A Fine 19th Century Edgefield, South Carolina Stoneware Jar that is Scheduled to Sell this Weekend in Georgia

In 2014, Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers in Camden, South Carolina handled the lifelong collection of Edgefield, South Carolina collector, Terry Ferrell who assembled an important collection of more than one-hundred examples of locally produced utilitarian stoneware that included some very-rare and virtually one-of-a-kind objects. Jeremy Wooten, President of Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers said, "This was one of the finest collections of southern stoneware that had ever been assembled." Many of the objects in the collection had been on display at Terry Ferrell's Antiques and the Terry Ferrell Museum in downtown Edgefield. Mr. Ferrell created a museum in his shop that displayed the collection. The way I visualize this display today is I envision an exhibit that is similar to how Nassau, New York antiques collector and dealer, Timothy Bailey displays his museum-quality stoneware in his shop that was made in the Albany, New York-area in the early-nineteenth-century. If you haven't visited Tim's shop - it's worth a visit if you're ever in the Albany-area.

Terry Ferrell told the Aiken Standard Newspaper in South Carolina in 2013 "The history (of these objects) was one of the main things that intrigued me, and the romance still continues (today)."

History accompany's all historic American utilitarian potter's today; however, the South Carolina potter's industry engulfed a fascinating history with the realization of the interaction that happened between white and black potters in the 1800's. Traditionally, white potters are what made up most of any given potter's industry. It was different in South Carolina - and, especially the Edgefield District, which has a rich history of white potters and African-American potters producing utilitarian objects for use in local households.

 South Carolina Stoneware Collector, Terry Ferrell

The Lifelong Ferrell Collection Sold at Wooten & Wooten in South Carolina in 2014
Much of the Collection was Picked Locally Starting in the 1960's

Photo Courtesy: Aiken Standard Newspaper - Aiken, SC

(Left) Terry Ferrell and (Right) His Son, Stephen Ferrell

Both Men are Considered Very-Knowledgeable About Edgefield, SC Pottery

 Photo Courtesy: Aiken Standard Newspaper - Aiken, SC

 Part of the Ferrell Stoneware Collection on Display at the Family Museum in Edgefield, SC

Photo Courtesy: Aiken Standard Newspaper - Aiken, SC

Group of South Carolina Face Jugs from the Ferrell Collection on Display at the Family Museum

Photo Courtesy: Aiken Standard Newspaper - Aiken, SC

The Ferrell collection, in-fact, included such objects that were produced by white potters and enslaved African-American potters in South Carolina in the 1800's - the potters and businesses that were included in the collection saw such names as Thomas Chandler, Collin Rhodes, Jesse Bodie, John Landrum, Colonel Thomas Davies and Dave Drake, to name a few. The auction saw heavy bidding from both private collectors and museums, alike with prices that soared well into the tens-of-thousands (of dollars) for the most-prized objects.

Overall, the Edgefield stoneware face jugs did very-well; however, it has only been a little more than a year now since that important sale happened - and, I wonder if those face jugs would have fared better today with the current strong demand for such objects especially after the buzz that was created by the Edgefield-made face jug that sold at Crocker Farm in July, which saw a record setting price of $92,000 (including buyer's premium). The current scholarship and archaeology that has largely contributed to this demand was available in 2014, but the interest is evidently expanding way past what's currently available in the public marketplace - only time will tell whether the Crocker Farm jug was the height of the market - or, if sale prices will continue to rise for such historically significant Edgefield-made objects.

19th Century Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Face Jug - Edgefield District, SC

Circa 1860's

Stands 5" Tall

Sold for $92,000 (Including Premiums) on July 18, 2015 at Crocker Farm in Sparks, MD

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Corbett Toussaint

The Ferrell collection began in the 1960's - and, it was partially (mostly) assembled from picking local yard sales, flea markets and antique shops. The most prominent objects in the sale (based on the sale prices) comprised a monumental sized stoneware water cooler made by Thomas Chandler at Kirksey's Crossroads (an area named after the local tavern owner, John Kirksey) in the Edgefield District about mid-nineteenth-century - and, another jar, that may have also been made by Chandler in another part of the Edgefield District at the Phoenix Factory, which was a potter's business where Chandler was employed. The jar is inscribed 'Phoenix Factory / 1840'. Potentially, these jars may represent two phases of Chandler's career in South Carolina as a local business owner (water cooler) and as an employed potter at another business (jar).

Thomas Chandler was a Baltimore, Maryland-trained potter (with ties to potters in Philadelphia and New York City) - afterwards, he sought out work in South Carolina where he appeared in the late-1830's. Chandler's name is largely significant today aside from just the pots that he produced - he also had a large impact and influence on the stoneware face jugs that were produced in Edgefield in the nineteenth-century.

The following water cooler and jar are considered two of the finest examples of southern stoneware known today. They were both previously on loan at the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia. The water cooler was purchased by Dr. Corbett Toussaint and Dr. Phillip Toussaint of South Carolina during the Ferrell Sale - and, it will soon be on loan displayed in the Susan S. Mariner Gallery at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Edgefield, SC Water Cooler

 19th Century Stoneware Water Cooler Made by Thomas M. Chandler - Edgefield, SC

Circa 1850

Stands 20" Tall

Ferrell Collection
Sold for $65,000 Before Premiums in 2014
Will Be on Display at MESDA in North Carolina this Fall

Photo Courtesy: Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers - Camden, SC

 View of Thomas M. Chandler's Stamp 'CHANDLER MAKER'

Photo Courtesy: Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers - Camden, SC

View of One of the Handles

Photo Courtesy: Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers - Camden, SC

Edgefield, SC Dated Jar

 19th Century Stoneware Jar Possibly Made by Thomas M. Chandler - Edgefield, SC

Inscribed 'Phoenix Factory / 1840'

Stands 19 1/2" Tall

Ferrell Collection
Sold for $75,000 Before Premiums in 2014

Photo Courtesy: Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers - Camden, SC

 Another View of the Jar

View of the Inscription 'Phoenix Factory / 1840'

Photo Courtesy: Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers - Camden, SC

View of the Inscription 'Phoenix Factory, 1840'

Photo Courtesy: Wooten & Wooten Auctioneers - Camden, SC

Although, it may not be as prominent (or, monumental) as the important Thomas Chandler jars (previously mentioned) that sold in the Ferrell Sale at Wooten & Wooten (note: there were more examples of Chandler-related stoneware in the Ferrell Collection), but the following jar, which was likely also made by Thomas Chandler around the mid-1840's is an object that could have easily been an accent point with the rest of the pottery at the Ferrell Museum. This particular jar stands roughly ten-inches tall - its decoration is in keeping with other styles regularly attributed to Chandler's work at Kirksey's Crossroads in Edgefield today. The jar is scheduled to sell this weekend as part of a collection at Golden Memories Auction Company in Mountain City, Georgia. The history behind the Edgefield-area and its potters is amazing - and, much of that history can be tied with this jar. I don't expect this jar to sell for thousands-and-thousands of dollars, but it is still a strong example of Chandler's work - and, a solid example for any collection.

19th Century Stoneware Jar Likely Made by Thomas Chandler - Kirksey's Crossroads, Edgefield, SC

Circa 1845

Stands Roughly 10" Tall

Scheduled to Sell at Golden Memories Auction Co. in Mountain City Georgia on August 29, 2015

Photo Courtesy: Golden Memories Auction Company - Mountain City, GA

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