EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Pair of Rare 19th Century Red Earthenware Objects that Appear Like Products Produced in Buxton, Maine

Monday, June 20, 2016

A Pair of Rare 19th Century Red Earthenware Objects that Appear Like Products Produced in Buxton, Maine

This nineteenth-century red earthenware jug appeared on eBay a few months ago - it was sold by a dealer, who operated out of Contoocook, New Hampshire. Contoocook is located about eleven-miles west of Concord, New Hampshire; however, the history behind why this jug was located in Contoocook was not explained in the eBay listing. I suspect this wonderfully-glazed jug was found elsewhere in New England, and it was merely sold out of Contoocook.

Nevertheless, I believe this is probably a very-rare Maine-made jug decorated in a very-unusual glaze. The handle suggests a southern Maine potter (to me), such as the Bickford Pottery in Buxton, Maine.

The pictures show the heavy wear that this object (or artifact) sustained over the years; however, it also appears that this object remained in use despite a large amount of damage that happened around the rim. There is also heavy chipping around the body of the jug, which may have happened in transportation while the jug hung by a rope (see rope below).

Despite this object's obvious condition issues, I feel it is still important due to the very-rare glaze. Previously, this type of glaze has been loosely attributed to the Thomas Truxton Kendrick Pottery in Hollis, Maine before 1860; however, I feel this is more likely a product that was made at the Bickford Pottery in Buxton, Maine, circa 1820-1860.

A similar decorated red earthenware object sold last October at a Tim Gould Auction in Augusta, Maine - that object possessed a very-strong southern Maine provenance, and it was also attributed to the Bickord Pottery in Buxton, Maine.

That nineteenth-century handled pot was found in the basement of the Files Farm in Gorham, Maine by southern Maine collector, Rick Poore, who sold his lifelong collection of antiques through Tim Gould's auction company in 2015.

I own a very-rare bowl that appears like it could also be related to both of these objects - I plan to write about it later this week.

Red Earthenware Jug