The prices were strong for some of the red earthenware and stoneware that sold yesterday at John B. Auctions in Lancaster, Ohio, although the highlight of the sale was likely a rare nineteenth century red earthenware spaniel that was inscribed on the base "R.F. Bell / 1877 / Strasburg."
According to Gene Comstock's book, The Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley Region, "Richard Franklin (Polk) Bell (1845-1908) was Samuel Bell's oldest son. According to the census for Shenandoah County, Bell was twenty-five years old in 1870; he was working as a potter and living with Samuel. On 28 May 1879 Bell married Betty B. Cooley of Middletown, Virginia. At the time of the 1880 census he was reported to have worked twelve months of the year as a potter.
After Samuel's death in 1891, Bell became the family patriarch; according to tradition, many Strasburg residents at the time referred to the business as Polk Bell's pottery. In the 1900 census he was listed as Polk Bell, aged fifty-five.
It is likely that Bell made many of the modeled animals produced at the Strasburg shop. Bell was best known for his dogs and roosters."
However, among the best objects known to exist from Richard Bell today is an elaborately decorated circa 1870-1890 stoneware water cooler that is displayed in the Americana Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Nevertheless, this dog sold for $28,000 plus the auction premium; the sale also featured some other outstanding examples of American pottery -- here is a link to the auction catalog: https://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/3820601.html?kwd=redware&zip=01950&category=0
Signed and Dated 19th Century Red Earthenware Spaniel
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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