I have known about this early-to-mid nineteenth century red earthenware jar with a mottled glaze for sometime now, although I just recently acquired it, seeing that I think it retains a good context of ownership along the Canadian border in western New York. In fact, it was about 25 years ago that this jar was discovered at an onsite estate sale, where the contents of a multigenerational nineteenth century farmhouse were sold in the Buffalo, New York area.
For the past few days, I have been thinking about where this jar may have originated, while also asking some friends who know a lot about the subject; however, my current feeling is that this is a locally made piece from the western New York and Ontario region. I think the likeliest scenario is that it is American made; the glaze appears to me to be similar to some objects produced in the West Bloomfield and Mendon, New York area, circa 1820-1850. And these types of ovoid jars are known from western New York, although this shape is very unusual, whereas most of the known jars are lidded.
This jar also has a New England look to it - which is why red earthenware can be confusing when comparing production from Ontario, western New York and New England. But at the moment, this colorfully glazed object is sort of an enigma, although a good looking early red earthenware jar, nonetheless!
I should also note that there was utilitarian pottery produced to the north of Buffalo at a business owned by a German immigrant potter named Carl Mehwaldt (1808-1887), where he produced red earthenware near Niagara Falls in the Village of Berkholz. But the wares that are known from Mehwaldt today do not resemble this jar. For more information about Mehwaldt's life and career, I suggest a research story I wrote that was published in the October 15, 2021 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, Carl Mehwaldt: A Pioneer German-American Potter And 19th-Century Immigrant - Redware from Western New York State.
Link to article: https://www.scribd.com/document/532029861/Mehwaldt-Article-for-AAN-October-15-2021
A Red Earthenware Jar Found About 25 Years Ago in a Farmhouse Near Buffalo, N.Y.
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