EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Very-Rare Red Earthenware Bowl that Appears Like it Could be Related to Two Very-Rare Maine-Made Objects

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

A Very-Rare Red Earthenware Bowl that Appears Like it Could be Related to Two Very-Rare Maine-Made Objects

Yesterday, I wrote, "This (the following) 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 also promised yesterday that I would show a large red earthenware bowl that I own, which was likely decorated in a similar unique-type of glaze that appears to be related to the jug and handled pot.

I purchased this bowl a few years ago from West Newbury, Massachusetts antiques dealer, Paul DeCoste; however, I believe he acquired it from Thomaston, Maine antiques dealer, Ross Levett. Nonetheless, this bowl had been previously owned for decades by a longtime Massachusetts red earthenware and stoneware collector.

A comparison of the glazes found on each of these objects seems to indicate that all of these glazes appear to be directly related. The manganese appears to have been brushed and splashed onto each object.

A characteristic about the red earthenware made at the Bickford Pottery in Buxton is the company's bold decision to experiment with glazes over its seventy-or-so years of existence. The following type of glazes are considered very-rare today.

I also want to mention that the footed base on this bowl is very-similar to footed bases on jugs, a pitcher and a handled pot that I own, which are properly attributed to the Bickford Pottery in Buxton today.

Note: I have shown a number of photos of the bowl below - I have indicated which photos were taken with a camera flask, and which photos were not taken with a camera flask. The reason I have done this is so a proper comparison can be made with the photos of the jug.

Red Earthenware Bowl Possibly Made in (Buxton) Maine