A Good Example of Early 19th Century Stoneware from the Albany, New York Area that Sold Yesterday in New Hampshire

This nineteenth century stoneware jar with an incised bird and flower sold yesterday, as part of the Lisa Whittington Americana Collection at William A. Smith Auctions in Plainfield, New Hampshire. The crock appears to have been made in the Albany, New York area in the early 1800s, whereas a comparable object sold a few years ago in Crocker Farm's Spring 2021 auction in Sparks, Maryland for $5,400, including the buyer's premium. That crock was attributed to the William Capron Pottery in Albany, circa 1800-1805: https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2021-04-09/lot-10/Fine-att-William-Capron-Albany-NY-Stoneware-Jar-w-Incised-Bird-and-Floral-Decoration-c1800-1805/.

Furthermore, a nearly identical jar also attributed to the William Capron Pottery sold at Crocker Farm in 2009 for $4,025, including the buyer's premium: https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2009-07-11/lot-9/Stoneware-Jar-with-Incised-Bird-and-Floral-prob-Albany-NY/. And it seems that jar then sold again just two years later at Skinner in Boston for $6,518, including the buyer's premium: https://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/2558M/lots/188.

Additionally, related objects are also published in an article written by Warren F. Hartmann (see Crocker Farm's Spring 2024 auction catalog for the Hartmann Collection) for the 2012 issue of Ceramics in America, titled, The Stoneware of Early Albany: A Mystery Solved; according to part of Hartmann's article, "More than twenty years of study and analysis have led me to believe that a particular group of unmarked stoneware can be attributed to the pottery of William Capron (1763–1823) of Albany, New York...The decorations on these pieces vary. Many are incised birds, among them a likeness of the Hudson Valley dove, and other unusual bird motifs; others show flowers with large petals or other abstract florals, all filled with cobalt...Based on this analysis and the comparison of form, potting techniques, decorations, and color of clay used in the production of the unknown group of stoneware and the group of marked “ALBANY / WARE,” along with the information available on the mark and dates of the William Capron pottery, I have concluded that this large group of early, unmarked stoneware can be attributed to Capron’s pottery. Further, given the large number of marked Cushman pieces that resemble these early unmarked pieces in overall form, it is my opinion that William Capron or one of his potters worked at the Cushman factory."

Nevertheless, there seems to be more to the William Capron story, whereas there is a lot of new research that has been presented over the last decade by a group of researchers and collectors in New York. This jar sold for $1,950 plus the buyer's premium.

Early 19th Century Stoneware Jar Decorated with a Bird and a Flower

Made in the Albany, New York Area

Stands 14" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: William A. Smith Auctions

Interestingly, though, I also recently revisited an early nineteenth century stoneware jar that was made at the Paul Cushman Factory in Albany, which is owned today by Winterthur Museum in Delaware. The body of the jar is stamped "PAUL:CUSHMANS," whereas it also retains an old dated wooden lid that seems to match the period for when this type of marked stoneware jar was produced. The inscription of the lid reads,""AMEY x KENT x OF x ROME x/ PRESERV'D x GRAPEs "1810."

This jar has previously been published in Donald Blake Webster's 1971 book, Decorated Stoneware Pottery of North America, William C. Ketchum's 1987 book, Potters & Potteries of New York State, 1650-1900: Second Edition, and Warren F. Broderick & William Bouck's 1995 book, Pottery Works: Potteries of New York State's Capital District and Upper Hudson Region, as well as Douglas W. McCombs's 2007 exhibit catalog, Paul Cushman: The Work and World of an Early 19th Century Albany Potter.

Early 19th Century Cobalt Decorated Stoneware Jar

Made at Paul Cushman's Factory in Albany, New York

Impressed "PAUL:CUSHMANS"

Circa 1810

Stands 13 7/8" Tall

Also Retains an Old Wooden Lid

Inscription on Lid Reads "AMEY x KENT x OF x ROME x/ PRESERV'D x GRAPEs "1810"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur Museum

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