EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Late-19th Century Painted Vase that was Recently Found in a House in Walpole, Maine

Thursday, February 9, 2017

A Late-19th Century Painted Vase that was Recently Found in a House in Walpole, Maine

This is a wonderful handmade wooden vase that I just purchased from a picker in Maine - I was told that the vase was recently found in a house in the town of Walpole, Maine, which is located near Boothbay Harbor. The paint all appears original - the vase has been painted black, but it is also decorated with strawberries and other ornaments in gold and red paint. It also appears that the wood may be maple.

The main reason that I really wanted to own this vase was a result of the form and the painted decoration, which reminds me of similar red earthenware objects that were made at various New England potter's businesses in the late-nineteenth-century. These type of red earthenware objects were inspired from actual ancient forms that were made centuries ago.

I have read that nineteenth-century New England potter's used museum collections and prints, which displayed ancient Roman vases as resources for their creations. Basically, I felt this wooden vase fit in well with this type of pottery production that began with Charles A. Lawrence's business in Beverly, Massachusetts in 1872.

According to the book, 'In Pursuit of Beauty: Americans and the Aesthetic Movement,' "Facsimiles of Greek terra-cotta vessels were some of the earliest artistic ceramics produced in America. The first known reference to an 'artware line' appeared in 1872, when the 'Beverly Pottery at the request of Boston ladies began to copy beautiful forms of ancient vases to order.' Charles A. Lawrence, the superintendent of that Massachusetts factory, intentionally limited his production of imitation Greek pottery, for he feared that if it became common it would depreciate in value. He therefore sold it only in small lots to his 'artistic' friends for their own private collections."

Note: It is difficult to prove, but I suspect that this painted ancient-style wooden vase may have been made in Maine in the late-1800's. I have also shown a group of late-nineteenth-century ancient-style red earthenware vases, which I feel are comparable to the wooden vase. I should also mention that at least three of the red earthenware objects were made at the Charles A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts after 1872; although, one of the objects is stamped with Lawrence's extremely rare mark and I believe that this vase may have been made in 1872.

Wooden Vase with Ancient-Style Red Earthenware Objects

(Middle Front) Late-19th Century Painted Wooden Vase

Reportedly Recently Found in a House in Walpole, ME

Form & Paint is Similar to Red Earthenware Objects Produced in New England After 1872
(Rest of Objects) Ancient-Style Vases Made at Various Potter's Businesses in New England
Circa 1872-1900

Wooden Vase