Red earthenware was certainly manufactured in New York City before and after the American Revolution; however, this production in some ways has been overshadowed by the city's illustrious eighteenth and nineteenth century stoneware industry. A similar scenario may have also happened with the red earthenware produced in Baltimore, Maryland in the late-eighteenth and nineteenth century, which was also a city that supported a wonderful stoneware industry.
I have been told not a lot is known about red earthenware production in Baltimore today; although, this is a developing story, which has been spearheaded in recent decades by a group of individuals who dig privies in the city. These people are responsible for uncovering some of the locally produced red earthenware, which otherwise would likely be lost to construction and history.
From what I have seen, some of the red earthenware manufactured in Baltimore appears to demonstrate a Philadelphia influence. Some of the wares somewhat resemble artifacts regularly recovered from various late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth contexts in Philadelphia.
The forms found in Baltimore include bowls, chamber pots, jugs, pitchers and pots. Interestingly, I have not seen any recovered plates or platters reportedly made in Baltimore - this may suggest that these type of forms were imported from both domestic and European manufacturers.
There was also apparently an emphasis devoted to the use of slip-decoration in Baltimore, where a variety of decorative techniques were used. But a great deal of basic glazed utilitarian objects were also produced, such as black-glazed wares and objects only glazed on the interior. Although, I suspect that red earthenware manufactured in Philadelphia was also exported to Baltimore during the period, much like it was exported to Delaware, even though Delaware would have been an easier route for wares from Philadelphia to travel.
The following pitcher sold through Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland in October 2011 - the form and the manner of the slip-decoration are characteristic to pitchers recovered from privies throughout Baltimore and thought to have been locally made.
I have also posted a simple early-nineteenth century black-glazed red earthenware jug that was excavated in Baltimore, and also thought to have been made locally. It should be noted that the combination of the form and the black-glaze found on this object could be improperly attributed to just about any American region in the early-1800s.
Nonetheless, given the fact that surviving Baltimore red earthenware is likely rare today outside of a privy or an archaeological context - I am curious to know how much actually survives and either lacks a proper attribution or is incorrectly attributed to another location in America.
Note: Here is a link to an article that shows a domestic late-seventeenth or early-eighteenth century red earthenware jug, as well as a remarkable slip-decorated red earthenware pan that were recovered by archaeologists in Delaware. The pan is attributed to Philadelphia and similar artifacts have also been recovered within colonial contexts in Philadelphia. The pan was likely shipped to Delaware from Philadelphia, and this would have likely been a similar, but partial route that wares would have traveled to Baltimore in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Baltimore Slip-Decorated Pitcher
Early-19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher
Likely Made in Baltimore, MD
Stands 6 3/4" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD
Another View of the Pitcher
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD
Baltimore Black-Glazed Jug
Early-19th Century Black-Glazed Red Earthenware Jug
Excavated in Baltimore, MD and Likely Locally Made
Stands 6 3/8" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD
Another View of the Jug
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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