I may be wrong, although I thought I remembered seeing this one-gallon or so jug show up on Facebook at some point last year, nevertheless, this early nineteenth century stoneware jug sold earlier this week at Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, New York. The jug is stamped "Warne & Letts 1806 / S Amboy N Jersy," and it is adorned with a stamped decoration that is filled with cobalt. This type of decoration is also found with early stoneware made in New York City, such as another jug that I wrote about in September of 2023, but the connection between to the two areas does not seem to known.
According to the Monmouth County Historical Association in Freehold, New Jersey, "Thomas Warne was born on September 3, 1763 to Joshua and Meleny (Disbrow) Warne. Early research into the identification of Thomas Warne was hampered by the proliferation of the many Thomas and Joshua Warnes, all descending from Thomas Warne, who was born in Plymoth, England, and settled in America in 1683.
Potter and stoneware maker Thomas Warne learned his trade at the pottery of Captain James Morgan in Cheesequake, New Jersey. Furthermore, on March 5, 1786, Warne married his employer's daughter Mary Morgan. The couple had at least two children, Meleny (born circa 1787/88) and James Morgan Warne (1791-1852).
Thomas Warne's name first appears on the South Amboy Township tax ratables in 1797. Warne most likely purchased the pottery from his father-in-law, while his brother-in-law James Morgan began his own pottery with Nicholas Van Wickle. Warne's stoneware factory was located in the Cheesequake area of Middlesex County, in what today is included in Old Bridge Township but prior to 1869 was included in South Amboy Township.
Warne's daughter Meleny married Joshua Letts of South Amboy Township on November 30, 1805, whereas Letts closely followed the path his father-in-law had traveled, learning the craft of stoneware pottery and marrying his employer's daughter.
After 1805, the shop became known as the Warne & Letts pottery, with wares being stamped "WARNE & LETTS." Thomas Warne died before October 13, 1818. He died intestate (without a will) and his son James M. Warne was appointed administrator of his father's estate by the courts. After Warne's death, it is apparent that Joshua Letts continued to operate the pottery, with wares from this time period marked only "LETTS." In April of 1816, Joshua and Meleny Letts sold James Morgan ten and a half acres which included the pottery and kiln, and by 1819 Letts had either died or left the South Amboy area as he no longer appeared in the tax ratables lists."
Nonetheless, this jug sold for $5,250 plus the buyer's premium.
Note: For more information about Captain James Morgan - see a feature story I wrote for the January 31, 2020 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, Early Red Earthenware & Stoneware Found On Staten Island: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2020/01/early-red-earthenware-and-stoneware.html.
Early 19th Century Stoneware Jug from South Amboy, N.J.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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