A British Earthenware Inkwell Recovered from a Farm Site in South Yorkshire, England

This type of black glazed earthenware inkwell is regularly found in the American antiques market, but I have also studied these type of inkwells in multiple shapes and somewhat varying sizes within early nineteenth century archaeological contexts throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, even the Midwest. There are even glass inkwells known in this form.

But this has also been a subject of personal interest since I have seen this type of inkwell generically attributed to American red earthenware production, usually from the eighteenth century. Although, I believe this type of production was made in both the 1700s and 1800s, and it is likely very difficult to identify the difference. In fact, most of the examples that I have handled from American archaeological sites date from the early nineteenth century.

However, without archaeological evidence from any American pottery sites, I believe that these type of inkwells found in America could be of English origin (or some of which could be at least). For instance, this inkwell was posted on Facebook about five years ago by Dr. David Barker, which he recovered from an archaeological context in England.

According to Dr. Barker, "This tiny lead glazed earthenware item, possibly a small inkwell of sorts was picked off the ground on the site of Swinden Farm on the moorland in the Langsett area of South Yorkshire several years ago. The inkwell was most likely made at the pottery at Midhopestones (established about 1720) a few miles eastward down the valley of the Little Don River."

Note: I would also like to include that I have seen a number of these inkwells posted on Facebook in recent years from collectors, archaeologists and antiques dealers in England. I suspect that this may have been a type of production shipped to America after the American Revolution and into the 1800s.

Earthenware Inkwell Recovered in England

 English Earthenware Inkwell Found in the Langsett Area of South Yorkshire in England

Recovered at the Site of Swinden Farm

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Photo Courtesy: Dr. David Barker

Swinden Farm in the Langsett Area of South Yorkshire in England

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Photo Courtesy: Dr. David Barker

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