A Rare Maine-Made 19th Century Stoneware Pitcher that Appears to Have Descended in the Pearson Family of Newbury, Massachusetts

Yesterday, I visited a friend's antique shop in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. I had heard that he had just purchased the contents of a home in Newbury, Massachusetts. He eventually told me that the home was located on a side road in the center of the town. He said it was likely a late-eighteenth-century house that probably dated from the 1790's. I guess the family originally cleaned out a number of the contents from the home a few years ago, where many of the contents were just thrown into a dumpster. Hopefully, nothing special was thrown away. However, some of the contents did still remain with the house, which was recently purchased by the present owner. That's where my friend came in - he was called in a few weeks ago to clean out the remaining contents because the current home owner was restoring the house - and, he had no interest in what remained on the property.

Antiques at Edgerly Farm - Hampton Falls, NH
This Shop Currently Holds Some of the Contents from the Newbury, Mass. Home

My friend told me that he removed a few examples of nineteenth-century Virginia stoneware from the house that he is keeping for his personal collection, but he wouldn't speculate any further with how the Virginia-made pottery appeared. He also said he found a pair of paintings done by the local nineteenth and twentieth-century artist, Frank Thurlo. Each painting also came with their original frame - one of the paintings was of the Newburyport, Massachusetts chain bridge - and the other was a rarer subject for Thurlo, which was a small painting of Curzon's Mill in Newburyport. Neither were for sale.

I asked my parents if they knew about this property - and, they said they did. They told me that this property was in the Pearson family - the same Pearson family, who owned and operated the Pearson Snuff Mill in Byfield, Massachusetts in the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries. According to the Historic Society of Old Newbury, "Between 1705 and 1709 Benjamin Pearson purchased a group of mills from the Cheney family at the upper falls near the Parker River in what was then part of Newbury, Massachusetts - and shortly after built a house near the fulling mill that still stands today. Pearson's sawmill was built about 1830 and converted to handle the production of snuff in 1860. The snuff mill remained in operation until 1986."

Many of the the buildings, the homes and the contents (or furnishings) associated with the Pearson snuff factory have descended through the Pearson family to the present day. In-fact, Amesbury, Massachusetts auctioneer, John McInnis actually held an important on-site sale at the Byfield property a few years back that yielded a large collection of artifacts originally tied to the company. They were all sold to he highest bidder. The sale attracted local historical societies and serious collectors.

This Albany-glazed stoneware pitcher was included with the contents that my friend just removed from the Pearson property in Newbury. It's in pristine condition. I would like to believe that it descended through the Pearson family - honestly, I have no reason to believe otherwise. The base is stamped 'J.T. WINSLOW / PORTLAND, ME.'

John T. Winslow was an important Maine-based stoneware potter, who owned and operated his own stoneware business in Portland, Maine from circa 1848 to 1867. I regard any of his stamped Albany-glazed stoneware to be very-rare today. The Winslow Pottery also produced more-traditional salt-glazed stoneware often decorated with cobalt that incorporated a more traditional stoneware company stamp - but, I feel these salt-glazed products are easier to find than the stamped Albany-glazed products; although, both are rare to find today.

An article written in the 1960's by author, M. Lelyn Branin for 'Old Time New England,' says, "The Winslow Pottery seems to have grown rapidly in the 1850's. The 1856 Portland Directory contained the names of fourteen potters, half of whom are presumed to have been employed by Winslow."

The only stamped pitchers that I know of today, which are actually associated (stamp) with J.T. Winslow (versus other potters, whom he employed) are a pair that sold through Northeast Auctions in Portsmouth, New Hampshire a few years ago, another pitcher that is owned by the Maine State Museum - and, a pitcher that is owned by Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Massachusetts. I'd like to believe there are more; however, those are the only examples that I am aware of today. You can probably understand why I am thrilled to have come across this particular example.

 Mid-19th Century Stoneware Pitcher Made at the J.T. Winslow Pottery in Portland, ME

Base is Stamped 'J.T. Winslow / Portland, ME'

Circa 1848-1867
Likely Made in the 1850's

Stands 10" Tall

Recently Found in an 18th Century Home in Newbury, Mass.
The Home is Associated with the Well-Known Pearson Family of Newbury & Byfield, Mass.

 View of the Handle

 View of the Pouring Spout

 Another View of the Pouring Spout

 View of the Interior

View of the Base with the 'J.T. Winslow / Portland, ME' Stamp

As previously written - Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Massachusetts owns a similar example - their example is included with the William T. Brandon Memorial Collection of American Redware and Ceramics. This important lifelong collection from eastern Massachusetts was recently brokered into Historic Deerfield in a few separate acquisitions. I believe this pitcher is currently on display at the Flynt Center. They describe their object as a "molded twelve-paneled or sided jug. The jug is bellied with a circular foot with a molded edge. It has an attached seven-shaped molded handle. The decoration under the spout consists of two scrolls on each side and a grouping of leafy foliage - and it is covered in a dark brown Albany slip glaze. The base is stamped with the mark of the potter, J.T. Winslow from Portland, Maine."

 Mid-19th Century Stoneware Pitcher Made at the J.T. Winslow Pottery in Portland, ME

Base is Stamped 'J.T. Winslow / Portland, ME'

Circa 1848-1867

Stands 9 7/8" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Historic Deerfield - Deerfield, Mass.

 View of the Pouring Spout

Photo Courtesy: Historic Deerfield - Deerfield, Mass.

View of the Base with the Stamp 'J.T. Winslow / Portland, ME'

Photo Courtesy: Historic Deerfield - Deerfield, Mass.

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