Clark had much useful experience in preparing clays and glazes while at Bennington, then for a short time at Kaolin, South Carolina, and later at Peoria, Illinois. The first wares made under his direction at East Boston were of a utilitarian nature. From the company's advertisements we learn that white granite and common crockery, table and toilet ware were the sole output.
In 1881 they were also producing 'stone porcelain' ware. The same announcement appeared year after year until 1893, when chocolate pots, jugs, cuspidors, vases, etc. are mentioned. Some Parian ware of Bennington type was also made at East Boston.
We are indebted to Edwin Atlee Barber, who knew Lyman W. Clark personally, for a description of the New England Pottery Company wares and marks. He shows that the products were more ornate than the advertisements indicate.
From 1886 to 1895, Thomas H. Copeland, of the famous English potting family, modeled most of the pieces. J.W. Phillips originated many of the designs used in the printing process (although some were also hand-decorated). Doulton and Royal Worcester wares were the sources of inspiration."
The following photograph is owned by Historic New England - and, it displays the New England Pottery Company factory in East Boston, Massachusetts, the company's employees and the company's kilns. I was not able to find an exact date for this picture, but I suspect it was taken in the late-nineteenth or early-twentieth-century.
A few days ago, I wrote about a rare teapot from this company, which was also hand-decorated with gold leafing. Today, I have another beautifully decorated object to show that was also made in the late-nineteenth-century at the New England Pottery Company (an antiques dealer from New Jersey currently has this object for sale on ebay).
However, this jar is also unusual, where it was produced with the intent that it would be used as a potpourri jar. But I also find it intriguing since it was manufactured with two lids; the outer lid is also decorated with gold leaf, whereas the inner lid was produced with a simpler gold design.
This potpourri jar is marked on the base with a clam shell and the word 'RIETI'' - this mark was only used by the New England Pottery Company for about a two-year period, circa 1888-1889. The 'RIETI' stamp is also a mark that is often mistaken today for Italian pottery, as-well-as a broader European attribution.
As a matter of fact, I have also found a number of these type of 'RIETI' products in the past decade, which were advertised with a European description in places like eBay, flea markets and various antique shops in New England.
Note: Here is a link to the article that I posted a few days ago about the teapot, which was made at the New England Pottery Company in East Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1886-1895. This article also provides a more in-depth analysis of this relatively unknown ceramic company today.
I also want to mention that many of the formal ceramics, which were manufactured at the New England Pottery Company in the late-nineteenth-century were decorated with a variety of beautiful Japonaiserie inspired themes.
New England Pottery Company - East Boston, Mass.
Original Photograph of the New England Pottery Company - East Boston, MA
This Photograph Shows the Company, Its Workers and the Company's Kilns
Circa Late-19th or Early-20th Century
Link to Photograph on Historic New England's Website
Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
A Closer View of the Photograph
Link to Photograph on Historic New England's Website
Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
New England Pottery Company Potpourri Jar
19th Century Potpourri Jar
Made at the New England Pottery Company in East Boston, Mass.
The Gold Decoration is Hand-Decorated
Marked 'RIETI'
Mark Used Circa 1888-1889
Stands 5 3/4" Tall
Photo Courtesy: eBay
View of the Outer Cover
Photo Courtesy: eBay
View of Both Covers
Photo Courtesy: eBay
View of the 'RIETI' Mark
Photo Courtesy: eBay
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
2 comments:
Fantastic!
Note those bottle kilns in the back. Wow! 3 stories high? And they've built a building around them so that they can be fired in all types of weather. With those kilns so close, it must have gotten broiling inside if they were firing more than one at a time. I suspect they may have been firing them in rotation. The work coming out of them sure is fine. Undoubtedly everything was fired in saggers. I'm surprised we don't see stacks of saggers outside of the buildings. I guess they needed to be kept dry, too. Here's more on bottle kilns: http://www.thepotteries.org/bottle_kiln/bottle_kiln_two.htm And I would highly recommend a trip to Stoke on Trent. It's a not super pretty industrial town, but the history is engrossing.
Thank you so much!
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