EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Very Good Example of a 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Made in Wisconsin

Thursday, October 31, 2024

A Very Good Example of a 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Made in Wisconsin

Yesterday I picked up this excellent nineteenth century red earthenware jug decorated with an outstanding tulip in northern New Jersey, however the jug was privately owned for many years in New York City. I believe this is an early example of red earthenware manufactured in Whitewater, Wisconsin in the 1840s or 1850s. The jug stands about fourteen inches tall, and seeing that today is Halloween, the orange color of the jug is also a close match to the color found on an orange pumpkin.

For a brief history: Between 1845 and 1882, the city of Whitewater was home to five potteries operated by both German immigrants and settlers from New England and New York. The Whitewater potteries supplied settlers in the region with a wide variety of utilitarian forms, whereas by about 1867, the Whitewater potteries transitioned from the production of glazed utilitarian wares to flowerpots and vases.

I think this is a really good example, where the decoration really demonstrates the German heritage that was found in this area in the 1800s; in fact, I cannot find an identical example in the collections of either the Wisconsin Historical Society or the Whitewater Historical Society.

A good amount of the production this area was also manufactured with a white earthenware clay, while this jug is made out of red earthenware, perhaps also suggesting early production.

Furthermore, another characteristic about this object that I thought was worth noting is how it shares some similarities with a well-published nineteenth century red earthenware jug made by Lorenzo Johnson in Newstead, Erie County, New York. Johnson's jug was produced trying to resemble stoneware production, which is also how this jug that I just acquired also appears; both jugs are decorated with similar tulips.

I also want to add that this jug was very dirty, and perhaps the person who previously owned it may have been a smoker in New York City; however, it really cleaned up quite nice (see photos below)!

Note: For more information about production in Whitewater - see an article posted to the Whitewater Historical Society's website, titled, Whitewater Pottery: https://www.whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org/post/whitewater-pottery; also see the website madefromclay.org: https://madefromclay.org/whitewater-potteries/.

Very Good Example of 19th Century Red Earthenware Made in Wisconsin