A nineteenth century red earthenware form that I did not know existed outside of the eastern part of the United States and parts of Canada was consigned to an auction yesterday at Holabird Western Americana Collections in Reno, Nevada. This red earthenware jar is attributed to the Golden City Pottery & Fire Brick Works in Golden, Colorado, circa 1867-1869; the attribution is based on where this object was found years ago, local knowledge and a similar larger double-handled marked example that is owned by the Golden History Museum & Park.
Born in Chatham, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, William Austin Hamilton Loveland (1826 – 1894) was the proprietor of the Golden City Pottery & Fire Brick Works, whereas he was also a U.S. railroad entrepreneur and a businessman, who was an early resident of Golden when it was the capital of the Colorado Territory. Loveland was also one of the founders of the Colorado Central Railroad and a principal figure in the early history of Colorado. As president of the Colorado Central, he was instrumental in the expansion of the railroad network into the mining communities of Colorado. For much of the 1870s Loveland waged a fierce struggle with Union Pacific investors for control of the Colorado Central. He also served as Mayor of Golden and eventually Lieutenant Governor of Colorado.
Interestingly, though, Loveland was not a potter himself, and rather just the owner of the business so it does not appear to be documented who may have made these red earthenware objects. But it does make me wonder if this was an eastern potter, a Canadian potter or perhaps even a potter from Illinois, who may have migrated west and found work at Loveland's business, in consideration of the areas where this type of form is more commonly associated today.
According to the Golden History Museum & Park, "This is one of the earliest potteries in Golden, where the company dates to circa 1865. The Golden City Pottery & Fire Brick Works were part of the Golden City Mineral & Land Company, and they manufactured and sold pottery, fire brick, building brick, tiles, fire clay and coal. The business seems to have existed in Golden until about 1882, when it is believed that Cambria Brick Works took over."
Furthermore, the belief is that these types of utilitarian crocks were an early style of production for this business, and among the locally made red earthenware objects owned by the Golden History Museum & Park is a painted double-handle crock that was originally owned by Frank Powell, a grocer located about twenty miles west of Golden in Nevadaville, Colorado.
Nevertheless, this crock did not meet the reserve, although I still think its history is noteworthy, seeing that this type of jug is much commonly associated with other areas today.
19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Golden, Colorado
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