An 18th Century Red Earthenware Teacup Recently Discovered in Concord, New Hampshire

Skinner, Inc. sold an extremely rare eighteenth-century red earthenware teacup and saucer, which was likely made in southeastern Massachusetts as part of the Lewis Scranton Collection earlier this year in Connecticut. Lew told me a few years ago that he purchased the bowl in the 1980's from Mark Brightman, who is a longtime antiques picker and dealer in New England.

I always felt that teacup and saucer were an incredibly rare form to find today from any New England potter.

Truthfully, it is probably an equally rare domestic form to find in an eighteenth-century archaeological context today, as well.

Similar tea bowls have also been said to have been made at the Upton Pottery in Greenwich, Connecticut during the 1771-1783 period. But it is difficult to say specifically, which type of bowls may have been made at this business without any archaeological evidence. Nevertheless, the manufacture of this form at the Upton Pottery was published in the nineteenth-century.

According to a book written by Alice Morse Earle in 1892, 'China Collecting in America,' "Around the commencement of the Revolutionary War a man named Upton came from Nantucket to East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and there manufactured red earthenware. The pottery when made was baked in a kiln which stood at the corner of King and Marlboro Streets. He made pans, bowls, plates, cups and saucers of common red clay, a little finer than that now used in the manufacture of flower pots. As little porcelain was imported from Europe during the War, people used willingly, and even eagerly, the coarse plates, and drank their 'Liberty Tea' from the coarse cups and saucers. The clay came from Goold's Mount, now owned by Mr. Henry Waterman, of Quidneset, Rhode Island. After the war ended, Upton went back to his safety-assured home on Nantucket and the Greenwich Pottery was closed."

History of Upton Pottery in East Greenwich, Rhode Island

1) Isaac Upton (East Greenwich, R.I., circa 1771-1783) – born 1736 in Hampton Falls, NH
2) Samuel Upton (East Greenwich, R.I., circa 1771-1783) – born 1748 in Berkely, Mass

I was lucky to recently acquire the following beautifully-glazed red earthenware teacup from Maine antiques collector and picker, Chris Havey, who discovered the cup a few weeks ago in Concord, New Hampshire. Unfortunately, the history of this bowl is unknown; although, it was likely made in coastal Massachusetts in the eighteenth-century.

Note: Here is a link to the teacup and saucer that sold in Lewis Scranton's Collection. The following cup is almost the exact same size as is the cup that Skinner sold.

18th Century Red Earthenware Teacup Likely Made in Coastal Massachusetts

The Form is Similar to another Teacup that Sold in the Lewis Scranton Collection

This Teacup was Recently Found in Concord, NH

Stands 1 3/4" Tall

Measures 3 7/8" in Diameter

Circa 1760-1795

Another View of the Bowl

View of the Base

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...