Saturday, February 1, 2025

A 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher Made at Nathaniel Rochester's Circa 1818-1831 Business in West Bloomfield, New York that Sold Last Night as Part of the Carole Wahler Collection

Prices for slip decorated red earthenware made at Nathaniel Rochester's (1752-1831) circa 1818-1831 pottery business in West Bloomfield, New York continue to be strong, whereas a jar sold in a group lot at Sotheby's in New York City last week for $22,800 including the buyer's premium, and a pitcher sold last night at Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland, as part of the Carole Wahler Collection for $9,600 including the buyer's premium

Furthermore, this type of pitcher is included in my forthcoming two-volume Western New York book, tiled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York; interestingly, I have only been able to document six slip decorated pitchers in this exact shape, which includes one that sold a few years ago as part of Ohio antiques dealer, David Good's Collection at New England Auctions in Branford, Connecticut for $6,500 plus the buyer's premium: https://auctions.neauction.com/online-auctions/new-haven-auctions/large-redware-pitcher-with-slip-decoration-2574476. These types of pitchers also vary in size with the largest examples being a few inches taller than the smaller ones.

For more information about Nathaniel Rochester - see a feature story I wrote for the June 7, 2024 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, Nathaniel Rochester's Red Earthenware Pottery: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2024/05/new-published-feature-story-in-antiques.html.

19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher
Made at the Nathaniel Rochester Pottery in West Bloomfield, New York
Circa 1818-1831
Stands 10" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

A few other notes from the Wahler Collection, outside of the southern pottery, which made up the majority of the collection; a small early twentieth century blue glazed red earthenware pitcher stamped "FREY" sold for $600 plus the buyer's premium. This may be an auction record for this potter's production; for more information - see a feature story I wrote for the October 21, 2022 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, The Frey Pottery: The Forgotten History Of An American Red Earthenware Manufacturer: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2022/10/new-published-story-frey-pottery_17.html.

Early 20th Century Blue Glazed Pitcher
The Base is Marked "FREY"
Stands 4 3/4" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker. Farm

I also found lot number 253 of interest, seeing that there were some aspects about the red earthenware jar that reminded me of production in Erie County in Western New York, although there is not a particular business that comes to mind outside of perhaps the Aurora, New York area. The base was inscribed in crayon, "Bought in / Mapletown / Likely / Early / Greensboro," indicating it was found in the southern part of Western Pennsylvania. The jar could have certainly been made elsewhere too, but I just wanted to mention this information: https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2025-01-31/lot-253/Unusual-Manganese-Decorated-Redware-Jar-American-possibly-Western-PA-or-NC-origin/.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Made in the United States
Reportedly Found in Western Pennsylvania
Stands 9 3/4" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

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

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