A 19th Century Stoneware Inkwell Inscribed "AMBROSE. COLE. CHARLESTOWN." that was Recently Gifted to Winterthur Museum in Delaware

Found in the collection of Winterthur Museum in Delaware is an early nineteenth century stoneware inkwell from Charlestown, Massachusetts, which is inscribed, "AMBROSE. COLE. CHARLESTOWN.:" http://museumcollection.winterthur.org/imutest/imu.php?port=40138&request=multimedia&irn=214277. The inkwell was gifted to Winterthur in 2018 from the personal collection of Carl and Julie Lindberg.

There were a number of people living in Charlestown during the first-half of the nineteenth century with the surname "Cole," which included multiple people with the name "Ambrose Cole," but they all appear to be from the same family. 

Furthermore, there is a good probability that the Ambrose Cole who owned this inkwell married Mary Tufts on March 11, 1804. The couple then had a son name Ambrose Augusta Cole, born February 27, 1811. Although, there were also persons living in Boston in the nineteenth century with this same name.

But if this is in fact the correct Ambrose Cole, then the Tufts family connection is certainly fascinating, seeing that some of this family ran local brickyards, dating back to the 1600s; the Tufts family ancestry can be traced back to Peter Tufts (1617-1700) from Essex, England in the early seventeenth century. He came to Massachusetts about the same time as did the red earthenware potter Philip Drinker (1596-1947), when he landed in Charlestown in 1638. 

Peter settled in a section of Charlestown that would eventually become Malden in 1649. Philip Drinker and Peter Tufts likely knew each other - and Philip may have even purchased bricks from Tufts for his kiln. Upon Philip's death in 1647, his son Edward Drinker (b. 1622) took over the pottery business.

The same statement may even be said for the Kettle Pottery in Charlestown in the seventeenth century; it is thought that Samuel Kettle (1642-1694) trained under Edward Drinker before he and his brother, John Kettle (1662-1690/91) began their own business in Charlestown. The family business eventually transitioned a few miles north, when James Kettle (thought to have apprenticed in Charlestown in the 1680s) helped establish an important industry (among other potters) in Essex County, Massachusetts in the early eighteenth century.

Additionally, two of Peter's grandsons also joined the brick making industry in Charlestown; Nathan Tufts was born in 1724 and Daniel Tufts was born in 1757. They both eventually ran backyards, where their company's may have also helped supply the bricks for some of the local red earthenware potter's kilns in Charlestown's industry before 1775. 

Nevertheless, for more information about this early Massachusetts production - see my third book, titled, The Dawn of Independence, the Death of an Industry: The Pottery of Charlestown, Massachusetts: https://historicbeverly.net/product/the-dawn-of-independence-the-death-of-an-industry/.

Note: A small early nineteenth century stoneware presentation pitcher from Charlestown, inscribed LYDIA FERREN sold at Crocker Farm in October 2015, which will be sold again, as part of the firm's upcoming sale later this summer: https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2015-10-17/lot-2/Important-LYDIA-FERREN-Charlestown-MA-c1810-Stoneware-Cream-Pitcher/.

19th C. Stoneware Inkwell Inscribed "AMBROSE. COLE. CHARLESTOWN"

Early 19th Century Stoneware Inkwell Made in Charlestown, Mass.

Inscribed  "AMBROSE. COLE. CHARLESTOWN."

Previously Owned by Carl and Julie Lindberg

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Photo Courtesy: Winterthur Museum

Marriage Record for Ambrose Cole and Mary Tufts

Dated "March 11, 1804"

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The Couple's Son Ambrose Augusta Cole was Born February 27, 1811

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