EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: The "Evacuation Day Jug" Owned by the Museum of the City of New York

Monday, June 11, 2018

The "Evacuation Day Jug" Owned by the Museum of the City of New York

Last week, I wrote about an incredibly important stoneware temperance snake jug made at the Cornwall Kirkpatrick (1819-1890) and Wallace Kirkpatrick (1828-1896) Pottery (active 1859-1896) in Anna, Illinois, which is currently on display at the New York Historical Society in Manhattan. The jug was made as a presentation piece for Thomas Nast (1840-1902) about 1871 in recognition of his efforts in exposing William Magear "Boss" Tweed (1823-1878), a corrupt senator in New York City who embezzled the city out of tens-of-millions of dollars. Nast published political caricatures of Tweed and his cronies in Harper's Weekly (1857-1916), which eventually helped expose the corruption that took place at Tammany Hall, especially during the circa 1868-1871 period.

I also saw the story of Nast, Tweed and Tammany Hall on display over the weekend when I visited the Museum of the City of New York in Manhattan. In the middle of the exhibit is a circa 1869 photograph of Tweed.

But the museum also exhibits a wonderful display of artifacts that tell the story of the city - "New York at its Core: 400 Years of New York City History." There are other galleries, as well, such as an incredible presentation of New York City silver and a temporary exhibit devoted to Stanley Kubrick's (1828-1999) photography titled, "Through a Different Lens," which is on display until October 28, 2018.

However, while I did not view any of the artifacts, I also know the museum owns some archaeology related to seventeenth century red earthenware production in the city from Dutch immigrant potters. The archaeology was recovered in the 1970s.

There is also a great collection of eighteenth and nineteenth century locally-made stoneware from potters like Commeraw, Crolius and Remmey; whereas, the highlight of this collection is an object appropriately named the "Evacuation Day Jug," probably made by John Crolius, Jr. during the circa 1800-1805 period. The front of the jug is decorated with an inscribed fort, a flagpole, a partially raised British flag, as well as a man on the pole with a bucket.

According to the Museum of the City of New York, "Evacuation Day (November 25, 1783), when the British finally sailed away, was celebrated by generations of New Yorkers as the dawning of a new era of independence and renewed prosperity. This jug was probably made by John Crolius, Jr., a soldier and potter who returned to New York on the day the occupying forces left. The jug depicts a key moment: the attempt by departing English soldiers to grease a flagpole so that patriots could not tear down the British flag. One figure says, "Damn the rebels, I will give them some trouble," while the other says, "Slush (grease) it well, Johnny.""

The "Evacuation Day Jug"