In America, college football bowl games are a staple of the holiday. This year sparks the first ever college football playoffs. However, its also a big day for the antique industry. Many auctions reserve the day to hold a special sale - while a number of shows also happen around the country. When you work in television - there is never really a day off; it's a 365 day business that runs around the clock. The trade off that goes into getting some holidays off is you have to work others. Some years I work New Year's Day - while there are other years that I have the holiday off. This year, I had the day off - I did not have to work.
Since I had the day off, I went to an annual New Year's antique show held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire hosted by Nan Gurley. I've been to a countless number of Nan Gurley shows over the years; however, I have never been able to make a New Year's show. This year I did! I arrived at the show around 9:40 am ensuring myself the opportunity to be among the first set of eyes to see what was inside the room when the doors opened at 10:00 am.
There were a lot of quality dealers exhibiting at this show from around New England today. There was much to be seen and a lot of buying opportunities. I didn't really buy much, but I did come across a large red earthenware lid that Maine dealer, Ross Levett brought with him. Lids are very rare to find today - so whenever I have an opportunity to buy a New England example - I usually buy it. The reason so few lids exist is easy to explain - they were easily broken. The lid that Ross sold to me is huge! It measures just under six inches in diameter with great color, great form and great decoration. A typical sized lid is usually two-to-four inches wide.
Above the already mentioned characteristics, this lid has a very interesting specific feature, that being the base is signed with a Roman numeral. This was likely done by the potter to match up the correct lid with the correct jar, crock, pot, pitcher, whatever it was after removing the form from the kiln. In this case, there was likely a jar or a pitcher or another form that also had the same Roman numeral. The number seen on the lid is XXIII, which stands for twenty-three. I assume that means there were at least twenty-three lidded forms in this particular kiln firing.
19th Century Maine Made Red Earthenware Lid
Purchased Today at a New Year's Show in Portsmouth, NH
Found in Maine by Ross Levett
Ca. 1820-1860
Measures 5 5/8" Wide
View of the Bottom of the Lid
The Bottom is Signed with a Roman Numeral, XXIII, Which Stands for 23
There was Likely Also a Jar with the Same Number
A Closer Look at the Roman Numeral
The only potter that I know of who used Roman numerals in New England was Thomas Truxton Kendrick in Hollis, Maine in the nineteenth-century. According to the book, The Early Potters and Potteries of Maine, "John Alld was identified as a potter in a deed of February 17, 1820, when he purchased two acres of land in Hollis. Soon after, his brother in-law, Thomas Truxton Kendrick arrived, who went there to learn the potting trade." Kendrick later began his own business in Hollis manufacturing traditional red earthenware for the southern Maine market.
Kendrick's material is considered very rare today. The oversized lid that I found today doesn't exactly correspond with the lids I have seen from Kendrick products; however, I have never seen a lid from Maine that is this large before, either. I cannot say for sure if this is a Kendrick lid; although, the Roman numerals may be a direct link to Kendrick.
Pictured below are a few rare examples of Kendrick's work privately held throughout New England. Many people reading this may be shocked at the cup below. This is definitely an example of Kendrick's work. The cup has descended through the Kendrick family of Maine to the current Kendrick family member. This is the first time it has ever been published before. In fact, it has never really been shown before. The cup is quite a surprising piece to see since the glaze is not a common color associated with Kendrick today. I believe Kendrick is another example of a potter that not a great deal is known about their work today.
Thomas Truxton Kendrick Attributed Red Earthenware Lidded Jar - Hollis, Me
May Have Been Used as a Spice Jar
Ca. 1820-1860
Photo Courtesy: Private New England Collection
Thomas Truxton Kendrick Attributed Red Earthenware Cup - Hollis, Me
Descended Through the Kendrick Family to the Current Family Owner
Ca. 1820-1860
Photo Courtesy: Private New England Collection
When I got home, I thought the newly found lid would fit on one of my Maine jars that I do not have a cover for; unfortunately, this lid is larger than I thought. For now, I have placed it on top of a rare turn of the nineteenth-century Essex County, Massachusetts jar that has a ton of incising for decoration. Surprisingly, they go well together (a lot of Maine potter's routes began in Essex County)!
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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