This is at least among the best, and it can certainly be debated whether it is the best decorated example of New Jersey stoneware known to exist today; furthermore, it is probably one of the best stoneware coolers made anywhere in America. Nevertheless, this large double-handled nineteenth century presentation stoneware cooler is really a work of art in itself (just the lid alone is a work of art), which was acquired by Winterthur Museum in Delaware in the mid-twentieth century.
The unmarked lidded presentation cooler is heavily decorated on the front with a tree, plants and an inscribed date of "1853;" there is also a medallion placed in the middle of the tree that is decorated with a spread-winged patriotic American eagle and a shield. The back of the cooler is adorned with more floral decoration, an inscribed bird, an inscribed fish chasing a smaller fish and the name "T. Whiteman."
Winterthur identifies the churn as having reportedly been made in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey, whereas I actually tried researching the inscribed name a few months ago, although I could not find any information about "T. Whiteman." But the museum did suggest that "the fish on the back may symbolize drunkenness. Large vessels with spigots have long been used to dispense water, wine and other alcoholic beverages. The date and name “T. Whiteman” may celebrate a particular occasion in his life."
This churn has also been published a few times since it was acquired by Winterthur in the 1950s, including Donald Blake Webster's 1971 book, Decorated Stoneware Pottery of North America and Kenneth Ames' 1977 book, Beyond Necessity: Art in the Folk Tradition.
Interestingly, some of the design on this cooler reminds me of some of the decoration that is applied on an earlier great stoneware punch bowl that is attributed to John Crolius Jr. (1755-ca. 1835) in Manhattan, which is inscribed with the name "Elisabeth Crane," dated "1811" and owned today by the American Folk Art Museum in New York City; for instance, there may be similarities with the inscribed fish on both objects: https://collection.folkartmuseum.org/objects/3382/punch-bowl?ctx=dcde36ced6940daf20b213d733602aa78dac5549&idx=13.
According to information displayed with the punch bowl, as part of the Folk Art Museum's 2014 exhibit, Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum, "The form of the bowl is inspired by Chinese export porcelain of the period, and the exterior is emblazoned with elaborate foliate cobalt decoration. When the bowl was emptied of its refreshment, a beautiful cobalt full-bodied fish on the interior would be revealed."
Another significant four gallon stoneware cooler sold at Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland in the fall of 2020, setting an auction record for New Jersey stoneware, when it sold to a private collector in New Jersey for $252,000, including the buyer's premium. The presentation cooler was attributed to Abial Price of South Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey; one side was masterfully incised with a ship decoration and inscribed with the name "John B. Wilson:" https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2020-12-04/lot-1/Important-Presentation-Cooler-w-Elaborate-Incised-Ship-Design-attrib-Abial-Price-South-Amboy-NJ-Dated-1839/.
Mark Zipp of Crocker Farm described the object just after it sold to Antiques And The Arts Weekly: "It was the best ship I’ve ever seen. It is really finely done and very large, but the intricacy and depth of the incising was remarkable. And then when you put that on a cooler, it takes it to a whole new level. This was a stylish form, it had double open handles, and then the 1839 date and the presentation name. It had a lot going for it, you couldn’t ask for a whole lot more in a piece of stoneware.”
Price was the grandson of Xerxes Price and the son of Ebenezer Price, both potters themselves; he did not have a maker’s mark and there are only a few examples of stoneware known to exist that he inscribed with his name.
Note: Any prior ownership of this churn before Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969) at Winterthur is unknown to me, although I am sure there is a story to tell there, as well.
An Exceptional 19th Century Presentation Stoneware Cooler
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