EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Pair of 19th Century Red Earthenware Pots Possibly Made in Western New York During the Circa 1820-1860 Period

Sunday, May 15, 2016

A Pair of 19th Century Red Earthenware Pots Possibly Made in Western New York During the Circa 1820-1860 Period

Lot number 639 in Garth's Tenth Annual Ohio Valley Auction yesterday in Columbus, Ohio was intriguing (to me) because of a handled pot that was included in the group lot. I do not know where the handled pot was made, but I do speculate whether it could have been a product made in western New York during the circa 1820-1860 period.

With a simple process of elimination, this pot does not appear to be from the south, the Mid-Atlantic region, the midwest, New Jersey, New York City, Long Island or New England.

The reason I also suggest this possible attribution is the result of another pot that I already own, which I feel strongly exhibits some characteristics of wares that were made in western New York. Unfortunately, I can not speculate any further with a more specific attribution; however, the form, the glaze, and the slightly glazed base do suggest a possible western New York potter (to me).

I acquired the pot that I own from a friend in New Hampshire, who obtained it from a central Massachusetts picker; although, a lot of the red earthenware that I have seen from this picker is western New York in origin.

I do not know if this stands true with red earthenware collectors in western New York; however, western New York red earthenware is sometimes (often) mistaken elsewhere for products made in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The attribution is usually the result of trying to attribute an object on glaze alone, which proves difficult when there are similarities with glazes that overlap from state-to-state.

There have been some instances where I have seen this mistake happen with a product attributed to Maine - and, the object was actually made in western New York. The confusion is usually the result of cream and/or raspberry-colored glazes, which were popular glazes with potters in both areas.

I was told by a longtime New England collector that "...The form never lies" - and, that saying has always stayed with me. I usually try my best to create an attribution based on form alone.

Nonetheless, the red earthenware made in the western New York (and Ontario) region truly was a special area that should not be overlooked today. The red earthenware made in this region rivaled the skill, success and quality of any other American (or Canadian) region during the nineteenth-century.

Pot that Sold at Garth's in Ohio