EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Beautifully Glazed Red Earthenware Pot Recently Discovered at an Estate Sale in Maryland

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

A Beautifully Glazed Red Earthenware Pot Recently Discovered at an Estate Sale in Maryland

Based on some information generated from a group discussion on Facebook this week, as well as other sources into the origin of a beautifully glazed nineteenth century red earthenware handled pot that I posted a few days ago, which was recently discovered at an estate sale in Maryland - it seems that the overall production of this pot may be a strong match for certain wares manufactured in Canada.

Unlike other areas of production in Canada, the refinement and form of this pot is in keeping with some wares produced in Ontario - and, although not normally a major characteristic used for an attribution, the wonderful spotted green-glaze found on this pot appears to be among the considerable factors in determining its origin. The pot also seems like it may have been influenced more-so by Germanic production, instead of English, like some Canadian pottery is known for today. I also don't believe there is a French influence, but could be wrong.

According to the book The William Eby Pottery, Conestogo, Ontario 1855-1907, "In 1804 George Eby moved from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Waterloo County, Ontario, and took up land in Lot No. 1 of the German Company Tract in Waterloo Township. There Samuel was born the next year as George's fifth child.

Samuel Eby, later known as "Potter Sam," started a pottery and brick works at New Hamburg, Ontario. His two sons who were to follow the potting craft, William and Cyrus, were born in 1831 and 1844 respectively, and Samuel died in New Hamburg in 1847.

In January, 1855, William Eby (1831-1905) bought half an acre in lot 16, Concession 7E, Township of Markham, from Daniel Strickler, and established his first pottery as an individual proprietor. There is little information available on Eby's first operation; the site is presently the front lawn of a private residence. From even this, however we were able to gain some knowledge of his wares.

Eby remained in Markham for only two years, before moving to Conestogo in Waterloo County in 1857, a core of Pennsylvania-German Mennonite settlement in Ontario, acquiring somewhat over ten acres. The land may have included a working pottery and kiln, or a defunct, but still-equipped operation.

The Eby pottery was evidently a stable if not particularly prosperous business, and was certainly carried on in conjunction as the major family occupation. By 1867, William Eby and his wife had produced six children, including one who had died, aged seven in 1866.

With farming taking up the spring to fall months, pottery making was probably largely a winter venture, though clay would be mined, and perhaps wood stockpiled, at other times. Although children probably worked in the pottery from time to time, there is no documentary evidence of their having done so. With no more than one or two people turning pottery, probably a week's production was required to fill the kiln for firing. Once biscuit fired, the pottery was then glazed and finally refired. Eby's kiln does not appear to have been prolific.

In 1857, when Eby departed Markham, the buyer of his land and pottery, John Byer there rented the operation to Philip Ensminger, who operated the pottery until 1862, after which it evidently stood vacant for a year. In 1864, Cyrus Eby (b. 1844), William's brother, then aged 20 rented the pottery from Byer, still the owner. Cyrus Eby ran the Markham operation for only three years. Then in 1866 Cyrus too departed for Conestogo, to go into partnership with his brother.

William and Cyrus Eby operated the pottery in partnership into the 1890s. Evidently over these years there was little increase in size of the physical plant or in business.

The finished wares were sold at the pottery to individuals who came by, but most of the production was sold through country general stores, and delivered from the pottery in a spring wagon.

William K. Eby seems to have been semi-retired about 1900, though the pottery was listed to him until his death in 1905, probably with son William (b. 1877) as actual potter. Upon Eby's death at the age of 74, William was not able to carry on alone, as his pottery and his skill at making the finer wares was evidently not up to his father's."

Archaeological excavations began at the site of the Eby family pottery in Conestogo in June of 1967, and continued into 1968, recovering a large assemblage of wares related to the Eby family's red earthenware production from 1857-1905. These artifacts are kept at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto today.

While I cannot definitively say that the handled pot, recently found at an estate sale in Maryland was made by the Eby family, I can say that its production closely resembles styles recovered by archaeologists at the site of the pottery. For instance, the refinement and thin walls of this pot are different than much of the Canadian pottery I have handled, although similar to the refinement of some styles produced by the Ebys, such as cups and saucers, pitchers and such.

Archaeological evidence has also revealed cups, jars, jugs and pitchers produced by the Ebys with interior and exterior surfaces entirely glazed, including the base, much like the pot of discussion. Some objects were also manufactured with rolled rims, similar to the style of this pot.

Interestingly, the overall body shape of this pot and lack of a footed base is a known style of some pitchers manufactured in Ontario, except this pot was made without a pouring spout, suggesting it may have been intended for a different purpose, like a stew pot.

I had also noted in the original post showing this pot that the handle looked like some handles manufactured in Western New York, which Ontario happens to border.

Nevertheless, glazes are typically less important when identifying an origin for utilitarian pottery, but there appears to be an exception in this case, seeing that this glaze is a known style manufactured in Ontario, as evident in published examples, as well as objects kept in some Canadian museums. Although, this particular glaze is notable since the end result seems to have been intentional.

According to the book, Early Canadian Pottery,"The Germanic Potters both in Ontario and around Lunenberg, Nova Scotia (although probably happened elsewhere in Ontario as well) often used a copper-green additive in their lead glaze and orange speckling that was achieved by sprinkling iron rust powder onto the glaze while it was still wet (which is certainly how this pot appears to have been glazed)."

19th Century Red Earthenware Pot with a Distinguished Spotted Green-Glaze