Sir Francis Lovelace (ca. 1621-1675), New York City's second English governor, built the tavern in 1670 and it was maintained until about 1706 - it also served as an interim town hall after the Stadt Huys fell out of use.
The site is one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in New York City, and was also the first large scale archaeological excavation completed within New York's urban center having taken place from 1979-1980."
Various objects from the Stadt Huys site were described and pictured in a feature story written by Kim Dramer titled, 'Artifacts Unearthed in Archaeological Excavations Show the Contributions for NYC Women' for the website, 'Untapped Cities' in August 2017.
An eighteenth century red earthenware jug was illustrated in that article, which archaeologists described as "a locally made jug modeled on Dutch prototypes. It likely held locally-brewed ale or cider."
Note: Here is a link to the Stadt Huys Block archaeology report from the New York City Landmarks Commission.
Red Earthenware Jug Recovered in Manhattan
(Right) Probably 18th Century Red Earthenware Jug
Recovered at the Stadt Huys Block Site in Manhattan, NY
Reportedly Made Locally, But Modeled After a Dutch Form
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: New York City Archaeological Repository, Kim Dramer/Untapped Cities
Interestingly, I cited a similar influence found with red earthenware production in Essex County, Massachusetts, in a feature story that was published in the November 2017 issue of the New England Antiques Journal.
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts owns a small selection of red earthenware that closely match objects recovered in the Alsace region in France within an eighteenth century archaeological context. These objects also retain nineteenth century histories of ownership in Salem.
I had speculated in the story that a French migrant potter or potters may have been employed at one of the potteries in Peabody, possibly from the local French Huguenot population; whereas, all of the objects were undoubtedly made locally.
The potter's businesses in the Peabody-area seem to have employed immigrant potters as part of the local industry for more-than 200 years. For instance, two Italian immigrants potters were even employed at the Moses Paige Pottery (ca. 1876-1940s) in Peabody in the 1900s - and, they even manufactured tin-glazed red earthenware in Italian forms.
Nonetheless, the following red earthenware jug is similar in form to the jug that was excavated at the Stadt Huys Block site in Manhattan; although, this object is owned by Historic New England, and it retains a history of ownership in Massachusetts. I also found a matching brown-glazed jug with incised decoration a few years ago at the antique shows in Brimfield, Massachusetts, which had been reportedly found in an old house in Maine. I believe both of these jugs are very possibly American-made, and they may be related to the production that I just described in Peabody.
It is documented today that the early-stoneware potters who migrated to America often made pottery based on the production that was familiar to them. As a result, forms usually duplicated or mimicked European styles. However, this also materialized with the red earthenware potters who came to America, especially the English potters. But the objects that I have posted today may represent potters who took inspiration from Dutch and/or French pottery, a type of American production that is not as well known today. This is also currently a very-popular subject with locally-made colonial red earthenware, which demonstrates a heavy French influence that has been recently uncovered by archaeologists in Philadelphia.
Red Earthenware Jug with History of Ownership in Massachusetts
18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Very Possibly Made in Massachusetts
Retains a History of Ownership in Massachusetts
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Historic New England
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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