19th Century Red Earthenware Jug that was Discovered Decades Ago by Dan and Jan Olmstead

Yesterday, I wrote about a nineteenth century red earthenware jar that had been discovered by New Hampshire antique pickers, Dan and Jan Olmstead inside an old house in Vermont in the 1960s. It was an object that I was fortunate to acquire when the Olmsteads sold their collection at auction at the Frank Jones Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in September 2008.

Aside from the prominent private collections that still exist today, the Olmstead's collection (among others that have previously sold) should be included in the discussion of longtime collections that influenced me during my first five-or-so years of buying and studying red earthenware. The fact that the Olmsteads had picked pretty-much every single piece of pottery in their collection was inspiring to me - and, nearly every object was also accompanied with a story and a context.

It should not be surprising, either to learn that this was a highly contested sale, possibly one of the more expensive sales that I have seen for prices based on what was sold. Almost every object had been made in New England in the eighteenth or nineteenth century; whereas, there were even objects that had been published, and this was the first time that they had ever been sold publicly. For example, a wonderful lipped bowl sold that was illustrated in figure 39C in Lura Woodside Watkins book, 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares.' According to Watkins, "The bowl was made at the Osborn Pottery on Central Street in Peabody, Massachusetts."

There was also a beautiful variegated glazed circa 1790-1820 red earthenware pitcher attributed to William Pecker in Merrimacport, Massachusetts that did very-well selling for more than $8,000. But there were also additional objects that were left without attribution, such as eighteenth century red earthenware mugs made in Newburyport, Massachusetts around the American Revolution, as well as a number of colorful objects from New Hampshire and Maine. Overall, the majority of the collection consisted of red earthenware made in Essex County, Massachusetts and northern New England.

The following ovoid jug is another object that I acquired from the Omstead's collection; although, it was traded four-or-five years ago to another Massachusetts red earthenware collector. Nonetheless, I have seen this type of jug attributed to both Vermont and Orange, New Hampshire; however, this is actually a jug that was likely made in southern Maine after 1820. It should be noted that I have seen similar formed jugs attributed to Buxton, Maine.

As I recall, the Olmsteads also said they found this jug in Maine. But aside from the form and the attractive glaze, the purpose of this jug was also interesting since it was partially filled with dried syrup. I bet the jug must have weighed three-or-four pounds.

Note: Check the right column on this website for some of the archaeology that has been recovered in Buxton, Maine from the circa 1825-1880 period.

Southern Maine Red Earthenware Jug

 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Attributed to Southern Maine

Possibly Made in Buxton, ME After 1820

Stands About 8" Tall

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View of the Handle

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