The glaze that adorns this nineteenth century red earthenware pitcher from Western New York is a subject that intrigues me, seeing that this type of glaze is also found with various objects produced just to the north in Ontario, Canada in the nineteenth century. I have always been curious if there is a connection or is it just merely a coincidence.
Through the centuries, potters have produced glazes by way of trial and error, where glaze recipes and techniques are often refined over time and can even be passed down through family members or apprenticeship. I believe that some glaze recipes may have also been published in the 1800s, although I am more curious as to how this type of glaze, which is thought to have been most prominently produced at Alvin Wilcox's (1801-1862) business in West Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York is similar to a type that was also made at the Ahrens Pottery in Paris, Brant County, Ontario.
According to a book written by Donald Webster in 1971, titled, Early Canadian Pottery, "Jacob H. Ahrens (1828-1905), a migrant from Germany, was making pottery in Paris, Ontario by 1860 (although, some reports suggest he began making pottery in 1859)."
Additionally, it was published in 1883 in the book, The History of the County of Brant, Ontario: containing a history of the County, its townships, cities, towns, schools, churches, etc., "While in Germany, Mr. Ahrens learned the potter's trade as well as something of the art of war, for in 1849, he was drafted into the army, and served three years during the war with Denmark on the Schleswig-Holstein question. In 1852 he sailed for Canada, making Berlin, Waterloo County (Ontario), his destination, where he subsequently moved to Brant County (Paris, Ontario), and engaged in pottery production in 1859. By industry he made money (he ran the Paris Potteries), but in 1869, the unfortunate breaking away of the dam at Paris caused a loss to him of $2,558."
It was also published in the 1991 book Art and Architecture in Canada by Loren Lerner and Mary Williamson: "Jacob Henry Ahens manufactured pottery on the Nith River in Paris, Ontario from 1860-1892. The manufacturer, known either as the Ahrens Pottery or the Paris Pottery, produced a wide variety of (colorful) earthenware products and a number of prizewinner decorative items."
However, in my most recent feature story published in the August 16, 2024 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, An Important Red Earthenware Jug From Western New York, a potter which very little is known about today is presented, who trained at the Wilcox Pottery before relocating to Erie County, New York around 1850. Although, there does not appear to be a direct relationship (known?) that connects red earthenware production in Ontario County, New York to Brant County, Ontario; furthermore, there are comparable examples of this type of glaze published in Figures 45.11, 45.12, 45.13 and 45.15 in collector and author Moe Johnson's new book, The Potter's Reach In 19th-Century Ontario. This glaze type was also not exclusive to just two businesses; there are other potters known to have created this type of glaze in the Western New York and Ontario region.
Thoughts? I also want to add that there are variations of this type of glaze using different glaze colors that were also produced in West Bloomfield before 1860. All of these objects shown in this post will also be published in my forthcoming two-volume Western New York books, titled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York.
Note: For more information about Alvin Wilcox - see a feature story I wrote for the March 4, 2022 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, 19th-Century Red Earthenware Candle Molds Manufactured in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Western New York: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2022/03/print-version-of-my-cover-story.html.
Also for more information about the site of Wilcox's business and archaeology- see a story that I posted to this website last November, titled, A Good Marked 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Western New York Found in Connecticut: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2023/11/a-good-marked-19th-century-red.html.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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