A 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Attributed to Lorenzo Johnson in Western New York

A number of people have asked what happened to the story I posted yesterday about the sgraffito decorated red earthenware that sold at Sotheby's in New York City in January. I had my suspicions that these were later pieces, but without handling the objects, I decided to go with the information published by Sotheby's. It turns out that these objects which were described as eighteenth century Pennsylvania pieces were actually from the twentieth century. 

The jug was manufactured in Pennsylvania in the 1900s, where a similar piece is owned by Winterthur in Delaware, being described as having been made during the circa 1900-1950 period. The plate was manufactured by Jacob Medinger (1856-1932) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and he probably used a similar plate owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art as inspiration for the decoration that is inscribed with the date "1797."

Sgraffito Decorated Red Earthenware that Sold at Sotheby's in NYC in January

The Sgraffito Decorated Red Earthenware that Sold at Sotheby's in January

The Jug Sold for $5,040 Including the Buyer's Premium

The Plate Sold for $4,788 Including the Buyer's Premium

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Sotheby's

Interestingly, though, this nineteenth century red earthenware jar appeared on Ron Korman's weekly email this week from Muleskinner Antiques in Williamsville, New York. The jar is attributed to Lorenzo Johnson, an important western New York potter, and perhaps a potter in Ontario, as well, even though I do not believe there is any pottery currently identified to his residency in Canada

According to the exhibit catalog, Clay in the Hands of the Potter: An Exhibition of Pottery Manufactured in the Rochester and Genesee Valley Region, Circa 1793-1900,  which was published by the Rochester Museum and Science Center in 1974, "Lorenzo Johnson operated a lead-glazed earthenware pottery in the extreme southwestern corner of the Town of Newstead as early as 1850. By 1866 he was producing both red earthenware and drain tile. Sometime after 1880, but before 1887, he moved a few miles south to Mill Grove, Erie County where he was active in another pottery operation.

Among the potters who may have worked for Johnson at Newstead was James Banford. Banford resided in Newstead, circa 1854-1859. He had previously operated a red earthenware pottery in the Village of Avon, Livingston County, and prior to that he had been a resident of West Bloomfield.

From extant examples of Johnson's wares and from sherds collected from the pottery site, we can see that in at least some of his production, Johnson was obviously attempting to imitate stoneware in form, glaze color and decoration. His use of a blue slip floral decoration is a trait also shared by a couple of Ontario, Canada earthenware potters. Records do suggest that Johnson may have been a resident of Canada in the late-1840s, which was previous to his employment in western New York as a potter beginning around 1850."

I have also posted a very similar formed and glazed jar that I own, which I believe was also made by Johnson; I purchased the jar about a decade ago out of western New York. It is missing its original lid, although, it does retain a wooden lid that appears to have been manufactured for it based on how well it fits. I have also seen a similar larger formed green glazed jar impressed with Johnson's name.

A 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Attributed to Lorenzo Johnson in Western New York

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Attributed to Lorenzo Johnson in Western New York

Circa 1850-1860

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Muleskinner Antiques

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar 

Possibly Manufactured by Lorenzo Johnson in Western New York

Circa 1850-1860

See Article for More Information

View of the Wooden Lid

See Article for More Information

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