It was a distinguished crowd of a few dozen knowledgeable people who visited from various backgrounds, such as collectors, historians and potters. Most of the people were from New England, but there were even some who were originally from England.
Historic New England's Redware Workshop
Some of the People Who Attended Historic New England's Redware Workshop
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Nancy Carlisle, Senior Curator of Collections at Historic New England
She Explains Some of the Museum's Artwork from Boston to Some of the People Who Attended
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We even discussed an eighteenth century cobalt-decorated stoneware jar that Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins illustrated in 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares.' Watkins felt the misshaped jar was likely made at the Parker Pottery in Charlestown, Massachusetts in the 1740s, suggesting that it was an extremely rare survivor.
If this jar is in fact what it is described to be then it is likely one of the more important examples of eighteenth century New England stoneware in existence. However, it is currently difficult to accurately prove this attribution since very little is known about this production today (see right column for more information about stoneware production in Charlestown in the 1740s).
Nonetheless, the jar does retain a strong provenance seeing that it was found by Watkins in the early-1900s in a basement of a colonial eighteenth century home in Chelsea, Massachusetts; although, the context of ownership in this house dates back to at the least the 1800s. This jar also does not appear to be a product manufactured by either Frederick Carpenter or Jonathan Fenton in Charlestown in the 1790s.
Note: The thumb impression found on the handle terminals on this jar resemble the thumb mark left on the handle terminal of an eighteenth century stoneware chamber pot sherd (see below), which was recovered by archaeologists in Charlestown in the 1980s. The sherd was recovered within a mid-eighteenth century context leading me to believe that there may be a connection.
Possibly 18th Century Charlestown, MA Stoneware
Probably 18th Century Stoneware Pot
Lura Woodside Watkins Suggested Charlestown, MA Origin
She Wrote it May Have Been Made at the Parker Pottery in Charlestown
Reportedly Circa 1741-1745
Stands 8 1/2" Tall
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
View of One Handle
Thumb Impression Similar to the Sherd Shown Below
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
View of the Other Handle
Thumb Impression Similar to the Sherd Shown Below
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
View of the Base
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
18th Century Stoneware Handle, Likely From a Chamber Pot
Recovered in a Mid-18th Century Context on Wapping Street in Charlestown, Mass.
Possibly Related to the Parker Pottery Stoneware Production, Circa 1741-1745
Thumb Impression is Similar to the Thumb Impressions Seen on the Pot Above
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Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, Mass.
During my presentation, I also tried to demonstrate the progression of the New England red earthenware potter from strictly household utilitarian objects to the production of floral products and artware. This progression happened over more than two centuries, but the transition was noticeable by the 1870s.
While trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to use in the collection to demonstrate this evolution, I saw this small painted red earthenware Grecian-style vase. It had been cataloged as an object made by John Farmer Clark at the Millville Pottery in Concord, New Hampshire in the 1870s - whereas, Historic New England owns three painted Grecian-style objects that were made by Clark, which had descended in the Clark family. I could clearly see how this object was also interpreted to have been manufactured in Millville. However, after handling these four objects, it was apparent that this small vase was more likely from Charles A. Lawrence's Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts, as early as 1872.
Lawrence's Grecian-style pottery are objects that I have tried to document on this website, and this was previously an unknown piece. This is a type of production that Lawrence advertised in the 1870s-1890s, and he declared that he was the first in the country to undertake such a production.
I have written a feature story about the Beverly Pottery and the Grecian wares that should be published later this year in the 'New England Antiques Journal.' The article will include some exciting advertising never before published since it was originally printed in the nineteenth century, where it seems to have been Lawrence's intentions to strictly advertise this production.
Note: This Grecian-style red earthenware vase was acquired by Historic New England in 1938 from a local amateur antiquarian. Unfortunately, the provenance prior to this ownership is unknown.
Grecian-Style Red Earthenware Vase
19th Century Painted Grecian-Style Red Earthenware Vase
Attributed to Charles A. Lawrence's Pottery in Beverly, Mass.
Circa 1872-1880
Stands About 5" Tall
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
View of One Handle
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
View of the Other Handle
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
View of the Base
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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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