19th Century Decorative Objects Made by Charles A. Mehwaldt in Western New York

As I wrote in an article posted yesterday - Charles August Mehwaldt (1808-1887) was a German born potter who migrated from Germany to Bergholz, New York in 1851 - his kiln was located on Niagara Road directly across from the Historical Society of North German Settlements and the Das Haus Museum. Aside from the skilled utilitarian wares manufactured by Mehwaldt were two hand-sculpted wreaths of clay flowers that he made as a memorial for two of his sons who joined the Union army and died during the Civil War.

These are the official comments provided about their deaths by the 8th Regiment New York Voluneteer Artillery:

Mehwaldt, G.G. - Age 21 years. Enlisted, July 29, 1862, at Lockport, NY; mustered in as a private, Co. B, One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Infantry, July 29, 1862 (which became the Eighth Artillery, December 19, 1862), to serve three years; killed, June 3, 1864, at Cold Harbor, VA.

Mehwaldt, Herman - Age 18 years. Enlisted, December 20, 1863, at Whitefield, NY; mustered in as a private, Co. B, January 5, 1864, to serve three years; wounded, June 18, 1864, before Petersburg, VA; died of such wounds, June 26, 1864, on board steamer Connecticut.

According to the museum, "One or both of the wreaths were displayed in the original Holy Ghost church for many years. In a story written in 1921 by Ada Walker Camehl for Volume 25 of the Buffalo Historical Society Publications in Western New York, titled, The Old Bergholz Pottery, she describes these works as beautiful art. She also mentions a chandelier that Mehwaldt created for the church. Additionally, Mehwaldt must have created other specialty pieces. For example, a visitor recently came to the Das Haus Museum with a wooden box with ceramic pieces in it that looked very much like the wreaths. It turns out that these pieces were from a decorative piece that hung in the Elmer Wolf house in Berkholz at Walmore and Jagow Roads.This piece was accidentally damaged in the twentieth century when it fell to the ground and broke. But the pieces were kept and saved in a box."

Furthermore, in a feature story written by Camehl for the September 1922 issue of The Magazine Antiques, "Mehwaldt also produced quantities of chimney crocks, red earthenware crocks of all sizes, butter-crocks with handles to be hung in wells to keep butter cool; cooking utensils, candlesticks, all manners of tableware - platters, plates, sauce-dishes, cups and saucers, mugs, pitchers, sugar bowls, vegetable dishes, teapots and teakettles. He also produced finer products like inkstands and tile stoves.

At Christmas-time, he usually turned out many little dinner-sets for children, and toys made in the form of pigs, owls, roosters, and birds with whistles in their tails."

Decorative Objects Made by Charles A. Mehwaldt in Western New York

 19th Century Hand-Sculpted Red Earthenware Wreath

Produced by Charles A. Mehwaldt in Bergholz, NY

Made as a Memorial for One of His Sons Who Died in the Civil War

Hung on a Wall of the Local Church in Bergholz, NY

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Historical Society of North German Settlements and the Das Haus Museum

Remains of a 19th Century Hand-Sculpted Red Earthenware Decorative Object

Produced by Charles A. Mehwaldt in Bergholz, NY

Hung in the Elmer Wolf House

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Bob Mueller

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