A Wonderful 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Abner S. Wight's Production in New England

While on vacation last week in Pennsylvania and New York, I visited an excellent private collection on Long Island, where many of the red earthenware and stoneware objects have been previously published in Ceramics in America.  I also brought along two red earthenware jars from my collection, which were made on Long Island in the nineteenth century, and those jars were traded for two New England jars.

I believe one of the jars that I acquired is from Vermont - it is decorated on the exterior with a wonderful dark green glaze and the interior is adorned with a light colorful glaze. I also believe it may have been found or sold years ago in Vermont.

Nonetheless, this is the other jar that I acquired, which I attribute to Abner S. Wight's production, likely in West Sterling, Massachusetts sometime during the late-1840s to the early-1860s. Although through the span of Wight's career he was also employed in Marlborough, New Hampshire and Keene, New Hampshire.

The form of this jar matches another jar in my private collection that is prominently stamped A.S. Wight, and it also retains a history of ownership near West Sterling in central Massachusetts. But I also want to mention that I have seen this form on a few occasions generically attributed to Maine, which is usually based on the beautiful colorful glaze. I believe this is further proof of why an attribution should not be formed strictly on a glaze color or glaze style; instead, the attribution should be developed as a result of the form and its characteristics, which were physically created by the potter's hands.

Abner S. Wight Red Earthenware Jar

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar 

Attributed to Abner S. Wight's Production Likely in West Sterling, Mass.

Circa Late-1840s to Early-1860's
But Wight was Also Employed in Marlborough, NH and Keene, NH

Stands 8 3/4" Tall

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View of One of the Handles

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View of the Interior

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