resembles the color of a pine tree.

William Pecker Pottery Herb Pot - Merrimacport, Ma (formerly West Amesbury)

Found Locally by Robert Rogers

The Green Glaze from the Pecker Pottery is Very-Rare

Ca. 1790-1820

Stands 5 3/8" Tall

Also included in my winning lot was a jet-black glazed red earthenware mug - that I feel could also be related to the Pecker Pottery; like everything else, it was found in a local home. The handle is done in the manner of a traditional Pecker handle - and I also have collected a large amount of similar black glazed sherds in Merrimacport, Massachusetts in the vicinity of where Pecker's red earthenware kiln was kept. Pecker undoubtedly worked with black glazes so there is a chance this mug is related to his business.

Early 19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Mug

Found Locally by Robert Rogers

Possibly (Likely) a Local Manufacturer

Ca. 1790-1820

Stands 5" Tall

The Handle is Reminiscent of Pecker-Style Handles

Without further adieu, this in my opinion was among the most important pieces in the sale; it is an extremely rare signed example of salt-glazed stoneware made by William Pecker around the turn of the nineteenth-century. For those of you who follow my writing and research, you know how passionate I am towards all the stoneware artifacts I have collected in Merrimacport related to Pecker. I have found wasters, stoneware kiln bricks, kiln furniture and an endless amount of stoneware sherds. Despite all of this, there's virtually no known examples of Pecker stoneware today.

I have known about this particular jug for just about three years now. The jug was first discovered during a house clean out in Wenham, Massachusetts by a person who does this kind of work based in Essex, Massachusetts. I am not sure how it happened or what led to the circumstances; although, this jug was left behind by the previous owner. I gave this jug a good shot when it became available; however, Bob Rogers beat me to it (I didn't know until recently that he bought it). For the past three years, I have been wondering about, "what if," until I saw this jug plastered right in the middle of that poster at the John McInnis auction in Portsmouth in early November. I was shocked! I never thought I would see it again, but there it was - and I've been thinking about it ever since. I kept my mouth quiet on this one, but I knew it would eventually become public knowledge once the sale grew near.

For the past two months, I figured this jug would be highly sought after, but it all worked out in my favor today. I cannot be thankful enough!

This jug is only one of six examples of Pecker stoneware known today. There's only six! John Kille, Rob Hunter and Ceramics and America published an article about a piece of Pecker stoneware that emerged at a Kentucky flea market more than a decade ago. That crock was published in the 2004 edition of Ceramics in America as a very important "new" discovery. Since reading that article, I have been on the hunt for Pecker stoneware. I now own two of the six known pieces. I honestly had given up on this jug in the winter of 2012, but I guess the saying, "persistence pays" held true today! Also pictured below, is another example of Pecker stoneware that I own - take notice of the difference in form and glaze between the two jugs.