American Red Earthenware and Stoneware Sells at Northfield Auctions in Western Massachusetts

Earlier this week, Northfield Auctions in Northfield, Massachusetts sold some of the contents of a New Hampshire estate, which was described by auctioneer Paul Gorzocoski III as "unopened for the previous 25 years." The sale included a variety of accessories, such as baskets, furniture, glass, bottles, niddy noddies, prints, artwork, jewelry, tools, folk art, European ceramics, iron, game boards, lamps, tin, etc.

However, the sale also featured a collection of American red earthenware and stoneware - the highlight was likely a late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware charger attributed to Philadelphia. I have previously written about similar objects recovered within a circa 1770-1810 context in Philadelphia, and this piece appears to be a wonderful example of such production.

There was also a red earthenware mug that matched the form of a pair of political mugs, which I wrote about earlier this month from the collection of the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire. The museum's mugs are attributed to John Farmer Clark's pottery in Concord, New Hampshire, circa 1880s, but Clark is also known to have produced this type of mug during the 1870s, as well.

A red earthenware crock was also of interest since the form matches a group of known objects today that bear the mark of "Abner S. Wight" in West Sterling, Massachusetts from the 1850s and 1860s. Wight's business is not well-known today, but he was a skilled potter who also worked in New Hampshire.

The stoneware portion of the sale included a few New England jugs, an alkaline-glazed southern jar, a New York merchant crock decorated with a cobalt chicken, an Ohio pitcher and a make-do New England butter churn. But the best example was certainly an early-nineteenth century stoneware jug, probably from Connecticut, prominently incised with a bird perched atop two tulips.

Philadelphia Red Earthenware Charger

 Late-18th Century or Early-19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Charger

Attributed to Philadelphia

Circa 1770-1810

Measures 12 1/4" in Diameter

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

View of the Back of the Charger

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

Incised Stoneware Jug

 Early-19th Century Stoneware Jug with Incised Bird and Tulips
Probably Manufactured in Connecticut

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

View of the Incised Bird and Flowers

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions

Ohio Stoneware Pitcher

19th Century Stoneware and Tin Pitcher

Attributed to Zanesville, OH

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions

Southern Stoneware Jar

(Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Likely Made in Pennsyvlvania

(Right) 19th Century Southern Stoneware Jar

Likely Made in Either Alabama or Georgia

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

New England Red Earthenware

(Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Shaving Cup

Probably Made in New Hampshire or Vermont

(Right) 19th Century Red Earthenware Mug

Attributed to John Farmer Clark's Pottery in Concord, NH

This Form is Also Known to have Been Used for Political Mugs from Clark's Business

Circa 1870s or 1880s

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

 (Large Crock) 19th Century Red Earthenware Crock

Likely Made at Abner S. Wight's Pottery in West Sterling, Mass.

Circa 1850s or 1860s

(Remaining Objects) Group of 19th Century Red Earthenware Cups

All Likely Made in Central or Northern New England.

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

19th Century Red Earthenware Pads

Likely American But Origin Not Known to Me

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Photo Courtesy: Northfield Auctions 

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