An Outstanding 19th Century Stoneware Face Jug Made at Charles Decker's Keystone Pottery in Tennessee

According to the book, The Pottery of Charles F. Decker: A Life Well Made, "Charles F. Decker (1832-1914), like millions of other immigrants, gave up the land of his birth and came with his family daring to find a better future in the United States. The path he took has left Tennessee with some lasting treasures. He began a lifelong career while still in his teenage years working with a potter in Philadelphia. By the time he was twenty-five he had established his own 'Keystone Pottery' in Philadelphia in 1857. Subsequent moves carried him to Delaware, Virginia, and Tennessee, where he chose to settle along the Nolichucky River in Washington County (he may have also had ties to Baltimore and was perhaps friends with members of the Remmey family).

The types of wares Decker produced come in an amazing variety, from common unglazed drain pipes and paving bricks, through utilitarian jars, pots, bowls, churns, and jugs, to more unusual items such as vases, bottles, banks, horns, chimney tops, funnels, and ultimately highly decorative pieces such as yard ornaments, tombstones, past caps, flower stands, and personalized pieces, Many of these styles, forms, and colors are particularly common to Pennsylvania, which obviously influenced Decker.

Decker created his business to meet the needs of his family, and four of his children joined him in working as potters until Decker's death on March 11, 1914. The pottery grew over the years from a family business to a small industry with up to twenty-five employees. The area of service expanded to cover eastern Tennessee as well as part of Kentucky, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia."

Interestingly, this stoneware face jug made by Charles Decker in Washington County was recently displayed in the booth of Frank and Susan Swala from Washington, Pennsylvania at the Heart of Tennessee Antiques Show in Lebanon, Tennessee. The jug retains a great history of ownership, whereas it descended in the Decker family until a few different private owners in the twentieth century. 

Among the twentieth century private ownership includes Ohio antiques dealer David Good, who helped contribute to the face jug collection assembled by George and Kay White Meyer, which was recently displayed at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York, along with the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia. That collection is also published in the book Early American Face Jugs, whereas the Myers owned a smaller sized stoneware face jug made by Decker, although these are two of the few examples known to me from the Keystone Pottery in Tennessee. There is also a third example owned by the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville, a fourth example that was previously owned by South Carolina collector and dealer Philip Wingard, and a fifth example that sold at Bonham's | Skinner in Massachusetts in 2018 that was a rare portrait stoneware face jug of L.W. Berry made in 1892.

Another notable aspect about the face jug owned by they Swalas is how it seems to share some similarities with a few known nineteenth century stoneware face jugs made by the Remmey family in Philadelphia after 1850, as well as a couple of known nineteenth century stoneware pitchers decorated with faces made by Elisha B. Hyssong (1827-1901) in Cassville, Pennsylvania about 1850, one of which is owned by the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Additionally, a nineteenth century stoneware face pitcher that sold at Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland in 2012 may also share some similarities, which was attributed to Samuel Bell (1811-1891) in Winchester or Strasburg, Virginia, circa 1835-1845.

Stoneware Face Jugs Made at Charles Decker's Keystone Pottery in Tennessee

19th Century Stoneware Face Jug

Made at Charles Decker's Keystone Pottery in Washington County, Tennessee

Descended in the Decker Family

Circa 1875

Stands 12" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Frank and Susan Swala

19th Century Stoneware Face Jug

Made at Charles Decker's Keystone Pottery in Washington County, Tennessee

Descended in the Decker Family

Circa 1875

Stands 9 3/4" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: George and Kay White Meyer

19th Century Stoneware Face Jug

Made at Charles Decker's Keystone Pottery in Washington County, Tennessee

Descended in the Decker Family

Circa 1875

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Tennessee State Museum

Note: This is another outstanding nineteenth century stoneware face jug that was owned by the Swalas, which sold through Crocker Farm on July 20, 2019. The twenty-gallon jug was featured on PBS' Antiques Roadshow in 1998; it was made by William M. Wilbur (1841-1917) in Ohio about 1870, who was the grandson of Zanesville, Ohio potter, Thomas Wilbur and the son of Clark Wilbur, yet another stoneware potter. The jug is inscribed "Willi[a]m Wilbur."

19th Century 20-Gallon Stoneware Face Jug Made by William M. Wilbur in Ohio

Circa 1870

Stands 25" Tall

See Above for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Frank and Susan Swala

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