The Dr. Paul R. Stewart Collection and Nineteenth Century Red Earthenware Platters Modeled After Similar Silver Designs

Three or four years ago, I found a nineteenth century red earthenware platter at Todd Farm Antique and Flea Market in Rowley, Massachusetts. I remember asking the dealer where it was found, and they told me it had just been purchased from an old estate in New Hampshire. They also told me that the family was originally from Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Interestingly, while reading through an old pottery book last night, I saw a very similar platter illustrated from the collection of Dr. Paul R. Stewart (1888-1974). Dr. Stewart was president of Waynesburg College from 1921-1963, now Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. He then served as chancellor of the school.

The school's Paul R. Stewart Museum memorializes his pottery collection, but it also strives to preserve the history of the University as well as to educate the public on regional, national and international cultural and geological heritage.

The information published with Dr. Stewart's platter says it is modeled from a similar design found in silver, and manufactured in eastern Ohio, circa 1830-50. This is not the first time that I have seen American red earthenware inspired from silver production - for instance, there is a small pitcher known in a silver form owned in a private Massachusetts collection. English potters were also known to have copied silver designs in the seventh and eighteenth century.

Nevertheless, I suspect this was the intent with the platter that I found some years back, as well, which was manufactured in a comparable shape and size as the published example from Dr. Stewart's collection.

Nineteenth Century Red Earthenware Platters 

19th Century Red Earthenware Silver Platter

Modeled from a Similar Form Made from Silver

Reportedly Attributed to Ohio

Circa 1830-50

See Article for More Information

19th Century Red Earthenware Silver Platter

Also Likely Modeled from a Similar Silver Form

Found in an Old Estate in New Hampshire

Likely Made in Pennsylvania or Ohio

Circa Early-to-Mid Nineteenth Century

See Article for More Information

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