A Collection of 19th Century Southern Stoneware from the Edgefield, District in South Carolina on Display in Boston

While not a lot of southern pottery is owned by museums in New England today, there have been a variety of southern objects, which one way or another migrated north throughout the twentieth century. It's not uncommon to find nineteenth century stoneware from Alabama, Georgia or North Carolina in New England, especially northern New England, although, red earthenware or stoneware from some of the other southern states is a rarer find.

However, nineteenth century stoneware face jugs from the Edgefield District in South Carolina have been occasionally discovered in New England. The most-famous of the found objects is probably a jug published in 1950 by Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins in figure 109 in 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares,' which is owned today as part of the Watkins Collection at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The jug was reportedly found in Portsmouth, New Hampshire sometime in the early-to-mid-twentieth century.

But there have been others, such as an Edgefield face jug that was sold a few miles to the north by Hap Moore in York, Maine, which was also found in New England. Sagamore, Massachusetts antiques dealer, Brian Cullity even discovered one of the more prominent face jugs that recently sold at Crocker Farm in Maryland decades ago on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. I have also heard stories about a wonderful Dave Drake jar from Edgefield that was also found in Maine.

Nevertheless, these are four of the objects that are currently owned in New England; two are on display in the Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, whereas the other two are currently kept in the museum's storage department. I have indicated in the captions below which objects are on display and those that are not.

Three of the objects are face jugs from the Edgefield District, some of which were once owned by Marion, South Carolina collector Tony Shank, and another was reportedly owned by George S. McKearin in 1926. According to the MFA, "African American slaves worked in the pottery manufactories in South Carolina's Edgefield District, producing sturdy, utilitarian pots sold throughout the South. On their own time, they made distinctive face vessels. Thrown on a potter's wheel, they feature carefully added eyes and teeth shaped by hand from white kaolin clay, a practice possibly related to the use of kaolin in central African art. While their meanings and usage is unknown (and currently an ongoing research subject), new research suggests direct connections between these pots and Edgefield slaves imported in 1858 from the Congo aboard an illegal slave ship, the Wanderer."

The fourth object was made by the best known of the African American potters in Edgefield, Dave Drake (ca. 1801-1875): "The craftsman who signed his work "Dave" is now considered the foremost member of the group of African Americans in Edgefield, which included both slaves and, later, free blacks. Dave's thick walled storage vessels are usually large and show enormous technical skill. Dave was the only potter in this group to sign and date his work - this (huge) pot is dated August 22, 1857. Known for his wit, he often inscribed his wares with verse; this vase reads, "I made this jar for Cash / though its called lucra trash / Dave."

Face Jugs, Edgefield, SC

19th Century Stoneware Face Jugs
Attributed to the Edgefield District in South Carolina

Circa 1860

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Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

19th Century Stoneware Face Jug

Attributed to the Edgefield District in South Carolina

Circa 1860

Stands 5 5/8" Tall

Owned by George S. McKearin in 1926

Currently on View in the Art of the Americas Wing

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

The Information Displayed with the Jug

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Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 19th Century Stoneware Face Jug

Attributed to the Edgefield District in South Carolina

Circa 1860

Stands 8 1/2" Tall

Currently Not on View

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

19th Century Stoneware Face Jug

Attributed to the Edgefield District in South Carolina

Circa 1860

Stands 6 3/4" Tall

Currently Not on View

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Dave Drake, Edgefield, SC

Large 19th Century Stoneware Jar

Made by Dave Drake in Edgefield, South Carolina

Dated "August 22, 1857"

Inscribed "I made this jar for Cash / though its called lucra cash"

Measures 14" Tall by 15" Wide
Currently on View in the Art of the Americas Wing

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Dated "August 22, 1857"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Inscribed "I made this jar for Cash / though its called lucra cash"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

The Information Displayed with the Jar

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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