This was an unexpected find last week while working on a book in Western New York - this end of the day rustic themed porcelain jardiniere was made in Victor, New York in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. It was made by a factory worker at the Victor Insulator Company, a business founded by Fred M. Locke (1861-1930), and the oldest insulator company in North America.
The idea behind this pot’s production is similar to the whimsical type sewer tile objects that are much more abundant today from workers at sewer tile factories in the Midwest, although this pot was hand-thrown and made out of porcelain. There are also only a few of these types of jardinieres known to exist from Victor today, most of which are owned privately by one New York collector. However, each pot is a little different with how the hand-sculpted and applied exterior appears, as well as the color of the glaze, whereas this pot is a little brighter than some of the other known examples.
Interestingly, I was actually in the Victor area, so I decided to bring the jardiniere back to the site of the factory, which is still in operation today. And the factory has not changed much in the last 75 years; in fact, the original building where this pot was made still stands, as do all the other buildings that were added on since the end of the Great Depression. There is also a historical marker that stands in front of the company, and there are also a number of metal and porcelain company signs that are still in use and approaching 100 years old.Furthermore, at some point - I will probably write a 1,000 or so word article about the history of this type of end of the day production in Victor for publication, so be on the lookout for that later this summer or in the early fall!
A Rare Rustic Themed Porcelain Jardiniere from Victor, New York
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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