19th Century Man-in-the-Moon Stoneware Crock Sells in Carlisle, Pennsylvania

A good example of a two-gallon nineteenth century stoneware crock decorated with a man-in-the-moon motif in cobalt and stamped "Cowden & Wilcox / Harrisburg," sold last week at Rowe's Auction Service in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The decoration features a brushed cobalt blue design of a man's face within a crescent-shaped, leaf-like motif, and is considered a signature design on stoneware from central Pennsylvania.

For a brief history about this business: John Wallace Cowden (1817-1872) and Isaac Wilcox (1831-1906) initially established and ran this pottery in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, although the company was also known as C.W. Pottery. The factory was a ceramic manufacturing company that was established in 1861, after Harrisburg was incorporated as a city on March 19, 1860, whereas the factory produced pottery until about 1923. This business mostly produced stoneware, but they also made some red earthenware, where production from this company was distributed locally, but it was also marketed in parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Nonetheless, this crock sold for $7,200 plus the buyer's premium; the sale also featured a few good pieces of nineteenth century red earthenware from Pennsylvania and New York State, which included a jug possibly made in Adams County, Pennsylvania that brought $450 plus the buyer's premium.

For reference: it appears the auction record for a Cowden & Wilcox man-in-the-moon decoration is a circa 1865 batter pail that sold at Crocker Farm in Maryland in 2023 for $54,000 including the buyer's premium: https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2023-03-31/lot-21/Exceedingly-Rare-and-Important-COWDEN-WILCOX-HARRISBURG-PA-Triple-Man-in-the-Moon-Batter-Pail/.

Note: For more information about red earthenware made in Adams County - see a feature story I wrote that was published on pages 5, 6 and 7 in the July 11, 2025 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, Miller Red Earthenware: A History Of The Family's Production In Adams County, Pa. - http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/07/new-published-feature-story-in-antiques.html.

19th Century Man-in-the-Moon Stoneware Crock

Two-Gallon 19th Century Stoneware Crock Marked "Cowden & Wilcox / Harrisburg"

Adorned with a Cobalt Man-in-the-Moon Design

Circa 1865

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Photo Courtesy: Karl Pass

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Likely Made in Pennsylvania

Possibly Made in Adams County, PA

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Photo Courtesy: Karl Pass

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