19th Century Stoneware Water Cooler Marked "Hamilton & Co. Greensboro, PA" Sells in Minnesota

This great six gallon free-hand cobalt decorated stoneware water cooler with a pedestal base and likely its original lid sold yesterday at  Sebastian Charles Auctions in St. Paul, Minnesota. The cooler is impressed with the maker's mark of "Hamilton & Co. Greensboro, PA." This is the mark of a company owned by William "Leet" Hamilton (1815-1888) in Greensboro, Pennsylvania.

For a brief history: James Hamilton (1824-1880) arrived from New Brighton, Pennsylvania, in 1850 and started a pottery manufacturing company with William who already had a business in Greensboro. William sold / gave his pottery to his son and son-in-law (a young man with the last name Jones) around 1866 - this was the beginning of the great Hamilton & Jones Pottery which would go on until it burned down around 1897.

James Hamilton also continued his pottery business, which became known as James Hamilton & Co. The company is known today for both free-hand and stenciled cobalt decorations.

James sold his interest in the business in 1880, and the pottery was eventually purchased by Thomas Reppert and W.T. Williams. The remains of all of these endeavors can still be found along Water Street today.

Interestingly, Crocker Farm in Maryland has sold some very good examples of pedestal based water coolers from Western Pennsylvania through the years, although an example bearing a related stenciled maker's mark sold in 2020 for $4,200 including the buyer's premium: https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2020-08-21/lot-290/Outstanding-Three-Gallon-Stoneware-Pedestal-Based-Water-Cooler-From-James-Hamilton-Co-Greensboro-Pa/.

Nonetheless, this cooler was cracked; it sold for $4,500 plus the buyer's premium: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/218562173_j-hamilton-and-co-stoneware-pedestal-water-cooler-st-paul-mn.

Note: For more information about production in Greensboro - see an article I posted to this website earlier this year, titled, A Giant Circa 1860s-1880 Cobalt Decorated Stoneware Water Cooler Marked "James Hamilton / Greensboro, Pa / Eagle Pottery" - http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/07/a-giant-circa-1860s-1880-cobalt.html.

19th C. Stoneware Water Cooler Marked "Hamilton & Co. Greensboro, PA" 

19th Century 6 Gallon Stoneware Water Cooler 

Marked "Hamilton & Co. Greensboro, PA" 

Likely Circa 1852-1865

Stands 19" Tall

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Photo Courtesy: Sebastian Charles Auctions

A View of the Maker's Mark and Gallon Capacity

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Photo Courtesy: Sebastian Charles Auctions

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