EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Cold, But Successful Day of Picking Central and Coastal Maine for Early American-Made Pottery

Saturday, February 7, 2015

A Cold, But Successful Day of Picking Central and Coastal Maine for Early American-Made Pottery

The definition of a make-do replacement in today's world of early ceramics: something that serves as a substitute, especially of an inferior or expedient nature. In a moment, I will explain why this idea is brought into today's report.

This morning, I woke up early for a picking trip that I had planned yesterday on my way home from work that brought me to northern New England to a number of small towns across the state of Maine. My day began with a late-morning stop at the Fairfield Antiques Mall in Fairfield, Maine, which is one of the largest group shops in all of New England. It is located a few miles north of the state's capital, Augusta. From this shop, I continued south - visiting stores in Wiscasset, Woolwich, Bath and Brunswick. There was also an indoor Saturday morning flea market that I could not resist peaking into in Brunswick. Overall, I am very satisfied with the trip. It didn't take up my entire day - and I came home with a nice group of freshly picked items.

Fairfield Antiques Mall - Fairfield, Me

Avalon Antiques Market - Wiscasset, Me

The reason I brought up the idea of make-do ceramics in the beginning of this report is because I found an exceedingly rare example of late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth-century red earthenware in Fairfield that had broken many years ago and rather than throwing it away - the owner repurposed it. I have seen red earthenware with replaced spouts and handles before; however, only once before have I seen red earthenware that has actually had the form itself manipulated. The skill alone that it takes to alter fired pottery is impressive, but the reasoning of why it was done is even more fascinating. These pieces don't get thrown away for any number of reasons that range from frugality, simplicity, country living and just an overall respect for one's possessions. It could even be more advanced than that - there could be a sentimental attachment that caused the owner to feel bad when such a piece broke so they went to all means necessary to salvage it and establish a new purpose for it in the household.

In January of 2014, Sotheby's in New York City sold a group lot consisting of a large nineteenth-century colorful ovoid jug that was likely made somewhere in southern New Hamphshire - along with an eighteenth or early-nineteenth-century red earthenware pitcher that was almost undoubtedly made at the Nathaniel Seymour (ca. 1763-1849) Pottery in West Hartford, Connecticut. What was unique about the Seymour Pottery pitcher is that there must have been some condition issues around the rim the owner could not stand so they took some-kind of tool and actually carefully ground the rim down removing whatever the issues were. A friend of mine described this piece to me when he saw it - he said he had never seen anything like it in his forty-years in the antiques industry. I have been involved with pottery for a much-smalller amount of time than he has and I have never seen anything like it, either. The auction-crowd also appreciated both of these pieces considering the pair garnered a huge auction result of more than $18,000.

(Left) Early 19th Century Large Colorful Ovoid Red Earthenware Jug - Likely Made in NH

Stands 12 3/4"

(Right) Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Likely Made at the Seymour Pottery in West Hartford, Ct

Stands 6 3/8" Tall

These Sold as a Lot at Sotheby's in NYC in January of 2014

Photo Courtesy: Sotheby's - NY, NY

While in Fairfield today, I found this jug that had been converted into a vase or a lidded jar many years ago. Something broke; whether it was the handle, neck or lip and the owner carefully ground it down removing the damaged area giving the jug a brand new form and use. I have never seen anything like this before. If you carefully examine the jug shown above with the ground down pitcher that sold at Sotheby's - you will notice that the piece I found today shares a similar glaze with the jug and like the pitcher, the overall form was manipulated for the owner's desire.

Pictured below is the converted jar or vase and a jug that I own that is possibly the same maker as the piece I found today - this jug was reportedly made in Essex County, Massachusetts around the turn of the nineteenth-century.

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar or Vase

Likely Made in Essex County, Mass. or NH

The Jar or Vase was Converted After the Jug was Damaged

Stands 5 1/2" Tall without the Cover

Found Today in Fairfield, Me

View of Where the Bottom of the Jug's Handle was Originally Applied

View of the Interior

(Left) Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug with a Similar Glaze

The Jug was Reportedly Made in Essex County, Mass.

Ca. 1770-1820

Stands 8" Tall

Also in Fairfield today, I found this wonderful handled cup that I was told was recently found locally. I didn't really have an initial reaction of where it could have been made when I saw it; however, the price was so cheap I couldn't resist not buying it. I have since done a little bit of research and the overall form does correspond with some cups and shaving mugs that were made in Maine in the nineteenth-century. There is also a small handled red earthenware vase pictured that I found in another shop on my trip. I don't really have an opinion of where it could have been made, yet. The shopkeeper told me it was recently brought into the shop from a local home.

(Left) Hand-Thrown Painted Red Earthenware Vase

Stands 3 1/4" Tall

Maker or Origin Not Currently Known

(Right) 19th Century Red Earthenware Handled Cup

Stands 3 3/4" Tall

Possibly Made by a Maine Potter

View of the Handles

View of the Bases

Not every store I went into today was a success. There were a small handful of places that I found absolutely nothing inside of - and there were also other shops that offered pottery that I may have had an interest in purchasing; although, the fact the dealer had the piece priced accordingly to its worth made me keep looking. My goal is to find pieces that haven't been previously identified unless it is something that I can absolutely not live with out. Nonetheless, my last stop was a weekly year-round indoor flea market in Brunswick, Maine held in an old brick mill building. A dealer setup at the show brought the following two ancient-style pieces of painted hand-thrown red earthenware that he told me he had previously found in the area together. While I cannot say for sure where these pieces were made - it could be an indicator that they both have a related paint decoration and I have no-doubt that these two pieces are well-over a hundred years old dating back to the nineteenth-century.

About sixty-miles west of Brunswick, ancient Chinese-style red earthenware was reportedly made at the Kitson Pottery after 1876 - and that information could potentially lead to an association with these pots, but I don't have absolute proof of it, yet. The Kitson Pottery reportedly manufactured hand-thrown pottery much like these vases after 1876 when Chinese-made pottery gained the attention of many in attendance at the World's Fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - unfortunately, I don't know enough about that output to say whether or not these two pieces are related to that business, but I would not be shocked to learn if they were. The Kitson Pottery is the only Maine potter's business today that is credited with incorporating ancient-style products into its regular line of production in the nineteenth-century. These two miniature pieces are very-well made! Simply put, it was a successful day of picking in the fun state of Maine!