EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Nineteenth-Century Red Earthenware Salt that will Sell at an Auction in New Jersey Later this Month

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

A Nineteenth-Century Red Earthenware Salt that will Sell at an Auction in New Jersey Later this Month

According to an article written by Dianna Stradling for the 2011 New York Ceramics Fair catalog, "An infinite number of patterns are seen in early American pressed glass (today), most in sharp-edged high relief - which made glass forms attractive to potters."

Eighteenth and nineteenth-century American potters were opportunists. They were often businessmen (and women). Their end goal should have been to produce a successful product that was desired in whatever marketplace that they sold their products - it may have been through a merchant or a retail store that their wares were distributed - or, they may have peddled their wares themselves. However, ultimately, they wanted to create a competitive product that was fashionable with the current industry's demands - all-while, remaining with the market's trends. Imitation was often a part of the trade. American potters imitated European products, but they also duplicated products from American makers, too. I've briefly touched upon this subject before; none-the-less, I would like to rehash this subject, again, seeing that a red earthenware product that is involved with this idea is scheduled to sell at a New Jersey auction house in less than two weeks.

Shown below, are examples of nineteenth-century molded red earthenware from the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York - and, the New Bedford Glass Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts. With each example, a potter has copied an object of pressed glass from the 1800's. Most of the red earthenware examples shown are believed to have drawn inspiration from forms made by the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company in Massachusetts around the mid-nineteenth-century.

Truthfully, I really find it difficult to attribute any of these examples to a specific area, business or potter today considering it was possibly as simple as a potter, who somehow obtained an example of pressed glass - that eventually inspired them to copy that glass that they then incorporated into their own line of red earthenware. This is an interesting subject, too seeing that there probably wasn't much of a risk for the potter to make such a form because it didn't require much clay and it didn't take up much room inside of the kiln. It's possible that these pieces could even be considered end of the day examples. Personally, I don't think there is any conclusion that can be taken from any of these forms other than some potters were obviously trying to imitate - and, maybe compete with an already successful product in the marketplace. Sure, the case could be made that it may have been a potter located close to the glass factory that made the red earthenware object; however, everything else is probably just based on opinion - unless, there is some evidence that can be drawn from such an object and directed to a more specific idea today.

It should also be noted that most of the glass imitation seen today appears to be drawn from products made in New England, but it's still difficult to make the association to a New England potter. Products traveled - and, manufactures also sometimes shipped their products outside of their region.

19th Century Red Earthenware Molded Salt

Molded After a Design Made at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company

Circa 1826-1888

Stands 1 5/8" Tall

Measures 2 7/8" Wide

Photo Courtesy: Corning Museum of Glass - Corning, NY

19th Century Red Earthenware Molded Salt

Molded After a Design Made at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company

Circa 1826-1888

Stands 1 5/8" Tall

Measures 2 7/8" Wide

Photo Courtesy: Corning Museum of Glass - Corning, NY

19th Century Red Earthenware Molded Salt

Molded After a Design Made at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company

Circa 1826-1888

Stands 2 1/8" Tall

Measures 2 7/8" Wide

Photo Courtesy: Corning Museum of Glass - Corning, NY

19th Century Red Earthenware Press Molded Sauce Dish

Dish Molded After a Known Glass Form, Possibly a Lacy Dish

Circa Mid-1800's

Measures 4 3/4" in Diameter

Photo Courtesy: Corning Museum of Glass - Corning, NY

19th Century Press Molded Red Earthenware Salt

Estimated 2"-3" in Diameter

Photo Courtesy: New Bedford Glass Museum - New Bedford, MA

Another View of the Small Salt

Photo Courtesy: New Bedford Glass Museum - New Bedford, MA

View of the Side

Photo Courtesy: New Bedford Glass Museum - New Bedford, MA

View of the Base

Photo Courtesy: New Bedford Glass Museum - New Bedford, MA

On Saturday, June 13th, the following salt will sell at Historical Glass International LLC in Medford, New Jersey. This dish is originally from a matching pair that recently emerged in New England - and, handled by Massachusetts antiques dealer, Samuel Herrup and also, Pennsylvania antiques dealer, Greg Kramer. The pair appeared to have been produced from the same mold. It's possible that a single potter may have made a group of these at one time, but it's difficult to know for sure. Personally, I only know of a small number of examples of red earthenware that imitate nineteenth-century glass today - and, most are owned by museums. It's certainly a rare product to find anywhere, whether it's in a private collection or in a museum. When Greg Kramer acquired this plate (along with the other) he said that it had been decades since he had seen a related object. This salt is considered to be in pristine condition - while, the other dish had some condition issues. This particular dish is among the best examples of glass imitated by a traditional nineteenth-century American utilitarian potter known today.

According to the auctioneer, "this example is a rare redware lacy dish in perfect condition. Lacy pressed glass salts are sometimes found in both redware and yellow ware and are considered rare (today), however the salts made in redware are very rare and seldom offered for sale. The last example that we know of was found by New York City ceramic experts, Dianna and Garrison Stradling nearly 25 years ago. This example was possibly made in South Amboy, New Jersey."

The reason the auctioneer has suggested South Amboy as a possible place of manufacture is a result of the 'Cadmus' ship shown in the center of this salt dish. The potter, Abraham Cadmus was employed in South Amboy in the 1800's - and, it's possible that Cadmus copied this dish because of the ship's name that corresponded with his last name. The original glass dish is believed to have been made at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (1826-1888) in Sandwich, Massachusetts.

I will write a follow-up report soon after this piece sells in ten-days.