A Rare 19th Century Wholesale Receipt for a Merchant from James L. Osborn at the Gonic Pottery in New Hampshire

According to Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares), "James L. Osborn (1833-1893) was the son of Elijiah Osborn, Jr., a potter from Loudon, New Hampshire, who moved with his family to Gonic, near Rochester, New Hampshire in order to establish a pottery around 1839. After Elijiah's death, James and his brother, John C. Osborn continued in the business, carrying on the shop as partners until about 1875. John then withdrew from the concern, leaving James and his son William Osborn to manage the Gonic works until its close ten years later.

Gonic ware is (partially) characterized by mottled effects that were sometimes produced by dipping the fingers in a dark-colored glaze and dabbing it over a clear glaze (although, this technique was used at many other potter's businesses, as well and it should not be used as the only characteristic to identify pottery from Gonic). 

The ware was distributed in the usual way from peddler's carts among the surrounding towns. Milk pans sold for twenty cents, cups for ten, and large jars for forty-five or fifty cents."

While visiting New Hampshire yesterday for the 60th Annual New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association Antique Show at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire, a friend dropped off a piece of nineteenth century paperwork from the Gonic Pottery. This document was recently found in New Hampshire, and it is a receipt that has been signed twice by James L. Osborn.

It is presumed, then that this document is probably from after Elijah's death when James was fully involved with the company's operation. This also appears to be a receipt, which shows a large wholesale order of pottery that probably went to a merchant in a nearby town like Watkins had suggested, where most of the pottery was distributed, circa 1839-1885.

This document also shows that all of the orders were placed in the amount of 1/2 dozen or 1 dozen with an assortment of forms in multiple sizes, which ranged from pots, covered bean pots, flower pots (some hanging) and bread pans.

For a total of $7.00, the merchant purchased 78 pieces of red earthenware, which combined 24 pots, 12 covered bean pots, 30 flower pots and 12 bread pans.

The forms also suggest that this order was probably placed in the company's latter years of operation when these type of objects were most popular with the New England red earthenware potter's industry in the 1850s-1880s.

Of all the objects listed on this sheet, the bread pans are what interest me the most; here is a link to a baking pan that is attributed to the Osborn Pottery by the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire. The museum attributes this object to when the Gonic Pottery was run by James and John Osborn, and this may be the type of object that is listed on this receipt, which reveals that this form may have come in multiple sizes.

Note: Here are a group of links to objects that are attributed to specific potters at the Gonic Pottery by the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire.

1) Jar Attributed to Elijah Osborn, Jr.

2) Jug Attributed to Elijah Osborn, Jr.

3) Cake (or Bread) Pan Made by Either James L. Osborn or John C. Osborn

4) Jug Possibly Made by James L. Osborn or William Osborn

5) Jug Possibly Made by William Osborn

6) Jug Generically Attributed to the Gonic Pottery

A Rare Receipt from the Pottery in Gonic, New Hampshire

19th Century Merchant Receipt Signed by James L. Osborn

James L. Osborn was a Potter in Gonic, NH

Receipt Likely Circa 1850-1885

Recently Found in New Hampshire

See Article for More Information

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