Ceramics in the Collection of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York

It has been a little more than two years now since I last visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York with my nephew Jason. We really enjoy baseball, both the history of the sport, as well as how the game is currently played today. But we have also visited a number of different ballparks in the last two years, some multiple times, with more trips planned in the future.

The Baseball Hall of Fame and the Village of Cooperstown is a wonderful place to experience; in fact, I visited the museum on a few occasions with my father as a kid during Hall of Fame Weekend, which is when the latest class of players, coaches, writers, etc. is inducted into the Hall of Fame, as part of a huge induction ceremony.

I remember hanging out next to Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown, watching legends like Yogi Bera and Tom Seaver tee off. I also enjoyed walking around the various shops and buildings in downtown Cooperstown, collecting autographs from the old-time ball players who had traveled to Cooperstown for induction weekend. The first legendary player I met was Don Larson - so far he is the only pitcher to throw a perfect game in the World Series. He played for the New York Yankees and threw the perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers on October 8, 1956. Although, in high school, I also played a memorable game with my varsity team on Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

But I may have appreciated the history of baseball more so than ever before, when I visited the museum two years ago with my nephew. There were many historical objects in the museum's collection that I really admired, such as an exhibit entitled, "Taking the Field: the 19th Century," along with other exhibits like, "Picturing America's Pastime," "Pride and Passion: the African-American Baseball Experience," "Babe Ruth: His Life and Legend," and "Viva Baseball!"

However, it was also intriguing to see how the world had taken notice of baseball in the 1800s. For example, the nineteenth century exhibit displayed a group of transfer printed ceramic dishes, some of which had been manufactured in America, but there were others that had been produced in Staffordshire, England. The English examples were produced as children's plates in the 1860s under the brand "American Sports."  Some of the dishes were even decorated with inscriptions like, "Base Ball. Caught on the Fly.," Base Ball Striker and Catcher," Base Ball Running to First Base," Base Ball Out on the Third Base," as well as untitled plates.

I also learned about a wonderful nineteenth century plate that the museum had presented to Hall of Fame Sports writer, Bill Madden in 2010, who was awarded the J.G. Taylor Spink Award. The commemorative plate features the 1889 New York Base Ball Club, and the back is marked "WHM Co." I haven't determined the merchant's mark, yet, but I presume the plate must have been deaccessioned for the award from the museum's collection of baseball related artifacts.

According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, "The J.G. Taylor Spink (1888-1962) Award, named after the late editor of the Sporting News, has been voted upon annually since 1962 when Spink himself was the recipient of the inaugural honor. The award honors a baseball writer (or writers) for "meritorious contributions to baseball writing," and is presented during Hall of Fame Weekend by that year's President of the Baseball Writer's Association of America (BBWAA)."

National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY

My Nephew Jason at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY

This Picture was Taken in June 2016

See Article for More Information

"Yankee Stadium" Built by U.S. Soldiers Stationed in Morocco in 1943

Displayed in "Picturing America's Pastime" Exhibit at National Baseball Hall of Fame

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Circa 1889 Ceramic Plate from the National Baseball Hall of Fame

19th Century Commemorative Plate

"The Pennant Winners 1889 / New York Base Ball Club"

The Plate was Awarded to Hall of Fame Writer, Bill Madden in 2010

Circa 1889

Measures 8 1/4" in Diameter

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Back of the Plate is Marked W H M Co.

The Plate was Awarded to Hall of Fame Writer, Bill Madden in 2010

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...

Ceramics Owned by the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

I have visited the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. the last two summers with my nephew Jason; during each visit, I have paused for a few minutes as I passed by an exhibit of nineteenth and early-twentieth century objects, which were inspired after the hot air balloon's invention about 1783, many of which are ceramics.

According to the National Air and Space Museum, "The invention of the balloon struck the men and women of the late-eighteenth century like a thunderbolt. Enormous crowds gathered in Paris to watch balloon after another rise above the city rooftops, carrying the first human beings into the closing months of 1783. The excitement quickly spread to other European cities (and eventually America) where the first generation of astronauts demonstrated the wonder of flight. Everywhere the reaction was the same. In an age when men and women could fly, what other wonders might they achieve. 

"Among all our circle of friends," one observer noted, "at all our meals, in the antechambers of our lovely women, as in the academic schools, all one hears is talk of experiments, atmospheric air, inflammable gas, flying cars, journeys in the sky." 

Single sheet prints illustrating the great events and personalities in the early history of ballooning were produced and sold across Europe. The balloon sparked new fashion trends and inspired new fads and products. Hair and clothing styles, jewelry, snuffboxes, wallpaper, chandeliers, bird cages, fans, clocks, chairs, armoires, hats, and other items, were designed with balloon motifs.

Thanks to the generosity of several generations of donors, the National Air and Space Museum maintains one of the world's great collections of objects and images documenting and celebrating the invention and early history of the balloon."

National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.

My Nephew Jason at the National Air and Space Museum in August 2017

See Article for More Information

19th and 20th Century Ceramics Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

19th and 20th Century Ceramics Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

Ceramic Plate Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

 Ceramic Plate Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

 Ceramic Plate Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

 Ceramic Candy Dish Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

 Ceramic Box Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

Ceramic Box Celebrating the Invention and History of the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

Balloon on Display at the National Air and Space Museum

Balloon on Display at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

Information on Display with the Balloon

See Article for More Information

 Photo Courtesy: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...

18th Century Slipware Recovered in Canada and Off the Coast of New Castle, New Hampshire

As I noted in a post also from today, the variety of Colonial ceramics recovered off the coast of New Castle, New Hampshire by Ray Demers and his son John is remarkable. In fact, it was incredible to witness and hold much of this collection last weekend.

However, two days ago, I posted an article that displayed a black and white image of an English slipware earthenware dish recovered within a mid-eighteenth century archaeological context at the Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. I also wrote that the artifact was not exact, but it was similar to the remains of another eighteenth century English slipware dish found by archaeologists in the 1980s inside a privy at the site of the Three Cranes Tavern in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

Nevertheless, it would seem that this type of production was shipped throughout Colonial New England - whereas, this sherd was included in the collection of objects that I studied last weekend at the New Castle Historical Society. Its production appears closely related to the the dishes found at the Fortress of Louisbourg and in Charlestown.

Slipware Recovered in Canada and Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

18th Slipware Earthenware Dish

Found off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Mid-18th Slipware Earthenware Dish

Probably Made in Staffordshire, England

Excavated at the Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, Parks Canada

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...

A Remarkable Collection of Colonial Artifacts Recovered off the Coast of New Castle, New Hampshire

According to a feature story written for Fosters in September 2014, "Ray Demers has spent the past 50 years on a personal odyssey of exploration and documentation of a shipwreck he discovered off the coast of New Castle, New Hampshire (next to Portsmouth, New Hampshire) in the 1960s. Demers has scoured countless books, letters and documents as well as the murky world beneath the surface of New Hampshire's waters in his quest to understand and identify the wreck. He considers the story to be a unique piece of state history.

Demers made the initial discovery of a shipwreck in the 1960s off Salamander Point in Hart's Cove, New Castle. He was searching for air tanks he accidentally dropped in the water while diving the previous day. Moving along the ocean bottom, 16-18 feet below the surface and running his hands through the thick silt, Demers saw two cannons in the dark waters.

Cannon Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

Smaller Cannon Recovered by Ray Demers Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

Demers Also Recovered Two Larger Cannson

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

The presence of the cannons indicated to Demers that there was likely to also be a sunken ship in close proximity. And as he suspected, Demers found the remains of a wooden vessel 75 feet from the cannons.

Initially he thought the ship might be a "coaster," a type of vessel common in the 1700s that sold and dropped off supplies along the coast. But the presence of such large cannons and the discovery of large caliber shot (ammunition), however, caused Demers to speculate the ship was, in fact, a "privateer." These armed, privately owned vessels were commissioned for war service by the government, frequently raiding merchant ships.

Surrounding the Salamander Point wreck was a large collection of smoking pipes, bottles, and sherds from various ceramics - items of historical value. Demers collected, documented and photographed each artifact. 

Demers believes the substantial number of clay smoking pipes and stems he uncovered came from sources beyond the ship. He notes that people during Colonial times would dump refuse in the water and theorizes that much of what he found was trash from the taverns and homes along the shoreline. One of the most important artifacts discovered by Demers is an onion bottle with the name W. Darracott and the date 1723.

Throughout the 1970s, Demers communicated frequently with Dr. Ivor Noel Hume (1927-2017), who at the time was Colonial Williamsburg's chief archaeologist.

Demers and his rotating group of volunteers worked in the water for nearly 20 years, and he discovered a second wreck site nearby about 30-40 feet below the surface in deeper water. 

Site of the First Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 My Niece on the Shore of New Castle, NH

Site of the First Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

 Site of the First Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

 Site of the First Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

Site of the First Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

Site of the Second Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 Site of the Second Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

 Site of the Second Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

Site of the Second Shipwreck Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

See Article for More Information

Demers established a theory about the Salamander Cove shipwreck from dates provided by Hume's identification of artifacts he recovered, and a pivotal book, published in 1959 by Horace P. Beck entitled "The American Indian as Sea-Fighting in Colonial Times."

Using the information on the onion bottle he recovered, Demers learned that a man named Darracott had traded by boat in the West Indies. Uncovering Darracott's history led Demers to focus on the presence of two other historical characters: Dr. George Jackson and Sylvester Lakeman. Beck, in his book, offers clues that Lakeman and Jackson were involved in a unique naval engagement in the 1720s that could have resulted in the Salamander Point wrecks. 

Beck outlines a scenario in which Jackson and Lakeman, each in command of their own vessel, urgently sought and engaged Native Americans, who had successfully commandeered a privateer and were systematically attacking and often holding for ransom fishing vessels and their crews. The height of the Native American's naval warfare campaign against Colonists, according to a newsletter cited in Beck's book, was 1724."

These sites were later professionally excavated by archaeologists in the 1980s, led by Dr. David Switzer (1935-2012), a history professor at Plymouth State University who has since passed away. Demers theory for dating the Salamander Point wreck is also the same period that Dr. Switzer recommends in an article published about the site in 1987 for the New Hampshire Archaeologist.

All of the material recovered by Demers (and also his son John) has since been been donated to the New Castle Historical Society. Some of it is currently on display, but the vast majority is stored in about 30 plastic tubs.

Last weekend, I visited the historical society with my niece Alexis to study all of this material, and we were amazed by what we saw. While the majority of the collection consists of seventeenth and eighteenth century European ceramics, there were some objects that appeared like they may have been manufactured locally in either Colonial New Hampshire or coastal Massachusetts.

It is also great that all of this material is now owned only a short distance from where it was originally discovered. Not only does this collection represent the type of ceramics imported into Colonial Portsmouth, New Hampshire and the surrounding areas, but these artifacts have also been preserved for future generations to study.

Sgraffito Slipware

17th/18th Century Sgraffito Slipware from England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Sgraffito Slipware from England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Sgraffito Slipware from England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Sgraffito Slipware from England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Sgraffito Slipware from England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Green-Glazed Sgraffito

17th/18th Century Sgraffito Slipware from England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Buckley, England Red Earthenware

Early-18th Century Black-Glazed Red Earthenware Likely from Buckley, England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Various Types of Earthenware Pipes

 17th-19th Century Pipes Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

Most Probably Manufactured in England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

  17th-19th Century Pipes Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

Most Probably Manufactured in England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Slipware

18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

  17th/18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society 

 17th/18th Century English Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

  17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

 17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Slipware Recovered Off the Coast of New Castle, NH

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Tin Enameled Earthenware

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Tin Enameled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Imported Portugeuse Pottery

17th Century Portugeuse Marbled Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th Century Portugeuse Red Earthenware Chamber Pot

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Engine Turned Earthenware

18th Century Engine Turned Earthenware Mug

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Chinese Export Porcelain

18th Century Chinese Export Porcelain

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

18th Century Chinese Export Porcelain

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Iberian Storage Jars

17th/18th Century Iberian Storage Jars

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

North Devon, England Gravel Tempered Earthenware

17th/18th Century North Devon, England Gravel Tempered Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century North Devon, England Gravel Tempered Earthenware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

English Stoneware

18th Century English Stoneware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

18th Century English Stoneware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

18th Century English Stoneware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

18th Century English Stoneware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

18th Century English Stoneware

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Bellarmine or Bartmann Stoneware Jugs

Large Collection of 17th/18th Century Bellarmine Stoneware Jugs

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Large Collection of 17th/18th Century Bellarmine Stoneware Jugs

 See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

German Stoneware

17th/18th Century German Stoneware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century German Stoneware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Various Styles of Earthenware

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

17th/18th Century Imported Red Earthenware

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: New Castle Historical Society

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...