A Memorable Discovery of Locally Made Essex County Pottery from the 19th and Early 20th Centuries in a Shop in Newburyport, Massachusetts

I've been told many great stories of terrific discoveries that veteran dealers have made in Newburyport, Massachusetts in decades past. In the late-spring of 2007, my father, Richard Thomas walked into a vintage shop in downtown Newburyport - and, he left with a group of purchases that still shock me to this day. At the time, I was still relatively new to the research world, but soon after, I learned the significance of each of these pieces. It is such an unlikely story. He purchased four pieces in-all; although, I've been told there was actually a fifth piece - and, for some reason it was purchased by a dealer, but the rest of these pieces were left behind. I'm very thankful for that today. The fifth piece eventually made its way to a prominent national antique show - and, it was later purchased by a friend of mine, who lives in Sheffield, Massachusetts. I was shocked when he showed it to me a few years ago when visiting his shop and house - he told where it was originally found and how he had acquired it. For what it matters, that fifth pot was a wonderful green-glazed crock likely made in southeastern Massachusetts around the turn of the nineteenth-century with no condition issues. I have since learned that all of these pieces were purchased in the greater-Newburyport-area in the 1960's by a couple, who collected antiques, who also have strong ties to my parents

This first piece is the only example of green-glazed red earthenware that I know of today that was made by the important potter, William Pecker in Merrimacport, Massachusetts around the turn of the nineteenth-century. It's a remarkable forest green glaze. None of the museums that I have visited (i.e. The Smithsonian, Historic New England, Old Sturbridge Village, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, etc) have a comparable glaze from Pecker.  Overall, the jug is in remarkable condition with no noticeable flaws - it is very-difficult to find utilitarian pottery in this kind of condition today. I've seen other semi-green-glazes from Pecker before; however, those were more of a mixture of the elements that occurred inside the potter's kiln - rather, this jug was intentionally glazed green. I've never seen another example. This jug was pictured in an article that I wrote about William Pecker's business, which was published in the October 2013 edition of the New England Antiques Journal.

 Early 19th Century William Pecker Pottery Red Earthenware Jug - Merrimacport, Mass.

Ca. 1790-1820

Exceedingly Rare Green-Glaze

Discovered in a Shop in Downtown Newburyport, Mass.

Originally Discovered in the Greater-Newburyport-Area in the 1960's

Measures 9 1/2" Tall

View of the Handle

This next piece was also made by William Pecker with what appears to be the original lid. It's basically in mint condition. I can not find a flaw with it. It's beautifully thrown. This is another wonderful example of pottery made at the Pecker Pottery - adorned, in yet, another very-rare glaze color.

 Early 19th Century William Pecker Pottery Red Earthenware Lidded Pot - Merrimacport, Mass.

Ca. 1790-1820

Discovered in a Shop in Downtown Newburyport, Mass.

Originally Discovered in the Greater-Newburyport-Area in the 1960's

Measures 7 5/8" Tall

View of the Handle

This next piece is a  small cup with a green interior glaze that I suspect may also be related to the potters, who worked in Merrimacport before 1880. I actually believe this piece may have been made at the business that preceded Pecker after his untimely death in 1820 when his kiln unexpectedly collapsed crushing him to death. A friend, Rick Hamelin told me that it may have been the result of a deteriorating kiln that Pecker pushed too far by firing another kiln load rather than building a new kiln. I believe this cup was made at Pecker's nephew's business - the James Chase Pottery sometime between 1820 and 1860. The color of the green-glaze is similar to the wonderful jug shown above.

 19th Century Green-Glazed Red Earthenware Cup Possibly Made in Merrimacport, Mass.

Possibly Made at the James Chase Pottery

Ca. 1820-1860

Discovered in a Shop in Downtown Newburyport, Mass.

Originally Discovered in the Greater-Newburyport-Area in the 1960's

Measures 2 1/2" Tall

View of the Green-Glazed Interior

This last piece stumped me for years. I thought it may have been Native American, but whenever I picked it up I was sure it was made by a traditional red earthenware potter; however, I could never figure it out. That all changed a few years ago, when Mark Sample, a dealer, who specializes in art pottery met with my father in my house, while I was at work to drop off an example of pottery made at the Merrimac Pottery Company in Newburuyport. He told my father that this vase is a very-rare example of pottery made at the Merrimac Pottery Company around the turn of the twentieth-century when the company focused on floral wares. On the front of the vase is an unusual incised mark that really was the focus of my confusion. I now believe that it is some-kind of ancient mark the company used when it went through its phase of reproducing ancient pottery.

Here is a link to a comparable, but smaller form that sold at Skinner in Boston a few years back.

19th/20th Century Red Earthenware Vase Made at the Merrimac Pottery Co. - Newburyport, Mass.

Ca. 1897-1908

Likely Dates 1897-1901

Discovered in a Shop in Downtown Newburyport, Mass.

Originally Discovered in the Greater-Newburyport-Area in the 1960's

Measures 11 1/2" Tall

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