A Rare Pair of 19th Century Red Earthenware Potter's Molds that Sold a Few Weeks Ago in Pennsylvania

On Saturday February 27, 2016, Whitman Auctioneers, Inc. in Manheim, Pennsylvania sold a collection of nineteenth and twentieth-century red earthenware that was predominantly made in Pennsylvania. For reference, I have included the pottery portion from the auction listing below.

There were two specific objects in this collection that I felt were museum quality. They were loaf dish molds, which were used by a potter to press mold red earthenware in the nineteenth-century.  Afterwards, the loaf dish was likely decorated with slip-decoration.

One of the loaf dishes was inscribed, "B.B. Mershon / February 26th, 1828." Unfortunately, my brief attempt to identify this potter has been unsuccessful, thus far; however, Christie's in New York City sold a slip-decorated red earthenware loaf dish in 1997 that was probably made from a similar mold - it was inscribed, "B.B. Mershon / February 25th, 1848." Ultimately, the loaf dish sold for $633.00, including the buyer's premium.

It would be incredible to own a loaf dish mold, and a red earthenware dish with the same inscription, as seen below.

The other loaf dish mold is not marked; however, I thought it was equally intriguing due to the rarity of finding any type of nineteenth-century red earthenware potter's tool today.

************* 

Outstanding Antiques Auction Including the 2nd Session of the Private Collection of the Late Greg Zieber (Master Potter of Robesonia), and other Local Collectors.

18TH & 19TH CENTURY PA REDWARE POTTERY (STAHL, MEDINGER, HENNE, AND OTHERS), 20TH CENTURY POTTERY BY NOLDE FOREST, BREININGER, WES MUCKEY & GREG ZIEBER AND OTHERS

Redware/Pottery:  Nolde Forest Redware Items (Vases, Easter Rabbit, Mug, Decorated Plate, Eggs, Miniature Face Jug, Face Mug, Decorated Pot, Soap Dish),  Breininger Items (Extremely Rare & Unusual Fish Bottle, Decorated Cake Stand, Twisted Rope Handled Pitcher, Die-Cut, Double Walled Lidded Jar, Pr. Salt & Pepper Shakers, Fabulous Miniature Grouping of Four (4) Pitchers, Slip Decorated Butter Pats, Soap Dishes, Eggs, Toddy Plates, Bowls, “Sample Plates”, Redware Barrel Keg, Decorated Ovoid Vase, Lidded Jar, Decorated Cup, Fat Lamps, Extremely Large Platter w/Squiggle Design, Bowl w/ Fish Decoration, Extremely Early Bulbous Form Jug Dated 1967, Goose Neck Teapot, Decorated Bowls, Full Bodied Lion – Many of These Pieces are Signed By Greg Zeiber and Wes Muckey), Stahl Pottery (Exceptionally Fine Redware Egg Cup- Signed & Dated Isaac Stahl ’48, Green Decorated Lidded Gooseneck Teapot – Signed & Dated Isaac Stahl 1935, Extremely Rare Pinch Bottle – Signed & Dated Isaac Stahl 1948, Small Green Decorated Flower Pot, Twisted Rope Handled Cup, Unsigned Twisted Rope Handled Small Jug, Glazed Handled Beer Mug), Miscellaneous Redware Items: Jacob Medinger Pie Plate w/Decorated Design, Extremely Rare J.S. Henne Berks County Storage Vessel and Jug, Sponge Decorated Jars, Cups, Mugs, Turks Head Molds, Inkwell, Colander, Double Handled Jar, Wooden Molding Bowls, Ovoid Handled Still Bank, Miniature Ovoid Bottle, Large Incised Double Handled Storage Vessel, Twig Pottery Bank, Flower Pot, Fine Large Handled Pot w/ Lid, Loaf Dish Mold – Signed B.B. Mershom 1828, Very Early Oversized Oval Dish Mold, Good Selection of Early PA Redware (Many Pieces From Berks County), Oversized Slip Decorated w/ Squiggle & Dot Decoration, Slip Decorated Tick-Tack Toe Plate, Slip Decorated Pie Plate, Octagonal Slip “Leaf and Floral Decorated” Plate, Large Slip Decorated Bowl, Highly Decorated Slipware Plate w/Yellow & Green Décor, Twentieth Century Redware Including Nolde Forest, Breininger, Jeff White, Pottery  

19th Century Loaf Dish Mold Used to Produce Red Earthenware

Inscribed 'B.B. Mershon / February 26th, 1828'

Photo Courtesy: Whitman Auctioneers, Inc. - Manheim, PA

19th Century Loaf Dish Mold Used to Produce Red Earthenware

Photo Courtesy: Whitman Auctioneers, Inc. - Manheim, PA

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come