This is a great three-piece nineteenth century red earthenware tobacco humidor that I learned about yesterday, which includes a jar with a lid and a stand, although I was told that it was found about forty years ago in a Western New York estate in North Tonawanda, Niagara County, New York. The jar is manufactured with dancing characters surrounding the exterior, while the lid is adorned with dolphins. The only auction result that I can find of a comparable example is one that sold at IEGOR auctions in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2016: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/43728435_dion-pottery-1836-1916-quebec.
There is also a related object in the collection of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario, however it is missing its base, but the museum indicates that their example was made at the circa 1854-1918 Dion Pottery in L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Canada during the circa 1880-1890 period: https://collections.rom.on.ca/objects/163900/tobacco-jar?ctx=2d3a88c2-fc49-4639-a3bb-c0f475904f38&idx=6.
Additionally, there are also several related examples owned by the Museum of Canadian History in Quebec: https://www.historymuseum.ca/collections/artifact/89761, where the museum also owns several other related forms, including planters and flower urns.
According to the book, Early Canadian Pottery written in 1971 by archaeologist and museum specialist Donald Webster, "Until the beginnings of the industrial period, effectively 1860, pottery-making in Quebec had changed very little from the French period - however, after 1860, stoneware, yellow-ware and Rockingham ware was all produced in factory settings before any kind of red earthenware production took place.
The last, longest lived, and by far the largest of the earthenware potteries was the Dion factory at Ancienne Lorette. First established by Jean Dion as a small pottery about 1855, the operation grew slowly, and a brother, Antoine Dion took over the business about 1870. The factory during the next few decades produced a great range of utility wares, ethnically French even at this late date, made from local red-firing clay, but (the pottery) also drew on the new technology to produce red earthenware molded and slip-cast wares. The Dions at one time or another turned out just about everything that could be produced in red earthenware, including some superb special and experimental pieces.
Antoine Dion's four sons joined the firm at various times in later years and managed it and a subsidiary pottery until the business closed in 1918. Pottery emerged from the Dion factories in vast quantity, and is still found in Quebec antique shops (as of when the book was published)"
Nonetheless, this outstanding object is currently for sale privately; should anyone have any serious interest - please message me and I can put you in contact with the seller.
Note: I came across a very good large two piece red earthenware urn a few summers ago that was found in an estate in Medway, Massachusetts. I have never been able to identify the maker, whether it be American or Canadian, although it does share some similarities to some of the larger elaborate objects made by the Dions in Quebec: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2022/05/an-incredible-19th-century-red.html.
Canadian Pottery Found Decades Ago in an Estate in Niagara County, N.Y.
19th Century Red Earthenware Tobacco Humidor
Made at the Dion Pottery in L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Canada
Found Decades Ago in an Estate in North Tonawanda, Niagara County, New York
Circa 1880s
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Private Collection
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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