Killingworth, Connecticut antiques collector and dealer, Lewis Scranton will sell his lifelong collection of American antiques, this spring, at an old fashioned on-site sale, held on the property of his eighteenth-century home. There are some interior architectural elements that suggest his home may have originally served as a tavern en route to places like New York City, Hartford, Connecticut, New Haven, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston. The property is also bordered by a beautiful state park. Skinner will host the landmark sale on Saturday May 21, 2016 beginning at 10:00 am.
These type of old fashioned on-site sales are exceedingly rare today - especially, sales that include early objects of this quality. Typically, on-site sales are remembered today through stories told about the 'good ol' days' from the antique industry of decades past. In fact, it is these type of sales, where many of the great collectors acquired some of their most cherished possessions. Lewis Scranton actually keeps a record of every single object that he has ever collected, and those records date back to the early-1960's.
Evidently, he also remembers the importance and the thrill of attending an on-site sale - it is also my belief that this is why he has chosen to sell his collection in this type of an atmosphere. His collection will include museum quality examples of Americana, such as furniture, household accessories, iron, red earthenware and stoneware.
I remember when I first met Lewis Scranton - I was walking through the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association summer show in Manchester, New Hampshire with my father, when I stopped to look at some of the red earthenware that was for sale in his booth. I ended up buying a piece of William Pecker pottery (circa 1790-1820) made in Merrimacport, Massachusetts - and, another piece of red earthenware made in Peabody, Massachusetts in the early-nineteenth-century. We spoke for a while about red earthenware, and he eventually invited me to his house to see his private collection. The experience of visiting Lewis' collection opened my eyes to the beauty of red earthenware. This was the first private collection that I ever saw - luckily, I have visited many since, but it was Lewis' collection that truly showed me how an accomplished, and educated collection could ultimately appear. I guess it is fair to say that Lewis' collection gave me inspiration for what I do today.
I would also like to note that it has been a longtime since Skinner held an on-site sale, as well. My parents have told me stories about some of the on-site sales that the company held when it was still run by Bob Skinner in the 1970's and the 1980's; however, I can not recall Skinner holding such a sale in recent memory.
Today I would like to showcase the Connecticut portion of Lewis Scranton's stoneware collection. He also owns a terrific collection of select New York City stoneware, but, for now, I want to focus on the Connecticut-made stoneware. Each of these objects are exceedingly rare for their own unique reasons today.
The highlight of the stoneware collection is a small eighteenth-century jar that was made by Abraham Mead (1742-1827) in Greenwich, Connecticut in the late-eighteenth-century. The jar was actually made for a member of the Meade family, and it is dated in cobalt, "
1791.'' It also descended through a local Connecticut family until the early-twenty-first-century. The Brooklyn Museum in New York City owns a similar object.
Recently, this jar was given a strong estimate by Crocker Farm at an appraisal event in Connecticut; however, it will be interesting to hear Skinner's interpretation of this object, too.
Late-18th Century Stoneware Jar Made by Abraham Mead - Greenwich, CT
Initialed and Dated 1791 in Cobalt Decoration
Circa 1791
Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton - Killingworth, CT
Late-18th Century Stoneware Jar Made by Abraham Mead - Greenwich, CT
Initialed 'HL' and Dated 1791
Circa 1791
Photo Courtesy: Brooklyn Museum - Brooklyn, NY
Another highlight of the stoneware collection, is a graduated set of three circa 1830 New Haven, Connecticut gemels. The definition of a gemel is a pair of conjoined jugs with a single handle. This device allowed an individual to carry two separate liquids in a single object. By today's standards, a gemel is a very-rare form to find, and they are often attributed to New Haven.
The miniature gemel is probably the rarest among the group - it is prominently stamped twice, 'NEW HAVEN.' However, my favorite is probably the largest gemel, which is also stamped twice, 'STEDMAN / SEYMOUR / NEW HAVEN.' The left jug is decorated with an incised bird perched on a branch, and the right jug is decorated with an incised fish. There is probably some speculation, which can develop from this decoration, such as the bird is perched in search of a fish for a meal.
A similar example is pictured in figure 98 of Lura Woodside Watkins important book published in 1950, 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares,' that object is owned by the New York Historical Society in New York City.
The partnership between Absalom Stedman and Frederick Seymour occurred in the early-1830's in New Haven; however, they likely met when they were both employed in Hartford, Connecticut in the 1820's. Typically, the early-to-mid-1830's is when I would suggest the gemel form was manufactured at any of the New Haven potteries in the nineteenth-century.
Note: The medium sized Gemel is unmarked; although, it also appears to be a New Haven product.
19th Century Stoneware Gemel Made at the Stedman & Seymour Pottery in New Haven, CT
Stamped Twice 'STEDMAN / SEYMOUR / NEW HAVEN'
Decorated with an Incised Bird and an Incised Fish
Circa 1830
Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton - Killingworth, CT
Miniature and Medium Sized 19th Century Stoneware Gemels Made in New Haven, CT
Front: The Miniature Gemel is Stamped Twice 'NEW HAVEN'
Back: The Medium-Sized Gemel is Unmarked
Circa 1830
Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton - Killingworth, CT
There will also be a rare stoneware jug available made by the nineteenth-century Hartford, Connecticut potter, Peter Cross (active circa 1805-1818). According to Lura Woodside Watkins book, 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares,' "In 1805, Peter Cross acquired the red earthenware business of John Souter, an English-born potter in Hartford from the late-eighteenth-century. The name Cross does not occur in the land records, and I believe he was not a native of Hartford. Although, he made some excellent stoneware, he was not altogether successful. After a few years he sold his first building around 1808 to Horace Goodwin and Mark C. Webster (Goodwin & Webster) and moved elsewhere in Hartford; but this, too he abandoned at sometime before 1818."
The jug is stamped 'P. CROSS,' and highlighted with cobalt decoration. Watkins notes that Cross does not appear to have been a native of Hartford - and, as-a-result, I would like to suggest that he may have received some training in Manhattan since the incised decoration does somewhat resemble some of the decoration that was employed at some of the New York City stoneware potteries in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth-centuries.
Note: Brandt Zipp indicates on Crocker Farm's blog, 'Farenheit 2300,' "The only firm, definitive dates for pieces marked 'P. CROSS / HARTFORD' are January 1, 1806 to about November 1, 1808.' Brandt also indicates that it is not believed that Peter Cross marked any of his stoneware in 1805. I assume that since this jug is only marked 'P. CROSS' that it could date as-early-as 1806, but it could have been made as-late-as 1818.
Early-19th Century Stoneware Jug Made by Peter Cross - Hartford, CT
The Jug is Marked 'P. CROSS'
Circa 1806-1818
Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton - Killingworth, CT
Also according to Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares), "In Frederic Fairchild Sherman's 1925 book, 'Early Connecticut Artists and Craftsmen,' it is mentioned that J. Duntze is a New Haven, Connecticut potter. He is probably the man who marked a dark-brown red earthenware jar in the Old Sturbridge Village Collection in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 'John Dunes / keep it for you sake / September first 1835' (Note: Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland sold a similar jar on July 16, 2011).
Mr. George McKearin (important 20th century American glass scholar) has found a cylindrical jar which displays an incised ship with the American flag and the inscription '25000 majority Gnl Jackson,' and the identifying mark, incised on the shoulder, 'A. DUNTZE / NEW HAVEN.' There is no clue to the history of the Duntze family."
Presumably, the Duntze family appears to have produced red earthenware and stoneware after 1830 in New Haven. Unfortunately, (as Watkins indicates) there is not much known about the family's production. It is my interpretation that the Duntze family pottery was likely a short-lived enterprise in Connecticut; although, they also appear to have been skilled artisans in dual fields in the American utilitarian pottery industry.
The following jug is a rare survivor from the Duntze family - it is stamped, 'J. DUNTZE / MANUFACTURER / NEW HAVEN.' It is also decorated with some incised decoration - and, based on the style of this decoration, I am curious to know whether this family had any involvement with the New York City or New Jersey potter's industry in the nineteenth-century.
19th Century 4-Gallon Stoneware Jug Made by John Duntze - New Haven, CT
Circa 1835
Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton - Killingworth, CT
Regrettably, I am not familiar with what potter's business is responsible for this next unmarked stoneware jug; however, it is likely a Connecticut-made product. The fact that it is dated in cobalt, '
1787,' makes it an incredibly important object for the study of early southern New England-made stoneware. To my knowledge: this could be the earliest dated example of Connecticut-made stoneware known to exist today. Seemingly, there is a chance that this is also a New Haven-made product.
18th Century Stoneware Crock Likely Made in Connecticut
Probably Made in New Haven, CT
Dated in Cobalt, '1787'
Circa 1787
Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton - Killingworth, CT
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
