Last night, I wrote, "William Eby (1831-1910) was a Mennonite potter of Pennsylvania-German descent, and his business operated for one of the longest spans of any known Ontario potter. He is considered by collectors and museums today to be one of the most important known Ontario potters. Eby was a third generation potter; his grandfather was one of the thousands of Pennsylvanians who settled in Ontario during the 1785-1815 period, opening a pottery in the early-nineteenth century."
The site of the William Eby Pottery in Conestogo, Ontario was excavated in the late-1960s, headed by archaeologist Dr. Walter Kenyon (1917-1986). The archaeology is kept today at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, where some of it is posted on the museum's website. The excavations included the pottery building, the kiln area and exploring the waster dump, recovering an enormous amount of material. Some of analysis of the dig was published in a book written by Donald Webster in 1971, titled, The William Eby Pottery, Conestogo, Ontario, 1855-1907. But I think it would be fascinating to actually study the archaeology collection, which I suspect may contain information that was not published in the book. I know from studying many archaeology collections that not every form made at the business is necessarily represented in the archaeology collection.
Nevertheless, I also discussed last night how some of the green glazes produced at the William Eby Pottery are very similar to green glazes made throughout central and northern New England in the late-eighteenth and nineteenth century. However, today, I want to show another similarity found with Eby glazes, which are comparable to a common form of decoration applied in many areas in Pennsylvania in the 1800s.
This pair of nineteenth century red earthenware flowerpots sold last weekend in the John Wine Collection at Miller & Miller Auctions in New Hamburg, Ontario. They were both attributed to Eby, and both exhibit a similar pattern of sponge decoration applied around the pot and the attached saucer. The larger pot illustrated to the right is decorated with a sponged green glaze, possibly made from copper, while the smaller pot illustrated to the left is decorated in what appears to be a sponged black glaze, possibly made from manganese. Although the form of both pots are nearly identical, they also match a flowerpot attributed to William Eby in the collection of the Royal Ontario Museum.
This style of sponge decoration is commonly found on a variety of forms made in Pennsylvania in the nineteenth century, including flowerpots, jars and pitchers. Its production was not limited to just one area, but a variation of the decoration is also found on a pitcher made about 1830 at the Thomas Haig (ca. 1812-1893) Pottery in Philadelphia in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
A Comparison of Ontario and Pennsylvania Glazes
19th Century Red Earthenware Flowerpots
Attributed to the William Eby Pottery in Conostogo, Ontario
Circa 1855-1907
Left Stands 5 1/4" Tall and Right Stands 6" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd.
19th Century Red Earthenware Flowerpot
Attributed to the William Eby Pottery in Conostogo, Ontario
Circa 1855-1907
Stands 5 3/8" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Royal Ontario Museum
19th Century Red Earthenware Pitchers Attributed to Pennsylvania
Left Stands 6" Tall and Right 7" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Conestoga Auction Company
19th Century Red Earthenware Flowerpot Attributed to Pennsylvania
Stands 9" Tall and Measures 11 1/4" in Diameter
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Conestoga Auction Company
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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