Two very large examples of nineteenth century red earthenware sold today as part of a single owner collection of antiques at Tremont Auctions in Sudbury, Massachusetts. I previewed this sale a few days ago, and I was impressed with the size of these jars, measuring at least eighteen inches in height, and both of which were possibly made in New York.
However, archaeological evidence kept as part of the Lura Woodside Watkins (1897-1982) Collection at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. suggests that one of these jars was most likely produced after 1819 at the Elijiah Cornell (1771-1862) Pottery in DeRuyter, New York, whereas Cornell previously worked in New York City and trained at the industry in Bristol County, Massachusetts. This is the first time that I have seen this color combination on these types of jars, which are better represented today with an orange glaze, black bands and slip decoration. But either way, there are only a small group of these types of jars known today; aside from this jar with a mottled brown glaze and black bands, a green glaze with black bands was also produced.
According to Watkins' book, Early New England Potters and Their Wares, "The eighteenth century Chace Pottery in Somerset, Massachusetts (southeastern Massachusetts) was indirectly responsible for the first steps in the career of a famous man when, on January 28, 1791, Elijah Cornell was apprenticed to Asa Chace. This young man's mother, Sarah (Miller) Cornell had made a second marriage with Asa's cousin, Benjamin Chace, and Elijah was no doubt familiar with the pottery from earliest childhood.
Born in Swansea, Massachusetts in 1771, he had got what schooling he could receive there and had done a little teaching, but he evidently had a bent for the potter's craft. After his apprenticeship was ended, he worked as a journeyman potter. But for an ambitious youth, this was not enough.
In 1805, he sold out his holdings in Swansea and went to Westchester Landing in New York City. Cornell's subsequent history is one of many moves and much hardship, but gains interest because he was the father of Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University.
Little Ezra gained the fortitude that was his while working in his father's redware pottery. In 1819, the family settled in DeRuyter, New York, where, after a period of teaching, Elijah again established a pottery, which Ezra helped to build.
In 1943, we visited this site and were rewarded by the discovery of a small collection of fragments (now owned by the Smithsonian). Elijah had evidently advanced somewhat beyond the rather restrained technique of the Massachusetts potters, for in DeRuyter he decorated a good deal of his ware with slip of two colors, black and white, either marbled or applied in bold wavy lines against backgrounds of contrasting hue.""
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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