A 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Discovered in Vermont by Pickers from New Hampshire in the Early 1970's

The following nineteenth-century green-glazed red earthenware jar was discovered by New Hampshire antique pickers, Dan and Jan Olmstead in Vermont in the early-1970's. I purchased the jar when the couple sold their lifelong collection at the Frank Jones Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Saturday September 13, 2008. Essentially, their entire collection was picked with strong provenances that accompanied just about every single object. At the least, every object came with a story.

It was a highly contested sale with most of the objects achieving very-strong prices. I was lucky to have brought home this object to add to my collection over seven years ago.

Ultimately, I firmly feel that this is a Vermont-made object; however, I have not, yet been able to properly determine what potter's business was responsible. The form, exterior glaze, interior glaze, incising, handles, neck and rim all correspond with wares made in Vermont. I actually also believe that this jar may have possessed a lid at one time.

The thumb prints on the handles and the overall form are characteristic of the wares made in Middlebury, Vermont by Edward William Farrar around 1830; however, the footed base is not characteristic for the wares made by the Farrar family. None-the-less, I wanted to show this jar as part of the recent study that I have devoted to some of the red earthenware that was produced in Vermont in the nineteenth-century.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Found in Vermont in the 1970's

Th Jar was Likely Made in Vermont

Circa 1810-1840

Stands 10 3/8" Tall

Ex-Dan & Jan Olmstead Collection

Another View of the Jar

 View of One Handle

View of the Other Handle

View of the Interior

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