The Theory Behind Slip Decoration Applied at the William Pecker Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass. in the 18th Century

One reason that I regularly visit William Pecker's (active circa 1784-1820) site in Merrimacport, Massachusetts is the hope that I may discover a sherd with slip decoration. I have, yet to do so; however, it is documented today that Pecker did, indeed apply slip to certain objects during at least part of his career in Merrimacport in the late-eighteenth-century.

In early August of 2004, the important Hilarly and Paulette Nolan Collection of American-made red earthenware sold through Northeast Auctions Summer Americana Sale in Manchester, New Hampshire. The collection was predominantly made up of products that were produced in the southeastern Massachusetts region in the eighteenth and early-nineteenth-centuries; however, that region did not comprise the entire collection. William Pecker's red earthenware was also represented - and, luckily, I own two of the three examples from Pecker's work that were owned by the Nolans. But, there was a third example that was purchased at the sale by a Virginia antiques dealer for almost $8,000. Soon after, this object migrated to a very-important Gettysburg, Pennsylvania collection. The object doesn't have a strong provenance since the Nolans purchased it from another antiques dealer; although, what makes this object so special is the decoration that was purposely placed across the front of the jug. I would also like to note that this jug is missing its handle and part of its neck/rim.

The reason that this example of red earthenware is so important today is in respect to the fact that it is prominently decorated on the front in slip with the date '1797.' To my knowledge - this is the only example of Pecker Pottery dated with slip that is known. I feel this is a tell-tale sign of an aspect of Pecker's production that may be completely forgotten today.

I also find it hard to believe that Pecker only applied slip to one object that he produced in Merrimacport. I really can't imagine that this is the only object that was decorated with some type of slip - it just doesn't make sense.

The meaning behind the date is unknown today, but there may be a reason for why this year was special at the Pecker Pottery. For example, there are a number of stoneware objects from the Frederick Carpenter Pottery in Charlestown, Massachusetts known today that are stamped 'BOSTON' with the date '1804.' Maine collector, Rick Poore once told me that he thought the '1804' date may have declared the year that Carpenter opened a retail store in Boston. It is certainly possible that '1797' may have indicated a year of significance at the Pecker Pottery, too - unfortunately, I don't have any proof of that.

 Early 19th Century Frederick Carpenter 2 Gallon Stoneware jar - Charlestown, Mass.

Stamped 'BOSTON' with the Date '1804'

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

View of the 'BOSTON' and '1804' Marks

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

  Early 19th Century Frederick Carpenter 2 Gallon Stoneware jar - Charlestown, Mass.

Stamped 'BOSTON' with the Date '1804'

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

View of the 'BOSTON' and '1804' Marks

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

If you consider the facts, Pecker must have owned a slip cup to apply such a decoration. Kaolin, the common source used to apply white slip (turned yellow in the kiln) to any given object was also not necessarily abundant in the Merrimacport area or even generally on Boston's North Shore. It is thought today that the local sources of Kaolin, which are found on Kent's Island in Newbury, Massachusetts and in South Lawrence, Massachusetts are not large enough for commercial use; however, these sources may have been ample enough to serve a local utilitarian potter's needs in the eighteenth-century. The Bayley family (circa 1766-1799) in Newburyport, Massachusetts, among other eighteenth-century Newburyport-based red earthenware potters also applied slip to some of the objects that they produced. They may have also used locally sourced kaolin - and, there may be a connection here between these potters (mainly the Bayley family) and Pecker's use of slip in 1797 when the Bayley Pottery was in its final years of operation.

It also may be important to note that the year '1797' may indicate the period when Pecker was experimenting with stoneware - since he was also apparently experimenting with slip decoration. The few examples of Pecker stoneware that are known today all appear like eighteenth-century products, which in some ways, seem familiar to what was produced in Charlestown by Frederick Carpenter and Jonathan Fenton in the 1790's.

 Late 18th or Early 19th Century William Pecker Stoneware Jug - Merrimacport, Mass.

Circa 1790-1810

(Left) 2 Gallon Stoneware Jug

(Right) 1 Gallon Stoneware Jug

Both Are Marked 'Wm PECKER'

 View of the 'Wm PECKER' Mark

View of the 'Wm PECKER' Mark

Never-the-less, this is the only example of slip decorated red earthenware known today that is properly attributed to the Pecker Pottery. I'd like to assume that William Pecker must have produced more pottery with slip decoration than merely this single example. Honestly, it just doesn't make sense to me that he would have only dated this one piece. In theory, there must have been more examples of slip decorated products that were produced in Merrimacport before 1820.

The question that comes to my mind is whether there is slip decorated pottery that exists today that was made at the Pecker Pottery; however, it is improperly attributed to another potter, another potter's business or another region (i.e. southeastern Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, etc.) today.

Late 18th Century William Pecker Pottery Red Earthenware Jug - Merrimacport, Mass.
Missing Handle, Missing Part of Neck and Missing Part of Rim

Dated on the Front in Slip '1797'

Stands Approximately 7" to 8" Tall

Sold for Roughly $8,000 in 2004

Photo Courtesy: Northeast Auctions - Portsmouth, NH

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