Overall, prices were strong again yesterday for good early American red earthenware and stoneware in day three of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates 41st semi-annual Americana sale in Mount Crawford, Virginia. The highlights of the sale included a number of stoneware and red earthenware objects manufactured in Virginia, two alkaline glazed stoneware pieces from Rusk County, Texas, as well as two alkaline glazed stoneware objects manufactured in the Edgefield District in South Carolina, both of which were attributed to Dave Drake (ca. 1800-1873).
Most recently, Drake's production has caught the attention of many museums and private collectors all over the country, as a result of his documented history as an African-American enslaved potter working in South Carolina. The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina has identified roughly 3,000 enslaved craftsmen in the South, but Drake is the only individual whose work can be positively identified, and most notably, the wares he made after 1840, while working at Lewis Miles' (ca. 1809-1868) stoneware factory in Stoney Bluff. Although, if you ever have a chance to hold a piece of Edgefield stoneware, whether it is identified to Drake or not, try to recognize what you are holding and what this object represents in American history.
It was only a few months ago that a massive alkaline glazed stoneware jar that was dated, signed and inscribed with a poem by Drake sold for an astounding $1.56 million dollars at Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, which was built by an heir of the Walmart family about ten years ago. The jar was previously owned by Dr. John A. Burrison and had been on loan to the Atlanta History Center in Georgia since 1981.
Nevertheless, there were two good pieces of Edgefield stoneware that sold yesterday at Jeff Evans', although, I found the correlation with the Rusk County, Texas alkaline glazed stoneware fascinating, seeing how wares from both areas can look very similar in appearance. And the fact that there are similarities is not a coincidence either since both areas are connected through production and potters.
The sale also included some good signed examples of Virginia red earthenware, as well as a number of Mid Atlantic pieces from various makers. Posted below are what I thought were the highlights of the sale, although, the entire sale and price results can be found in yesterday's auction catalog listed on LiveAuctioneers.
Good Examples of South Carolina, Texas and Virginia Pottery
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
No comments:
Post a Comment