An Important 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Made in Western New York that Recently Sold in Ohio

Last weekend, Garth's Auctions sold an important glass, red earthenware and stoneware collection that was assembled by a longtime collector, who lived in southeastern Michigan. It should not be surprising, either that a number of the red earthenware objects in this impressive collection were made by potters in the Ontario and western New York-areas in the nineteenth-century - and, it should be taken into consideration that the wares made in this area did not have to travel very-far as southeastern Michigan is located just to the southeast of Ontario, and east of western New York. This part of Michigan could have easily been accessed by land or water, as objects traveled over the years in the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries

The sale took place at Garth's Barn Gallery in Delaware, Ohio. The most desired object from the collection was an early-nineteenth-century red earthenware jar attributed to Nathaniel Rochester in western New York during the circa 1818-1831 period. The jar sold for $4,900, plus the buyer's premium of twenty-percent.

Personally, I do not know whether the knowledge of Nathaniel Rochester's work is widespread today amongst auctioneers, collectors, dealers and museums outside of the western New York region. Nevertheless, Rochester is most noted today for his vibrant slip-decorated wares; however, not every piece of red earthenware that he produced was decorated in slip. He also produced partially-glazed utilitarian crocks and jars, which went along with the products that were entirely decorated with more traditional glazes.

I have shown below a dark-glazed red earthenware jar decorated with a single band of ruffled clay - the basic form of this jar is very-similar to the slip-decorated jar (see below) that sold at Garth's last weekend. This type of ruffled-decoration was also popular with potters employed in places such as Pennsylvania, Vermont and Ontario in the 1800's.

19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to Nathaniel Rochester - Rochester, NY

Circa 1818-1831

Stands 7" Tall

Sold for $4,900 at the Podium

Photo Courtesy: Garth's Auctions - Delaware, OH

Closeup of the Slip-Decoration

Photo Courtesy: Garth's Auctions - Delaware, OH

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Attributed to Nathaniel Rochester - Rochester, NY

Circa 1818-1831

Stands Approximately 7" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Price4Antiques

The following pair of large red earthenware jars also sold at Garth's last weekend - the jar on the right seems to share some similarities with the Nathaniel Rochester Pottery, and other western New York potters before 1850. However, these jars also share some characteristics with certain objects that were produced in New England during the circa 1770-1840 period.

My thought is that these jars appear more western New York (to me) than they do when compared to the types of incised wares that were produced in places like coastal Massachusetts and central New Hampshire before 1840.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jars

(Left) Possibly Made in New England or Western New York

Circa 1790-1850

Stands 10 1/8" Tall

(Right) Possibly Made in New England or Western New York

Shares Some Similarities to the Objects Previously Discussed in this Article

Circa 1790-1850

Stands 10" Tall

Sold for $450 on May 14, 2016

Photo Courtesy: Garth's Auctions - Columbus, OH

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