Collection of Red Earthenware that Sold Last Night in Dover, New Hampshire

While Crocker Farm typically holds three annual specialty sales per year in Sparks, Maryland, made up of quality American red earthenware and stoneware, there haven't been many longtime single owner collections of red earthenware sold in New England in recent years. However, there was a collection included in an auction last night assembled by Devin Moisan at the Elks Hall in Dover, New Hampshire.

The collection was consigned by the family of Carmine LoCastro, a lifelong collector who lived in Concord, New Hampshire, but was originally from Long Island. Some of the objects were representative of the places he lived, such as a few nineteenth century red earthenware dishes stamped with slip-decoration attributed to the Huntington Pottery on Long Island, as well as some wares that were manufactured in northern New England in the 1800s. But there were also objects from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Essex County, Massachusetts, Western New York and Ontario.

Some of the red earthenware was sold in single lots, but there were also lots of four, five and six pieces. One of the larger lots included a great eighteenth or early-nineteenth century pot with a black-glazed exterior and an orange interior, which I knew was made at the Southwick Pottery in South Danvers (today known as Peabody), Massachusetts. This is a family of potters which I recently wrote about who were direct descendants of Lawrence (1598-1660) and Cassandra Southwick (1598-1660), and the horrifying religious persecution they faced in Salem, Massachusetts in the seventeenth-century.

In my opinion, the three best pieces in the sale were two jugs, likely from Essex County - and a red earthenware mug, probably from central or northern New England, which revealed the year "1776" inscribed after production on the base.

Although, I felt the best red earthenware object in the sale (and probably the most colorful) was one of the jugs, which I knew about before it was a part of this collection; in fact, the jug was sold some years ago in Essex, Massachusetts, where it is known to retain some type of history of local ownership in Essex County.

The glaze on this jug is also fascinating - it appears to have been decorated with manganese, but sunlight reveals that the black-glaze is actually a very dark green-glaze with the outer edges revealing a more traditional color of green. I don't know if anyone recognized this decorative aspect about this jug during the auction preview - I may have been the only person to examine it outside the building in natural light. But, nevertheless, I feel this is a special jug - whereas, I have never seen this exact style of glaze before from the industry in Essex County.

Collection of Red Earthenware Sold in Dover, NH

Some of the Red Earthenware that Sold Last Night in Dover, NH

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

Some of the Red Earthenware that Sold Last Night in Dover, NH

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

Some of the Red Earthenware that Sold Last Night in Dover, NH

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

Essex County, Mass. Red Earthenware Jug

Late-18th or Early-19th Century Red Earthenware Jug

Attributed to the Industry in Essex County, Mass.

Black Glaze is Actually a Very Dark Green with a More Traditional Color of Green on the Edges

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

View of the Handle
Three Finger Impressions on the Handle Terminal
Black Glaze is Actually a Very Dark Green with a More Traditional Color of Green on the Edges

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

Likely Essex County, Mass. Red Earthenware Jug

Probably 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug

Likely Made at the Industry in Essex County, Mass.

Stands About 11" to 12" Tall
Similar Jug Sold at Myers Fine Art in Florida in 2010

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

View of the Handle

This is a Type of Handle and Finger Impression Regularly Found in Peabody, Mass. in the 1800s

Red Earthenware Mug

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Mug

Likely Made in Central or Northern New England

After the Mug was Made, the Base was Inscribed "1776" 

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

View of the Handle

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Photo Courtesy: Devin Moisan

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