In general, the name "Norwalk Pottery" can represent one of six businesses that produced wares throughout the lifetime of the industry - 1) Settler's Pottery, 2) Hoyt Pottery, 3) Day Pottery, 4) Gregory Pottery, 5) Quintard Pottery, and 6) Smith Pottery.
While recently visiting one of the storage facilities at the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford, Connecticut, I was surprised to see a slip-script plate; this dish wasn't the norm for what is commonly found with this type of slipware. I also quickly found that this object was previously published in the Norwalk Potteries book in 1981. But even so, I don't believe this is a well-known object today, as it's a piece of slipware that rarely goes on display.
An aspect about the Norwalk industry that I have always thought was of particular interest is the fact that this industry was influenced by Absolom Day (1770-1843), a New Jersey trained potter, who brought his craft north to New England sometime about 1793.
Nevertheless, according to the authors of Norwalk Potteries, Andrew L. and Kate Barber Winton, "For over fifty years, Asa Edward Smith (1798-1880) was a dominating figure in the borough of Norwalk, as was Absalom Day a generation earlier in South Norwalk. The firm names Smith and Day, A.E. Smith and Sons, A.E. Smith's Sons, A.E. Smith's Sons' Pottery Co., and the Norwalk Pottery Co., imprinted with the name of the town on jars, jugs, pitchers and other wares, brought Norwalk into notice throughout the country and even the West Indies. Boatload after boatload came into his pottery at the foot of Mill Hill and went out from thence as wares partly to local customers but chiefly to 30 Peck Slip, New York, to be distributed north, south, east and west by water and by rail."
A variety of these type of slip-script wares can be seen in a feature story I recently wrote for the October 2018 issue of Maine Antique Digest, called, The Red Earthenware Available in the 18th and 19th Centuries in New York City. The Norwalk-produced wares shown in this story were all recovered from early-nineteenth century contexts in New York City, proving this was a style of production regularly shipped to the city. Furthermore, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan displays a slip-script dish from Norwalk, reading, "New York City," attributed to the Asa E. Smith pottery, circa 1825-1887.
Examples of Slip-Script from Norwalk, CT
19th Century Slip-Script Plate, Inscribed "Plumb Pudding"
Attributed to the Asa E. Smith Pottery in Norwalk, CT
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Connecticut Historical Society
19th Century Slip-Script Plate, Inscribed "Helen"
Attributed to the Asa E. Smith Pottery in Norwalk, CT
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Connecticut Historical Society
19th Century Slip-Script Plate, Inscribed "Lucy's Dish"
Attributed to the Asa E. Smith Pottery in Norwalk, CT
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Connecticut Historical Society
But as I looked upon this plate at the Connecticut Historical Society, I immediately realized this was an example of sentimental slip-script from the pottery. This wasn't just another plate, bearing the inscription "Francis Smith Norwalk." In fact, the Wintons wrote, "This plate was possibly made to commemorative the birth of Francis H. Smith, who died at the age of two months on May 20, 1850. His father, Ward B. Smith, was a younger brother of Asa E. Smith, the potter."
Slip-Script Plate, Inscribed "Francis Smith Norwalk"
19th Century Slip-Script Plate, Inscribed "Francis Smith Nowalk"
Attributed to the Asa E. Smith Pottery in Norwalk, CT
Circa 1850
Measures 14 1/2" in Diameter
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Connecticut Historical Society
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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