A Nice Auction with a Selection of Utilitarian Pottery that was Held Last Night in Northfield, Massachusetts

Last night, I attended an estate auction assembled by Massachusetts auctioneer, Paul Gorzocoski III in Northfield, Massachusetts. The name of the auction house is easy to remember since it is named after the town that it is located in, 'Northfield Auctions.' This sale was a long drive from my home in coastal Massachusetts. I left my house around 4:00 pm - and, I arrived at the sale at 5:50 pm, which was only a few minutes before the sale began promptly at 6:00 pm. The reason I went to this sale is because of an interest I had in two pieces of nineteenth-century red earthenware; however, there was plenty more to see than only these two pieces. The sale featured a collection of Hampshire Pottery made in Keene, New Hampshire in the 1800's, more redware, a few examples of stoneware, a wonderful miniature Shaker berry basket, Arts & Crafts furniture, fine art, early prints, plenty of ceramics, eighteenth and nineteenth-century furniture and, ideally, plenty more. Here is a link to the full auction listing.

 Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

 Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

The first object that I bid on was this yellow (slightly greenish) glazed hand-thrown red earthenware jar with a hand-drawn (manganese) design for decoration. The bright glaze is what really drew me to this jar. I was curious when I first saw the picture of it; however, I was impressed after handling it during the ten-minutes that I was able to preview the sale last night.

This is not a common glaze-style by any means today. I have seen similar yellow glazes attributed to the potters, who were employed in Norwich, Connecticut and New London, Connecticut in the nineteenth-century. There are at least twenty-four potters, who are identified as having been employed in these two areas today, but I assume this kind of glaze could have been accomplished elsewhere, too. The form does seem like a New England-made style to me.

 19th Century Yellow (Slightly Greenish) Glazed Red Earthenware Jar
The Potter (or Decorator) Has Drawn a Flower in Manganese on Both Sides of this Jar

Form Suggests a New England Potter

Circa 1820-1860

Stands 9 5/8" Tall

View of the Interior

The main reason 'why' I went to this sale last night is because of the following jar - I have a great appreciation towards the potters, who were employed in western New York in the nineteenth-century, and, I believe that is where this jar was produced. Incredibly, most lids like this lid are long-gone today - they were either lost or broken many years ago. Its exciting when such a lidded object is seen today. I believe this lid is original to this jar. It fits perfectly - and, the glaze is a spot-on match.

The handles seen on this jar are fascinating - I have never seen anything else like them before, except, for jars that are related to this form. The few jars that I have seen before have all been attributed to the Alvin Wilcox Pottery in West Bloomfield, New York in the mid-nineteenth-century (circa 1840's to the 1860's). I only know of four of these jars that have survived today - and, only two of them retain a lid. I thought it was a special piece from an area that I have a great interest in today - so, naturally, this is a piece that I really wanted to own for my studies - and, ultimately, for my collection.

19th Century Lidded Red Earthenware Jar Likely Made in Western New York

Circa 1840's or 1850's

Stands 10 1/4" Tall with the Lid

View of One of the Unusual Handles

Another View of the Handle and the Lid

With all that said, there was plenty to be seen in this sale last night that included a nice selection of ceramics. This beautiful stoneware butter churn decorated with a cobalt floral design was made in Burlington, Vermont in the mid-nineteenth-century. I was surprised that it sold for only $375 - I thought it would have done better, but that's also why auctions are so much fun today.

Truthfully, auctions can be unpredictable - a certain object may achieve a strong price in one setting - while, in another setting, it may garner a lesser price. It really all depends on the crowd, sometimes the location, the day of week, the time, the weather, the economy - and, a countless number of additional factors, many of which, are beyond the control of the auctioneer.

Some people have told me that private sales are a more moderate way of selling an object today - while, an auction setting can be hit or miss. There are some examples today where an auction result is so strong that it would be difficult to match privately. Obviously, there are many factors to take into consideration of why an object sells for what it does at auction.

19th Century Burlington, VT Stoneware Butter Churn

Circa 1840's to 1860's

Sold for $375 Plus Buyer's Premium and Sales Tax
Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

I believe that this stoneware butter churn was a bargain in the sale. It was possible made in either Whately, Massachusetts or Ashfield, Massachusetts in the nineteenth-century. The front is decorated with a cobalt flower - and, the back is dated, '1835' with what appears to be a person's name or initials above the date. It sold for $325. A similar example is owned by Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

 19th Century Stoneware Butter Churn Possibly Made in Western Massachusetts

Possibly Made in Either Whateley, MA or Ashfield, MA

Dated on the Back '1835'

Sold for $325 Plus Buyer's Premium and Sales Tax
Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

View of the Date and Inscription
Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

This stoneware crock was made at the Thomas Crafts (1781-1861) Pottery in Whately, Massachusetts in the nineteenth-century. The auctioneer described it as having a few cracks. The maker's mark is stamped prominently on this jar, which sold for a strong price of $675. There were a few bidders interested in this piece.

Thomas Crafts Stoneware Crock - Whately, MA

Circa 1830's to 1850's

Probably a 1-Gallon Crock

Sold for $675 Plus Buyer's Premium and Sales Tax
Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

Normally, I would have had an interest in this red earthenware jug; however, my focus was elsewhere, directed to the two pieces that brought me to the auction. This jug was likely made in South Danvers (today known as Peabody), Massachusetts in the early 1800's. These kind of jugs (form and decoration) are normally attributed to the Osborn family today, but a safer attribution is probably to refer to them as an Essex County, Massachusetts product. In the end, the jug sold for $225.

Early 19th Century Massachusetts Red Earthenware Jug - Essex County, MA

Possibly Made at the Osborn Pottery in South Danvers (Peabody), MA

Circa 1800-1840

Stands Approximately 5"-6" Tall

Sold for $225 Plus Buyer's Premium and Sales Tax

Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

Lastly, this black-glazed red earthenware mustache cup is very-similar to an example that bears the important 'George S. McKearin' label (sticker) today. In case you don't know the McKearin name - he was an important scholar from the 1900's, who owned a prominent collection of glass and pottery that is still referenced today. The collection was sold in two equal halves in New York City in 1931 and 1932. This shaving mug sold for $110. I believe it may have been made at one of the Osborn family related potteries (i.e. Gonic/Rochester, Loudon, Boscowan, Dover, etc.) in New Hampshire in the early 1800's.

Early 19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Mustache Cup Probably Made in New Hampshire

Possibly Related to the Osborn Family of Potters in NH

Circa 1820-1840

Stands Approximately 4"-5" Tall

Sold for $110

George S. McKearin Owned a Similar Example in His Collection Before 1932
Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions - Northfield, MA

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