19th Century Red Earthenware Produced at the Lorenzo Johnson Pottery in Western New York

I was told a few summers ago that the whereabouts of a well-known nineteenth century red earthenware butter churn, made at the Lorenzo Johnson Pottery in Western New York, had disappeared in recent years. It was found around 1975 in a basement on Krauss Road in Clarence, New York by Williamsville, New York antiques dealer, Ron Korman. A group of regional collectors had known about the jar, but it seemed to have vanished. But that all changed when I visited the storage facility at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York in order to view Adam Weitsman's world-renowned stoneware collection, as well as the museum's inventory of red earthenware made in upstate New York.

The five-gallon butter churn was found inside a locker at the museum nestled between a pair of incredible cobalt-decorated stoneware objects from Weitsman's collection. The churn is stamped, "L. JOHNSON / & CO. / NEWSTEAD / 5." 

For the better part of this month, I have written about the red earthenware industry, which materialized throughout Vermont during the circa 1790-1830/40 period. I find it surprising that much of this industry is not documented today; whereas, it appears that twentieth century researchers devoted the majority of their time spent with the stoneware that was produced in Vermont in the 1800s.

However, red earthenware was the predecessor to stoneware in Vermont, and to my knowledge, the only eighteenth century utilitarian pottery produced in Vermont was created by the red earthenware potters. But a number of Vermont's red earthenware potters adapted and evolved to the changes that occurred within the potter's industry, which is when stoneware became the more lucrative and desired platform for utilitarian production.

Nonetheless, my recent research has been devoted to identifying some of this early red earthenware production, and the potters, who were involved with it, such as Captain John Norton who is most known today for the stoneware production that he was involved with in Bennington, Vermont in the 1800s.

It was a little different in Western New York, where red earthenware production was popular during the early-to-mid nineteenth century, a period that saw stoneware production also flourish locally. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 likely gave some of these potters export opportunities that were unavailable to some of the potters in Vermont, especially those surrounded by mountain ranges, which certainly limited how far some of their wares could travel.

This particular butter churn that Johnson made is special since it represents a brand of production that his company produced, which imitated the local stoneware production. This is a style of red earthenware that is hardly seen elsewhere in America in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. This also my be the finest example known from this variety of production from Johnson. The combination of the condition, decoration, glaze and stamp is remarkable.

I have also posted another jar that is attributed to Johnson, which is owned today by the New York State Museum. The decoration on this jar is also in imitation of stoneware; although, I have also posted another jar that was made by Johnson and owned by the museum that is a traditional style of red earthenware production. It should be noticeable how the form found on both of these objects certainly seem to be related.

Note: I will continue the discussion about red earthenware made in Vermont, circa 1790-1830/40 later this week. But I also want to mention that red earthenware from Maine, Vermont, Western New York and Ontario can be misidentified today because of attributions developed based on glazes, whereas, these areas all produced colorful glazes that can often resemble production from each area.

 Western New York Red Earthenware Butter Churn

19th Century Five-Gallon Red Earthenware Butter Churn 

Made at the Lorenzo Johnson Pottery in W. NY

Churn is Stamped, "L. JOHNSON / & CO. / NEWSTEAD / 5"

The Decoration and Form Imitates Stoneware Made During the Period

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

View of the Impressed Mark

Churn is Stamped, "L. JOHNSON / & CO. / NEWSTEAD / 5"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

Western New York Red Earthenware Jars

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar 

Attributed to the Lorenzo Johnson Pottery in W. NY

The Decoration Imitates Stoneware Made During the Period

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar 

Attributed to the Lorenzo Johnson Pottery in W. NY

The Form is Similar to the Jar Above that was Made in Imitation of Stoneware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New York State Museum - Albany, NY

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