An Incredible Collection of Red Earthenware that Sold Last Night at Pook & Pook in Downington, Pennsylvania

An extremely impressive collection of eighteenth and nineteenth-century red earthenware sold last night at Pook & Pook in Downington, Pennsylvania. It was really a museum-quality collection, where many of the objects helped define the kind of red earthenware, which was produced in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region in the eighteenth and early-nineteenth-centuries.

The finest object in the collection was an eighteenth-century sgraffito charger that was made by Henry Roudebush in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The dish was dated, '1778,' which made it historically significant, as well, since it was manufactured during the American Revolution.

The collection also included a wonderful slip-decorated Moravian red earthenware pitcher that was made in North Carolina in the late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth-century. It was attributed to circa 1800, which put it on the cusp of both centuries. A related Moravian North Carolina pitcher is owned by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Otherwise, this was a beautiful collection that included wonderful objects from various potters in the Mid-Atlantic region. The collection included incredible examples of hand-modeled figures, whimsical/decorative objects, sgraffito and slip-decoration.

Excluding the charger that was made by Henry Roudebush and the Moravian North Carolina pitcher; my favorite object was probably a beautiful early-nineteenth-century sgraffito charger that was attributed to John Neis in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was decorated with three wonderfully executed tulips. The Philadelphia Museum of Art owns two related sgraffito objects made by Neis in its collection.

Note: I have shown all of the objects from last night's sale below; although, I have also included links for some of the pottery to related objects in the captions. The related objects may have been pottery that has previously sold at auction or it could also be an example that is owned by a museum today.

I should also mention that the sold price indicates what the object sold for at the podium plus the buyer's premium. Overall, this appears to have been a strong sale, which likely indicates the demand for museum-quality American-made pottery today from the 1700's and 1800's.

Lot No. 103

19th Century Red Earthenware Spaniel Made by George Diehl - Philadelphia

Signed 'Geo. Diehl'

Circa 1870

Stands 7 3/4" Tall

Sold: $510

Link to Similar Spaniel Sold by Crocker Farm in Maryland in 2014

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 105

19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher Attributed to Pennsylvania

Stands 7" Tall

Sold: $390

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 112

19th Century Red Earthenware Bowl or Jar Attributed to Pennsylvania

Stands 7" Tall
Measures 12 1/4" in Diameter

Sold: $4,080

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 155

Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Moravian, North Carolina Pitcher
Circa 1800

Stands 9 3/4" Tall

Sold: $5,166
Link to Moravian Pitcher Owned by the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 156

19th Century Red Earthenware Charger Attributed to Shenandoah Valley MD/VA
Dated '1829'

Measures 11 1/4" in Diameter

Sold: $1,680

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 164

18th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Charger Made in Montgomery County, PA
Made by Henry Roudebush
Dated '1778'

Measures 12 1/4" in Diameter

Sold: $20,400
Three Related/Similar Plates Owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Plate 1
Plate 2
Plate 3
One Related/Similar Plate Owned by Winterthur in Delaware
Plate 1

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 187

19th Century Red Earthenware Bird Whistle Attributed to Pennsylvania
Base Inscribed 'M.M. Bergy'

Stands 2 1/2" Tall

Sold: $1,107
Link to Bird Whistle Owned by Winterthur in Delaware

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 188

19th Century Red Earthenware Bird Bank Attributed to Pennsylvania

Stands 3 1/2" Tall

Lot Passed

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 191

19th Century Red Earthenware Figure of a Lamb
Attributed to Pennsylvania or Virginia
Possibly Made by J. Eberly & Co. Strasburg, VA

Measures 11 3/4" in Length

Sold: $1,168.50
Link to Similar Lamb Sold by Crocker Farm in Maryland in 2012

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 193

Group of Graduated Late 19th Century Red Earthenware Pitchers
Made by Jacob Medinger in Montgomery County, PA

(L to R) Measure 2 3/8", 3 1/2", 4 1/2"

Sold: $1,200
Link to Similar Pitcher Sold by Wiederseim Associates, Inc. in PA in 2010

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 194

19th Century Red Earthenware Figure of a Praying Woman Attributed to Virginia or Pennsylvania
Similar Female Figures are Attributed to Solomon Bell in Strasburg, VA

Stands 4" Tall

Sold: $360

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 226

19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Charger
Attributed to John Neis - Montgomery County, PA

Measures 12 1/4" in Diameter

Sold: $2,706
Two Related/Similar Plates Owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Plate 1
Plate 2
Six Related/Similar Plates Owned by Winterthur in Delaware
Plate 1
Plate 2
Plate 3
Plate 4
Plate 5
Plate 6

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 227

19th Century Red Earthenware Figure Bottle or Flask
Attributed to Solomon Bell - Strasburg, VA
Illustrated in Figure 17 in the Book 'The Shenandoah Pottery'

Stands 7 7/8" Tall

Sold: $6,600
Link to Similar/Related Solomon Bell Bottle Owned by Winterthur in Delaware

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 262

Late 19th Century Red Earthenware Fat Lamp
Attributed to Jacob Medinger - Montgomery County, PA
Illustrated in Figure 17 in the Book 'The Shenandoah Pottery'

Stands 6 3/4" Tall

Sold: $780

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 276

19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Plate with Two Tulips
Attributed to the Diehl Pottery in Philadelphia

Measures 8 1/2" in Diameter

Sold: $840

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 277

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug
Origin Unknown, Likely American

Stands 4" Tall

Sold: $960

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 279

Late-18th Century Red Earthenware Creamer Attributed to Pennsylvania

Stands 3 3/4" Tall

Sold: $2,400

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

Lot No. 280

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar and Lid
Lid Attributed to Anthoney Baecher - Winchester, VA
Jar Attributed to Pennsylania

Stands 10 1/2" Tall

Sold: $600
Link to Similar Lid Sold by Crocker Farm in Maryland in 2012

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook - Downington, PA

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