A Black-Glazed 18th Century Object Acquired at the 2016 Connecticut Spring Antiques Show in Hartford, Connecticut

I acquired a second red earthenware object at the 2016 Connecticut Spring Antiques Show held at the Armory in Hartford, Connecticut last weekend - this object, like yesterday's object, was also produced in Essex County, Massachusetts. Although, central New Hampshire is also a possibility for where yesterday's object may have been produced, as well. Rather, I am confident that today's object is a rare Essex County product.

The following small eighteenth-century black-glazed red earthenware creamer or pitcher was purchased from Preston, Connecticut antiques dealer, Carol Wojtkun, who happened to have been sharing a booth with Portsmouth, New Hampshire antiques dealer, Hollis Brodrick. A red earthenware object from Hollis' private collection is pictured below as a comparative example to the object of discussion.

Carol told me she acquired this small object years ago from Killingworth, Connecticut antiques dealer, Lewis Scranton, who will be selling his lifelong antiques collection through Skinner in May. His collection includes a wonderful selection of red earthenware, and a museum-quality selection of Connecticut and New York City stoneware.

These first few pictures show the small object that I purchased - it is pictured to the left of a black-glazed creamer or small pitcher that I acquired from a friend earlier this year in Maine. Both of these objects are believed to have been made at the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company in Newburyport, Massachusetts, circa 1766-1799.

I have also pictured below many museum objects and privately owned examples that are decorated with slip; however, they are produced in a very-similar form. The majority of these objects are also properly attributed to the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company, with the exception of the slip decorated object that is owned by Old Sturbridge Village, which is attributed to the industry in Charlestown, Massachusetts, circa 1740-1775.

It is revealing when these objects are closely studied since they exhibit matching handles, matches bases, similar black-glazes, similar rims and similar pouring spouts. The Charlestown example slightly differs in form, but it is still worth a comparison since Newburyport and Charlestown are only separated by thirty-five-miles.

I would also like to add that any eighteenth-century New England-made (or, even American-made) red earthenware is exceedingly rare today. Objects are sometimes attributed to the 1700's today; however, a number of those objects are likely products produced in the early-nineteenth-century when production was at a much-higher level. The reason so few eighteenth-century examples survive today is a result of age, and the fact that most of what was produced was destroyed or thrown away years ago. There was also a lot more utilitarian pottery produced in the 1800's versus the 1700's, much of which was the result of the constant growing population, and the expansion of cities and towns across America.

 (Left) Purchased at the Connecticut Spring Antiques Show

(Right) Acquired in Maine Earlier this Year

18th Century Red Earthenware Creamers or Small Pitchers 

Attributed to the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company in Newburyport, Mass.

Circa 1766-1799

Left Stands 2 3/8" Tall

Right Stands 3 3/4" Tall

 View of the Handles

View of the Bases

Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Mass.
Daniel Bayley Pottery Company, Circa 1766-1799

18th Century Black-Glazed Red Earthenware Creamer or Small Pitcher

Attributed to the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company - Newburyport, Mass.

Circa 1766-1799

Stands Approximately 3" Tall

Lura Woodside Watkins Collection

Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, Mass.

Private Connecticut Collection

Daniel Bayley Pottery Company, Circa 1766-1799

  18th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Creamer or Small Pitcher

Attributed to the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company in Newburyport, Mass.
Slip Decoration Matches Slip Techniques Recovered in Newburyport in the 1930's

Circa 1766-1799

Stands Approximately 3 1/2" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Private Connecticut Collection

View of the Handle

Photo Courtesy: Private Connecticut Collection

Private New Hampshire Collection

Daniel Bayley Pottery Company, Circa 1766-1799

  18th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Creamer or Small Pitcher

Attributed to the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company in Newburyport, Mass.
Slip Decoration Matches Slip Techniques Recovered in Newburyport in the 1930's

Circa 1766-1799

Stands 3 1/2" Tall

Discovered in an Early Farm House in Rochester, NH

Photo Courtesy: Hollis Brodrick - Portsmouth, NH

View of the Handle

Photo Courtesy: Hollis Brodrick - Portsmouth, NH

Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Mass.

Charlestown, Mass. Red Earthenware, Circa 1740-1775

18th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Creamer or Small Pitcher

Attributed to the Potter's Industry in Charlestown, Mass.
Slip Decoration Matches Slip Techniques Recovered in Charlestown in the 1980's

Circa 1740-1775

Stands Approximately 3 1/2" Tall
Lura Woodside Watkins Collection

Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, Mass.

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