A Very-Rare Example of 19th Century Charlestown, Massachusetts Stoneware that was Recently Acquired

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a rare stoneware object that was recently discovered by a friend in Detroit, Maine. Luckily, I was given the opportunity to acquire this object for my personal collection. This oddly formed object is the top to a multi-piece salt-glazed stoneware distiller, also called an alembic, that was likely made at the Fredrick Carpenter Pottery in Charlestown, Massachusetts in the early-nineteenth-century.

It is my belief that this object could be related to a distillery that was located in Charlestown from the early-eighteenth-century into the 1800's. This distillery burned at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775; however, it was later rebuilt after the American Revolution. If this object is related to this distillery then this distiller must have been a special ordered product.

According to Wikipedia, "An alembic is an alchemical still consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distilling chemicals. Technically, the alembic is the lid with a tube attachment, which is placed on top of the flask (the cucurbit) containing the material to be distilled. The liquid in the cucurbit flask is heated or boiled; the vapour rises into the alembic hood, where it cools by contact with the walls and condenses running down the spout into a receiving flask."

The following object is entirely hand-thrown. An interesting characteristic: the entire shoulder is decorated with cobalt, which isn't a style regularly seen today with surviving Charlestown-made stoneware.

Stoneware Alembic Lid Pictured with Early-19th Century Charlestown, Mass. Stoneware

Both Examples (Crock & Jug) are Marked 'Boston' But They Were Made in Charlestown, Mass.

 Early-19th Century Salt-Glazed Stoneware Alembic Lid

Likely Made at the Frederick Carpenter Pottery in Charlestown, Mass.
Possibly Related to a Distillery Located in Charlestown, Mass.

Circa 1795-1820

Measures 14" Long

Recently Discovered in Detroit, ME

View of the Interior

The Shoulder is Decorated with Cobalt

The only pictures that I could find, which demonstrate how this product may have appeared are found on the website, AlchemyPottery.com. According to the site, "these are authentic pottery replicas of distillers that were used in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. These objects stand anywhere from 18 inches to 22 inches tall. These are working models of fifteenth-century pieces unearthed in Germany and the Czech Republic. The top crown fits securely into the body of the vessel and is easily removed for filling and cleaning."

Note: I'm not sure if the object shown to the far left is a reproduction or an actual distiller, which may have been used as inspiration. It appears to have significant age (to me).

Group of Ceramic Alembic Distillers 

Stand 18" to 22" Tall

The Object Discussed Above Would Have Been the Top Piece

Photo Courtesy: Alchemy Pottery - Sacramento, CA

Here is another example; however, I believe this is a medieval example from Germany, which isn't exactly how the object found in Maine would have appeared; although, it is a good diagram that shows how this instrument would have worked. The idea is very-similar.

Medieval Period German Alembic

Photo Courtesy: German Wikipedia

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