A Stoneware Jug Manufactured at the William Pecker Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass. that Just Surfaced in New Hampshire

Another example of stoneware manufactured at the William Pecker (1757-1820) Pottery in South Amesbury (Merrimacport), Massachusetts about 1810 or thereabouts has been identified, and this example recently surfaced in New Hampshire. 

You may recall that I posted about a jug that I acquired out of New Jersey in September that was decorated with some cobalt and impressed with an upside down "Wm PECKER" mark. This latest jug is also adorned with an upside down mark, and quite slumped from how it was fired in the kiln. 

I find every single piece of Pecker stoneware that surfaces to be exciting, seeing that basically only one piece was widely known fifteen years ago, having been published in the 2004 issue of Ceramics in America. And since then, a lot of archaeology and some surviving pieces have helped shed a lot of information about William Pecker the stoneware potter, a type of production that had been forgotten, and instead he was basically only identified as a red earthenware potter for at least the last 100 years.

For more information about the utilitarian wares manufactured in Merrimacport, I recommend my latest published book that was just reviewed by Maine Antique Digest, titled, South Amesbury's Red Earthenware & Stoneware: The 1791-1820 William Pecker Pottery.

A Stoneware Jug Manufactured at the William Pecker Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

Early 19th Century Stoneware Jug

Manufactured at the William Pecker Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

Recently Surfaced in New Hampshire

Probably Circa 1810

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Photo Courtesy: Mark Newton

Another View of the Jug

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Photo Courtesy: Mark Newton

Another View of the Jug

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Photo Courtesy: Mark Newton

View of the Upside Down "Wm PECKER" Mark

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Photo Courtesy: Mark Newton

View of the Handle

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Photo Courtesy: Mark Newton

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

A Collection of Wares Made by the Bradfords in Kingston, Mass. Displayed at the Major John Bradford House

Among the information that I am really excited to see published in my new forthcoming nearly 450-page book, titled, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod is what I believe to be concrete evidence finally defining where a type of early nineteenth century green glazed flowerpot and saucer were manufactured, or at least some of those known to exist today. All of these pieces are exhibited at the Major John Bradford (1653-1736) House in Kingston, Massachusetts, and among the objects displayed is a selection of green glazed flowerpots and saucers said to have been made by the Bradford family in Kingston in the early 1800s. There are a variety of these that are known to exist today, all decorated in a green glaze, where that glaze is also very similar to some of the green glazed wares produced at the industry in Bristol County, Massachusetts about the same period. 

Archaeological evidence of this type of flowerpot production has also been recovered at the site of another Bradford family pottery in West Barnstable on Cape Cod likely within a circa 1820s context. Although, it is unknown if those flowerpot artifacts were made on Cape Cod, in Kingston or perhaps in Bristol County. Nonetheless though, I was really excited to recently learn about these pieces owned by the Jones River Village Historical Society and the Major John Bradford House.

Note: It was also published by Massachusetts author Lura Woodside Watkins (1897-1982) in Early New England Potters and Their Wares that the Bradfords in Kingston were known for their green glazes.

A Collection of Wares Made by the Bradfords in Kingston, Mass.

Collection of Red Earthenware Attributed to the Bradford Family in Kingston, Mass.

Among the Objects are Green Glazed Flowerpots and Saucers

Circa Early 1800s

Displayed at the Major John Bradford (1653-1736) House in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Jones River Historical Society

Another View of the Red Earthenware Made by the Bradford Family in Kingston, Mass.

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Photo Courtesy: Jones River Historical Society

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

Seventeenth Century Italian Slipware Found in Texas that is Related from Some Archaeological Artifacts Recovered in America

Seventeenth century slip decorated red earthenware from northern Italy is a subject that fascinates me seeing that it has been recovered from various circa 1640-1700 archaeological contexts in New England, especially in Kingston, Massachusetts, Charlestown, Massachusetts, Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Woolwich, Maine, among other contexts.

Although, this northern Italian costrel bottle was recently discovered in Texas and sold last night on eBay. Interestingly, it also matches the base of a circa 1600-1640 example that was recovered by archaeologists in Jamestown, Virginia, and published in Beverly Straube's article written for the 2001 issue of Ceramics in America, titled, European Ceramics in the New World: The Jamestown Example.

Related examples are also found in art museums around the world, including The British Museum in London, as well as the Victoria & Albert Museum also in London.

Seventeenth Century Italian Slipware Found in Texas

17th Century Northern Italian Slipware Costrel

Stands 10 3/4" Tall

Related to Various Italian Artifacts Recovered from a Number of 17th Century American Contexts

Recently Discovered in Texas

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Photo Courtesy: eBay

Another View of the Costrel

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Photo Courtesy: eBay

Another View of the Costrel

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Photo Courtesy: eBay

View of the Base

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Photo Courtesy: eBay

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

A Great Early Image Showing Stoneware For Sale Presumably in an American Store

While recently reviewing a number of historical photographs, I came across this image on a cabinet card showing the interior of an American store presumably located in the Midwest. There are a number of fascinating aspects to see in this photo, although the dozen or more stoneware crocks and jugs really piqued my interest, seeing that I believe they were all made in Red Wing, Minnesota around the turn of the twentieth century.

Cabinet cards are photographs mounted on stiff pieces of cardboard. They were introduced in the 1860s and were produced up until the 1920s. I believe the five gallon mark seen on some of the crocks can attribute these pieces to the Red Wing Pottery, perhaps as late as 1910. Nonetheless, a really neat image!

A Great Early Image Showing Stoneware For Sale in Presumably an American Store

Cabinet Card Showing the Interior of a Store Probably in the American Midwest

 I Believe the Stoneware Shown to the Bottom Right was Made in Red Wing, Minn.

Probably Circa 1900-1910

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

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

Outstanding Stoneware Manufactured by Susan S. Frackelton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the Late 1800s

It's not everyday that I see pieces of nineteenth century American stoneware manufactured by female potters, although I have viewed two outstanding examples in recent months displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania. Both of these pieces were made by Susan S. Frackelton (1848-1932) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose production was some of the best stoneware manufactured anywhere in America in the late 1800s.

According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, "Frackelton began her artistic career as a landscape and china painter, like many women artists in the late 1800s. But for Frackelton, this was just the beginning. She soon became a major contributor to the arts in America as a businesswoman, inventor, author and artist. She transformed her love of decorating china into a prolific business and began throwing her own pieces. Frackelton eventually developed her own style of art pottery featuring distinctive blue and gray designs on stoneware."

The first piece that I posted is displayed as part of the Robert A. Ellison, Jr. Collection in the MET's Americana Wing, and it is dated "1879."

The second object was exhibited in the Women's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where it won a gold medal.

Stoneware Manufactured by Susan S. Frackelton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

19th Century Stoneware Vase

Made by Susan S. Frackelton (1848-1932) in Wilwaukee, WI

Dated "1879"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Information Displayed with the Vase

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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

19th Century Stoneware Jar on Stand

Made by Susan S. Frackelton (1848-1932) in Wilwaukee, WI

Exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Philadelphia Museum of Art

Another View of the Jar and Stand

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Photo Courtesy: Philadelphia Museum of Art

View of the Lid

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Photo Courtesy: Philadelphia Museum of Art

View of the Information Displayed with the Jar on Stand

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Photo Courtesy: Philadelphia Museum of Art

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

A Rare Late 19th Century Red Earthenware Memory Vase Found in Southern Connecticut

This is a first for me seeing that I have never purchased one of these before, although I have also never seen one either that I could likely attribute to where it was made. This is a memory jar or vase, also commonly called a "memory jug." Most of these date from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, and are often made from simple stoneware pieces. It's purpose was to memorialize an event, a place, something or someone by the objects that are attached to it. Some also have a spiritual meaning behind them. But it's considered a form of folk art today.

These are typically made out of a vessel or a container that is covered with a layer or adhesive, such as putty, cement or plaster. And then when the adhesive is still damp, objects are embedded into the surface, all of which hold sold symbolic value.

We found this example on our way to New York City a few days ago in southern Connecticut. My feeling is that the red earthenware used for this piece was possibly made at the Goodwin Brothers pottery in West Hartford, Connecticut after 1870. My reason for this is because the Etruscan form is very similar to some objects documented from this pottery during the circa 1877-1885 period.

The last picture shows some of the West Hartford production that I reference, all of which is unglazed on the exterior, glazed on the interior and manufactured from various Etruscan shapes. The form of this vase is also very similar to some of those illustrated in this image.

Nonetheless, aside from the fact that I feel I know where this red earthenware vase was manufactured, I also thought that the buttons adorned all over this piece was rather rare to find today. Most of the memory forms that I have seen through the years are typically decorated with a variety of objects, and often applied in a different style than the way this piece is decorated.

A Rare Late 19th Century Red Earthenware Memory Vase Found in Southern Connecticut

My Niece Alexis and Myself Outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

I Am Holding the Memory Vase that We Had Just Found in Southern Connecticut

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My Niece Alexis Holding the Memory Vase

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Late 19th Century Red Earthenware Memory Vase

The Red Earthenware Piece was Possibly Made at the Goodwin Bros. Pottery in West Hartford, CT

Likely Made After 1870

The Vase is Adorned in Various Buttons

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View of the Glazed Interior

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View of the Base and Some of the Buttons

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View of More of the Buttons

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View of More of the Buttons

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View of More of the Buttons

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Some of the Etruscan Forms Made at the Goodwin Bros. Pottery in West Hartford, CT

Circa 1877-1885

Every Piece is Unglazed on the Exterior and Glazed on the Interior

The Form of the Vase Seems to Fit in with this Production

See Article for More Information

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

A Selection of Good American Red Earthenware Sells in Amesbury, Massachusetts

A good selection of American red earthenware sold over the weekend at John McInnis' two-day Americana auction in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Those objects included a wonderful eighteenth century red earthenware creamer and porringer possibly made by John Henry Benner (1728-1796) in Abington, Massachusetts before 1795. Other pieces included some wares manufactured in Essex County and Bristol County, Masssachusetts.

Although, my personal favorite piece in the sale was an outstanding small slip decorated red earthenware pitcher covered with dabs of green manufactured at the Charles A. Lawrence (1829-1904) Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts about 1870. This type of production is rather rare to find today from this business, and this particular piece was also illustrated in Figure 34 in my book from Historic Beverly, titled, The Beverly Pottery: The Wares of Charles A. Lawrence.

The objects that I posted below are what I thought were the best pieces that sold in the sale, but there was more to see than just these pieces. There was also a wide selection of other pottery in the two-day sale from manufacturers all over the world.

Note: The sold prices are posted in each caption below.

A Selection of Good American Red Earthenware Sells in Amesbury, Massachusetts

19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher

Attributed to the C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Mass.

Circa 1870

Stands 5" Tall

Illustrated in Figure 34 in the Beverly Pottery Book that I Wrote

Sold: $2,250 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

18th or Early 19th Century New England Red Earthenware Jug

Probably Coastal Massachusetts

Stands 10 1/2" Tall

Sold: $3,750 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

Late 18th or 19th Century Red Earthenware Handled Pot

Attributed to Merrimacport, Mass.

Stands 7 1/2" Tall

Sold: $1,600 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to Bristol County, Mass.

Stands 9" Tall

Sold: $800 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to West Hartford, CT

Stands 8" Tall

Sold: $375 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

(Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Master Ink

Attributed to Either New England or Pennsylvania

(Right) Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Attributed to Bristol County, Mass.

Sold: $800 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

18th Century Red Earthenware Creamer and Porringer

Probably Made by John Henry Benner in Abington, Mass. Before 1795

Sold: $2,250 Plus the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: John McInnis

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

A Marked 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug from Monmouth, Maine

I purchased this rare nineteenth century red earthenware jug years ago from North Monmouth, Maine antiques dealer David McLean; he discovered the jug in the area that he lives, which also happens to have been the location that the Safford family of potters worked in Monmouth in the 1800s.

The reason I purchased the jug is because it is marked on the front "JOHN SAFFORD 2D," a rare mark to find today, although there are a small group of examples that survive, and not all of which are as nicely glazed as this jug. This mark is also associated with the 1820-1854 period.

Nonetheless, last night my niece Alexis and myself decided to attempt to remove a badly restored handle that was added to this jug. The material seemed to have been some type of epoxy or resin. We actually preheated my kitchen oven to 350 degrees and put the jug inside of it for a few minutes. And to our surprise, the handle completely softened up and we were able to easily removed it in pieces. The jug still needs a little more cleaning around the area where the handle originally broke, although, this is our result! I think it looks a lot better without the handle!

A Marked 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug from Monmouth, Maine

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Made in Monmouth, ME

The Handle is Not Original

Circa 1820-1854

See Article for More Information

The Jug is Marked "JOHN SAFFORD 2D"

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My Niece Alexis and Myself Removed the Repaired Handle Last Night

The Jug Looks A Lot Better Without this Handle

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My Niece Alexis and Myself Removed the Repaired Handle Last Night

The Jug Looks A Lot Better Without this Handle

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My Niece Alexis and Myself Removed the Repaired Handle Last Night

The Jug Looks A Lot Better Without this Handle

See Article for More Information

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

An Important Example of Red Earthenware Manufactured in Bristol County, Massachusetts

I'm very happy to have recently acquired this highly important circa 1790-1830 red earthenware jar from Bristol County, Massachusetts. Historically speaking, this is one of the most significant pieces of New England red earthenware known to exist today. The lid is original to the jar as both are marked on the base with an inscribed "A." Although, the finial on the lid is what is so significant, seeing that it is adorned with a Quaker hat, representing the religion of many of the potters who worked in Bristol County in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. This is the only jar (or any form as a matter of fact) known to exist like this today.

The hat on the finial closely resembles those seen on a number of existing portraits of Moses Brown (1738-1836), an influential Quaker from Rhode Island. It is my thought that this jar may have been made special for a meeting house that was associated with the Quaker potters in Bristol County, otherwise there is another relationship found with it and the Quaker potting families in Bristol County. It's historical significance cannot be understated though. This is an outstanding piece of New England history.

This jar is a part of a small group of Bristol County red earthenware objects in existence today that were manufactured for either religious or marriage purposes. The most famous of those objects is the jar that graces the cover of the October 1931 issue of The Magazine Antiques which was formerly owned by Charles D. Cook, later featured at the Winter Antiques Show in Manhattan and now owned privately in a major collection. The jar that I am holding here is thought to be related to that object, which is incredible for me to think about since I have admired this magazine cover for close to twenty years! 

Other related pieces include a pair of Bristol County marriage jars displayed in the Americana Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

My new forthcoming 425-page book also discusses this jar, available soon from Historic Beverly in Massachusetts, titled, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod.

An Important Example of Red Earthenware Manufactured in Bristol County, Mass.

(Left) My Niece Alexis Holding the Oct. 1931 Issue of The Magazine Antiques

The Cover Features a Now Famous Jar from Bristol County, Mass.

(Right) I am Holding the Bristol County, Mass. Jar Discussed in this Article

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18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Bristol County, Mass.

The Lid's Finial Features a Quaker Hat

Many of the Potters Employed in Bristol County were Quakers

See Article for More Information

Both the Base of the Jar and the Bottom of the Lid are Inscribed with the Letter "A"

See Article for More Information

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

Possibly Southeastern Pennsylvania Slipware Recovered from Various Archaeological Contexts on Nantucket

As I noted in a post from earlier this week, there was a lot of maritime activity that took place on Cape Code, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. And with that came goods from a variety of manufacturers. 

While reviewing a collection of red earthenware artifacts recently that were recovered from various archaeological contexts on Nantucket owned by the Nantucket Historical Association, I was surprised to see a selection of multi-colored slipware sherds that resembled wares produced in southeastern Pennsylvania and possibly Philadelphia in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century.

The examples that I have posted below are the sherds that I thought displayed the most distinctive slip patterns, although they were not all recovered from the same archaeological context. The first sherd was recovered from a house site in Polpis which is a village on Nantucket, while the remaining sherds were recovered during some construction work in the 1980s around Sherburne Hall on Centre Street on Nantucket. But these sherds may predate the building seeing that it was built in 1846. Although, its construction came just after the island's Great Fire in that same year that destroyed a number of Nantucket's buildings. Nonetheless, it is likely that all of these red earthenware artifacts predate the fire.

Note: The Nantucket Historical Association owns a number of artifacts related to the Great Fire of 1846.

Possibly Southeastern Pennsylvania Slipware Recovered on Nantucket

19th Century Daguerreotype Prior to Nantucket's Great Fire Showing the North Side of Main Street

Circa 1845

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Nantucket Historical Association

18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd

Most Likely Manufactured in Philadelphia

Recovered from a House Site in Polpis on Nantucket

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Nantucket Historical Association

18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd

Possibly from Southeastern Pennsylvania

Recovered from Sherburne Hall on Centre Street on Nantucket

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Nantucket Historical Association

18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd

Possibly from Southeastern Pennsylvania

Recovered from Sherburne Hall on Centre Street on Nantucket

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Nantucket Historical Association

A Wonderful Slipware Dish Manufactured by Absalom Day in Norwalk, Connecticut

This is definitely an outstanding piece of New England history that I am holding here! Just about every time I visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, I admire a circa 1790s slipware dish manufactured by Absalom Day (1770-1843) in Norwalk, Connecticut, which creatively bear's Day's conjoined initials in the center. This dish also hangs in a glass case in the MET's Americana Wing behind two of the most significant pieces of New England pottery known to exist today, a pair of early nineteenth century marriage jars manufactured in Bristol County, Massachusetts, both of which will be featured in my forthcoming book from Historic Beverly in Massachusetts, titled, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod.

Nonetheless though - Day specialized in slip script wares and sayings as early as 1824, although he arrived in Norwalk from Morris County, New Jersey around 1792, where he had already been working as a potter. He went to work for Asa Hoyt Sr.'s (1745-1806) company, which is among the earliest known red earthenware businesses in southern Connecticut. Day purchased the company on January 1, 1796.

The multicolored slip and feathered border seen on Day's dish at the MET is considered to be his most sophisticated type of decoration, and most likely represents the earliest wares he produced in Norwalk. And even though it is unclear, archaeology suggests that this type of production was either a style brought to Norwalk by Day from New Jersey, seeing that it does somewhat have a Philadelphia area influence or appearance to it, otherwise it was a style that Day learned from Hoyt. Either way though, this style most likely represents Day's earliest type of Norwalk production from the 1790s.

Understandably, I am really happy to have purchased this dish from Crocker Farm's most recent auction in Sparks, Maryland. It is the only object that I have seen in a museum or private collection that I can say is directly related to the dish owned by the MET.

Note: For more information about Absalom Day, I recommed an article written by Richard Miller for the 2016 issue of Ceramics in America, titled, Norwalk (Connecticut) Slip-script Pottery, the Potters, and Related Ware.

A Wonderful Slipware Dish Manufactured by Absalom Day in Norwalk, Connecticut

Wonderful Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Dish

Attributed to Absalom Day (1770-1843) in Norwalk, CT

Possibly Circa 1790s

Measures 16 3/8" Long

See Article for More Information

Another View of the Dish

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View of the Back

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Advertisement for Day's Pottery that Ran in 1797

Published in Richard Miller's Article in the 2016 Issue of Ceramics in America

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Pair of Early 19th Century Bristol County, Mass. Red Earthenware Marriage Jars

The Absalom Day Dish is Hanging Behind them

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Late 18th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Dish

Attributed to Absalom Day (1770-1843) in Norwalk, CT

Inscribed in the Center in Slip "AD"

Circa 1794-1800

Measures 16 1/2" Long

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Another View of the Dish at the MET

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

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