Another Possible Example of Slipware from the Hyssong Family in Central Pennsylvania

Earlier this week, I posted a story investigating the pottery made by the Hyssong family in central Pennsylvania in the nineteenth and early-twentieth century. Part of that article cited the fact that Austin L. Hyssong (1851-1922) was known to have manufactured pottery from two different types of clay used in manufacturing stoneware, which typically appears gray in a finished state, as well a terracotta or a red colored earthenware clay.

I also examined an Albany slip glazed lidded pot with twisted rope handles and two slip-decorated flowers attributed to the Hyssong family, along with a flowerpot adorned with the same type of slip floral decoration.

An Albany slip glaze is a style of glaze typically associated with stoneware production in America, and rarely found on red earthenware because of the high temperature needed to melt pure Albany clay into a slip glaze. But the clay body found on both of the mentioned objects is red, especially where they have been damaged exposing the interior clay appearance. However, I suspect that the use of an Albany glaze may affect the clay color on the surface, but the type of clay used to manufacture each object could also easily explain the color of the clay.

Nonetheless, while I wrote that article, I remembered seeing this pitcher with a red clay body sell at a James Julia Auction in Fairfield, Maine in the winter of 2012 - although, the auction firm was recently purchased by Dan Morphy of Morphy Auctions in Pennsylvania.

I suspect this pitcher was also manufactured by the Hyssong family in Pennsylvania seeing that it is decorated with an Albany slip glaze and very similar slip-decorated flowers as that seen on the flowerpot and the lidded pot that I wrote about a few days ago.

Albany Slip Glazed Pitcher with Slip Decorated Flowers

Late 19th Century Albany Slip Glazed Pitcher with Slip-Decorated Flowers

Probably Made by the Hyssong Family in Central Pennsylvania

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: James Julia Auctions / Morphy Auctions

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