A Mottled Glazed 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar that Recently Sold in Ohio and Possibly Made by a Noted Religious Figure in Western New York

As I noted in another post from today, I purchased a lot of two red earthenware objects from the first installment of the Beth & Earl Trimble salt glazed stoneware collection, which sold in May as part of Amelia Jeffer's two-day Americana and Ohio Valley Auction. This is the second jar from the lot; I suspect it may have been made by the Mormon leader Heber Kimball (1801-1868) in Mendon, Monroe County, New York, circa 1822-1833. 

The reason I suggest Kimball's business as a possible place of origin is largely because of a second jar that I acquired a few years ago, which is manufactured with a similar mottled glaze and the exact same type of light colored clay. This is an unusual clay color for Western New York, although the jar that I acquired a few years ago came out of a local collection in Monroe County, and it is thought to have been made somewhere in the area. For refence, this type of clay color and various mottled glazes possibly related to Kimball's production have been recovered from an archaeological context on property once owned by Brigham Young (1801-1877) in Mendon, who was a friend and an associate of Kimball.

Interestingly, written on the base of the jar that I acquired a few years ago is an old pencil inscription describing how this jar was used for “Applebutter” in the 1800s. Furthermore, the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah owns two jars that were made by Kimball, and they are very similar in production to this jar.

Note: An entire chapter is devoted to Heber Kimball in my forthcoming two-volume Western New York books, titled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York. I also wrote a four-page feature story about Kimball that was published on pages 138-141 in the April 2022 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled, Heber C. Kimball: A Mormon Potter from Western New York: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2022/03/latest-published-research-story-heber-c.html.

Mottled Glazed 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Likely from Western N.Y.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Most Likely Made in Western New York

Possibly Made by Heber Kimball in Mendon, New York

Stands 8 1/2" Tall

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(Right) 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Made in Western New York

Possibly Made by Heber Kimball in Mendon, New York

Retains an Inscription Written in Pencil on the Base

Also Retains a History of Ownership in Western New York

Stands 11 3/4" Tall

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(Right) A View of the Handle

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The Base of the Jar is Inscribed in Pencil

The Inscription References How this Jar was Used for "Applebutter" in the 1800s

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Another View of the Inscription

The Inscription References How this Jar was Used for "Applebutter" in the 1800s

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The Clay of Both Jars Appears to be the Same

This is an Unusual Clay Color for Western New York

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  19th Century Red Earthenware Jars with Mottled Glazes

Attributed to the Heber C. Kimball Pottery in Mendon, N.Y.

Reportedly Purchased Directly from Heber in the 1820s or Early-1830s

Circa 1822-1833

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Photo Courtesy: Church History Museum

Heber and Solomon Kimball Listed in the 1830 Federal Census

They were Both Potters in Mendon, New York

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Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...