While recently looking over more than 18,000 pieces of artwork created between 1935-1942 for the Index of American Design at the National Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. - and some of which will be used in my forthcoming books - I came across an image of a nineteenth century earthenware horn manufactured in Zoar, Ohio. The painting was created by Fritz Boehmer (1875-1942) in 1935, a Czechoslovakian born artist who immigrated to Ohio and painted 54 pieces for the Index of American Design, including a number of objects from Zoar.
Although, as soon as I saw the painting of the horn it reminded me of a twentieth century photograph from the collection of the Ohio Historical Society. The information that accompanies the image reads, "Erwin C. Zepp, director of the Ohio State Museum, examining a pottery horn, one of many objects included in the museum exhibition of Zoar arts and crafts. On the table: pottery churn and woven basket."
Records at the Ohio Historical Society indicate that the horn was manufactured sometime during the circa 1804-1859 period, and it was used to call workers to the assembly house in Zoar. This historic settlement, which for more than eighty years prior to its disbanding in 1898, thrived under a communal government that was founded in 1817 by German religious dissenters. Zoar is known for a variety of pottery production today, although to my knowledge, this is the only pottery instrument or horn that can be associated with this community's production.
Note: I have also included pictures of an inscribed nineteenth century pottery flute that was described as being made from red earthenware and possibly from Pennsylvania. Even though I do not know where this piece was made, I do find it intriguing seeing that it is inscribed with a tulip, a musician as well as "Fred Hewitz / Flote Glaser."
A 19th Century Earthenware Horn from Zoar, Ohio
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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