Some Fine Examples of New England and Western New York Red Earthenware, Now Available in Massachusetts

A very good selection of nineteenth-century red earthenware from a private New England collection is now available in Massachusetts. This group showcases the rich history of early American pottery across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Western New York.

The collection features a wonderfully formed early nineteenth century handled pot from South Amesbury (Merrimacport), Massachusetts, a prime example of the utilitarian wares produced by master potter William Pecker (1757-1820) and his nephew, Deacon James Chase (1779-1849). Establishing his riverside kiln around 1791, Pecker became celebrated for his sophisticated forms and accomplished glazes until his tragic death in a kiln collapse in 1820. Chase seamlessly carried the business forward using his uncle's refined techniques. Because his work so closely mirrors his mentor's high craftsmanship, the exact attribution of some of their surviving pieces remains beautifully ambiguous.

For more information - see my fourth book, South Amesbury’s Red Earthenware & Stoneware: The 1791-1820 William Pecker Pottery: https://historicbeverly.net/product/south-amesburys-red-earthenware-stoneware-production/.

Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Handled Pot

Made in Merrimacport, Massachusetts

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Photo Courtesy: A.A.A.W.T.

Furthermore, as regional potting traditions expanded across state lines, prominent families spread these techniques into New Hampshire. This transition is highlighted by a red earthenware jug in the collection, adorned in a desirable green and yellow glaze. The piece was likely made at a New Hampshire kiln owned by the famed Osborn family. Originally from South Danvers (Peabody), Massachusetts, the Osborns established operations in several New Hampshire towns, most notably the long-lasting Gonic Pottery in Rochester, which was founded by Elijah Osborn (1806-1861) in 1839 and run by successive generations until 1885.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Probably Made in New Hampshire

Likely Made by the Osborn Family

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Photo Courtesy: A.A.A.W.T.

Additionally, as the post-Revolutionary migration pushed further west, these traditions evolved to supply early pioneer homes. Representing this westward expansion is a vibrant, glazed jug impressed with the initials “DE,” crafted by an unknown potter in Western New York. During the early 1800s, Western New York boasted a thriving red earthenware industry along "The Turnpike" (Route 20) and the Genesee Valley, even drawing early figures like city founder Nathaniel Rochester (1752-1831) to host an operation on his homestead. The region's wares were highly distinguished by their refined proportions and spectacular glazes featuring bold, abstract splotches of colored slip.

This New York movement was anchored by influential figures like Alvin Wilcox (1801-1862), who established a celebrated pottery in West Bloomfield around 1825, and Charles Gleason, who stamped his distinct mark on wares in Morganville starting in 1829. By the 1850s, the rise of salt-glazed stoneware along the Erie Canal created fierce competition for non-porous containers. To survive, many historic red earthenware potters successfully pivoted to manufacturing agricultural drain tiles, keeping their kilns burning through the late nineteenth century to leave behind a lasting legacy of American craftsmanship.

This jug is also published in my most recent two-volume, ninth book, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York: https://historicbeverly.net/product/americas-great-awakening-and-migration-the-red-earthenware-of-western-new-york/.

For more information about any of these objects - contact A.A.A.W.T.: https://www.aaawt.com/about/.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Likely Made in Western New York

Impressed "DE"

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Photo Courtesy: A.A.A.W.T.

A View of the "DE" Mark

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

New Published Feature Story in Antiques And The Arts Weekly - From Bristol County To The Central Valley: A Discovery In Lindsay, California’s History

While walking around Brimfield today, I discovered that my latest article in Antiques And The Arts Weekly has been published on page 38 in the current September 18, 2026 issue! The story is titled “From Bristol County To The Central Valley: A Discovery In Lindsay, California’s History.”

This is a fascinating story about an early nineteenth century Bristol County red earthenware pitcher with likely its original lid that I first learned about nearly eight years ago. The pitcher had been discovered in a farmhouse in Southern California by Loop Martinez. Earlier this summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Loop and his wife in Maine while he was vacationing there with his family and visiting his children on the East Coast. Our conversations helped uncover the context surrounding how the pitcher had originally been discovered, allowing us to trace its remarkable history—from the Southern California family who owned it, to a historic car ride that took place in the early twentieth century, and ultimately all the way back to the original Quaker family to whom this pitcher belonged in Bristol County and Rhode Island.

It’s always incredibly rewarding when an object opens the door to a story that reaches across generations, geography, and history. I’m thrilled to finally share this one!

Here is a link to a PDF of the story: https://www.academia.edu/175273897/From_Bristol_County_To_The_Central_Valley_A_Discovery_In_Lindsay_California_s_History

I also want to add that this story will be included in my forthcoming two-volume tenth book, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly, and Salem, Massachusetts.

"From Bristol County To The Central Valley: A Discovery In Lindsay, California's History"

Sept. 18, 2026 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

Published on Page 38

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This is the Print Version of the Feature Story

It is Published on Page 38

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This is the Print Version of the Feature Story

It is Published on Page 38

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This is the Print Version of the Feature Story

It is Published on Page 38

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This is the Print Version of the Feature Story

It is Published on Page 38

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This is the September 18, 2026 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

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

The Hart Family Flask: A Rare West Hartford Red Earthenware Discovery

A rare, late eighteenth or early nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware flask made by West Hartford potter Nathaniel Seymour (1763–1849) recently surfaced in a local Connecticut auction lot, originating directly from the historic Hart family estate. 

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Hart family stood as one of the most prominent, foundational lineages in West Hartford. Descended from Deacon Stephen Hart (1599-1683)—an original 1635 founder of Hartford—the family grew alongside the region as it transitioned from a quiet agricultural parish into a bustling, wealthy trade hub. As major toll roads and turnpikes were built through West Hartford in the late 1700s and early 1800s, elite farming families like the Harts became deeply intertwined with local commerce and regional craftsmanship. It was during this exact era of growth that local potters like Nathaniel Seymour established their kilns to supply the community with utilitarian red earthenware. Because prominent families frequently preserved their household goods across generations, an artifact passing directly from the historic Hart family estate provides a solid, local provenance that perfectly bridges the town's early civic and industrial histories. Nonetheless, this is one great object!

For more information about Seymour - see my sixth book, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/.

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Flask

Made by Nathaniel Seymour of West Hartford, CT

Discovered this Week in a Group Lot at a Connecticut Auction

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Photo Courtesy: Private Collector

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

Published in 1964: The Coos County Democrat and the Story of the Holton Homestead Jar

As I noted in a post last week, titled, The Fenton Connection: The Rediscovered Pottery of Jacob Barrows and Early Red Earthenware Production in Northern New England,"...There are at least three existing matching red earthenware jars known from Jacob Barrows' (1757-1843) production (in Dalton, New Hampshire), all outstanding in ovoid form, separate vibrant multi-colored glazes and incised decoration, though they will be saved for publication. One retains a history of ownership with the Barrows family, while another was originally owned by Mary Fiske Holton (1782-1865) of neighboring Lancaster, New Hampshire. After marrying Joseph Holton (1779-1855), Fiske moved to Lancaster from Connecticut in 1810 to live on a large farm..."

Interestingly, the jar owned by Mary Fiske Holton was published in the twentieth century with Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Holton, who were featured in an August 1964 issue of the Coos County Democrat for their collaborative work in researching local properties for the town's bicentennial book, "Historical Sites and Houses of Lancaster, New Hampshire, 1764–1964." Photographed in the dining room of their home—the historic Holton homestead, which holds the distinction of being the first two-story house built in Coos County—the couple is pictured with a notable piece of family history. The caption highlights Mrs. Holton looking at a historic yeast jar (made by Barrows) that originally belonged to Mr. Holton’s great-great-grandmother, Mary Fisk Holton, from an era when housewives maintained their own yeast cultures at home rather than purchasing manufactured yeast cakes from a store. 

Published in the Coos County Democrat in August 1964

One of the Three Jars Made by Jacob Barrows is Pictured

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Photo Courtesy: Lancaster, N.H. Historical Society

Furthermore, I learned this morning of a similarly formed jar, bearing nearly identical incised lines to those found on the three existing jars, that was discovered years ago in northern Vermont by Linus Leavens. This jar will be featured in Chapter 25, which focuses on Barrows, in my forthcoming eleventh book, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont, a work expected to run approximately 700–800 pages.

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Found in Northern Vermont

Possibly Related to Jacob Barrows' Production

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Photo Courtesy: Linus Leavens

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

New Published Feature Story in Antiques & Auction News: Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art

My latest feature story is published on pages 4-5 in the current September 11, 2026 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art.

Here is a link to a PDF of page 4: https://www.academia.edu/173241072/Art_Pottery_Stoneware_Produced_At_The_Pennsylvania_Museum_And_School_Of_Industrial_Art

Here is a link to a PDF of page 5: https://www.academia.edu/173241079/Art_Pottery_Stoneware_Produced_At_The_Pennsylvania_Museum_And_School_Of_Industrial_Art

New Published Feature Story in Sept. 11, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art

This is Page 4

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New Published Feature Story in Sept. 11, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art

This is Page 4

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

How New England Red Earthenware Connected a Son of a Dalton, N.H. Potter to the Mormon Pioneers

A fascinating connection emerged while researching my forthcoming eleventh book—a 700-to-800-page work titled A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont. It links one of Jacob Barrows' sons of Dalton, New Hampshire to the prominent Mormon leader Heber Kimball. Here is a part of that story.

"...Jacob Barrows (1757-1843) and Lydia Fenton (1757-1813) had at least eight children together before her death and eventual burial in Dalton’s Johns River Cemetery. Jacob later remarried Amelia "Emily" Waterman (1782–1857) of Norwich, Vermont—a town bordering Thetford directly to the south. This second marriage produced at least four more children. As was typical for rural, family-oriented workshops in New England, a son or sons from both marriages may have helped run the family pottery business. However, family dynamics shifted dramatically in the 1830s when Ethan Allen Barrows (1817-1904), a son from Jacob's second marriage, converted to the Latter-day Saint faith as a teenager. He ultimately chose to leave the family home and New England behind, migrating west with the early pioneers to settle in Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually Utah. In doing so, Ethan's path intersected with prominent church leader Heber C. Kimball (1801-1868), a Vermont-born artisan who had established himself as a master potter in Mendon, Western New York. Under Kimball's direct civic and ecclesiastical leadership, Ethan would later serve both during an 1844 political mission and after settling in the Salt Lake Valley..."

In early 1844, Mormon founder Joseph Smith (1805-1844) launched a campaign for President of the United States, prompting church leaders like Heber C. Kimball to organize a massive network of "electioneer missionaries" to spread both the gospel and Smith's political platform. Ethan Barrows, a dedicated member who had been ordained a seventy in 1840, was called on one of these political missions to campaign in Ohio.

This political effort came to an abrupt and tragic halt in June 1844 when Joseph Smith was assassinated, forcing the Saints to look toward the West for safety. Heber C. Kimball became a primary architect of this mass exodus alongside Brigham Young (1801-1877), ultimately leading a massive pioneer company to the Salt Lake Valley in 1848 and serving as a top civic and religious leader in the new territory. Ethan Barrows also made the trek to the West and settled in the region for a time, serving as a church recorder and scribe in Ogden, Utah, through 1860. However, their paths eventually diverged; while Kimball remained a pillar of the Utah-based church, Barrows eventually returned to the Midwest and joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) in 1863, where he remained until his passing in Missouri in 1904.

Note: For more information about Heber Kimball - see my latest two-volume ninth book, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York: https://historicbeverly.net/product/americas-great-awakening-and-migration-the-red-earthenware-of-western-new-york/

See Article for More Information

1844 Presidential Campaign Flyer for Joseph Smith

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Courtesy: Museum of Church History

Three Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jars

Attributed to Heber Kimball in Mendon, New York

Circa 1820s to Early 1830s

(Middle) Retains a History of Mormon Family Ownership in Ohio

(Right) was Owned by One of Kimball's sons in the 1800s

See Above for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Sam Herrup, Crocker Farm and Church History Museum

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

The Wares of Jesse Hazen: Mapping Perhaps Another Forgotten Potter

As noted, I am currently working on my eleventh book, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont. While this 700-to-800-page volume is nearing completion, it briefly discusses the work of Jesse Hazen—another potter about whom very little is currently known. Here is a part of that story.

"...The industrial and artistic landscapes of early New England was often shaped by individuals whose primary occupations, according to official records, lay outside the artisan trades. A compelling case study is Jesse Hazen (1820–1896) of Orange, New Hampshire, whose career highlights the fluid boundaries between agriculture and local red earthenware manufacturing in the nineteenth century. Hazen came to light in twentieth century ceramic scholarship through a small, distinctive group of red earthenware objects preserved in the Nina Fletcher Little Collection at Cogswell’s Grant. The most notable survivor is a punch bowl inscribed in black slip-script with his surname. While museum records conventionally describe these objects as having been manufactured circa 1820–1830, this early timeline is highly unlikely given that Hazen himself was born in 1820. Although, Orange is located less-than twenty miles from the Vermont border.

Stylistically, Hazen’s production utilizes a decorative group of incised wavy and straight lines applied just below the rim that closely mirrors the trio of jars manufactured by Jacob Barrows (1757-1843) in Dalton after 1806. A similar use of incised lines is also attributed to the Osborn family of New Hampshire by the New Hampshire Historical Society. 

However, studying Hazen’s life through official government documents reveals a timeline heavily dominated by agrarian pursuits rather than pottery production. In the 1850, 1860, and 1880 Federal Censuses, Hazen is consistently listed under the occupation of "Farmer." It is only the 1870 Federal Census that explicitly categorizes him as a "Manufacturer." This single designation strongly suggests that Hazen operated a seasonal or part-time workshop, utilizing the kiln to supplement his yearly agricultural income.

Biographical records further reveal that Hazen spent the majority of his life living outside the town of Orange. The family’s geographic roots appear centered in New London, New Hampshire, where Jesse’s father, Jeremiah Hazen (1778–1833), passed away on August 8, 1833. Jesse remained tied to the area into early adulthood, marrying Lydia Cook Sargent (1824–1906) in New London on June 7, 1842. While it remains unclear precisely when or where Hazen received his initial training in output stands as an invaluable material study. Hazen’s career exemplifies the versatile, multi-occupational nature of rural New Englanders who successfully balanced the demands of farm life with the technical mastery of red earthenware production..."

Note: For more information about production in New Hampshire - see my eighth book, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

19th Century Red Earthenware Punch Bowl and Mug

Reportedly Made by Jesse Hazen Somewhere in New Hampshire

Both Adorned with Matching Incised Lines Below the Rim

The Bowl is Inscribed in Black Slip "Hazen"

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Photo Courtesy: Historic New England

From the Forthcoming Book

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Photos Courtesy: Historic New England

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

Research Update: Studying Jacob Burrows at the Lancaster Historical Society

The Lancaster, New Hampshire Historical Society posted today about my recent visit to study a Jacob Burrows (1757-1843) red earthenware jar in their collection. They also highlighted my upcoming project: a 700-to-800-page volume titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont—which will be my eleventh book.

Here is a link to read the full post: https://www.facebook.com/thelancasterhistoricalsociety/.

See Above for More Information

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

A Crazy Week for American Red Earthenware Discoveries!

It has been a wild week for unexpected discoveries of American red earthenware. First, a lamp made from a fantastic mid-nineteenth century marked Christopher Alexander Haun (1821-1861) jar from Greene County, Tennessee popped up in a random North Carolina antiques shop. The lamp parts have since been removed and the jar survives in very good condition. Then, a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware flask made by Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849) of West Hartford, Connecticut, surfaced in a local Connecticut auction group lot. It just goes to show—the great stuff is still out there!

For more information about Seymour - see my sixth book, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/.

Mid-19th Century Christopher Alexander Haun Red Earthenware Jar

The Jar is Impressed "C.A. Haun"

Made in Greene County, Tennessee

Discovered this Week in a Shop in North Carolina

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Photo Courtesy: Private Collector

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Flask

Made by Nathaniel Seymour of West Hartford, CT

Discovered this Week in a Group Lot at a Connecticut Auction

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Photo Courtesy: Private Collector

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

Before Winslow Warren: Unearthing Jacob Barrows' Forgotten Hanover Pottery

As I have noted, I am currently working on my eleventh book, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont. This 700-to-800-page volume is nearing completion, and the recent discovery of Jacob Barrows’ (1757-1843) career as a potter in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont stands as one of the most important findings for northern New England red earthenware production in years.

Not only was Barrows a significant craftsman, but he was also a Revolutionary War soldier with deep ties to both the Fenton family of potters and the fascinating history of red earthenware production in Hanover, New Hampshire. Here is a part of that story.

"...According to John King Lord’s 1928 book, A History of the Town of Hanover, published by Dartmouth Press, local pottery production began near the Dartmouth College campus on the north side of South Street. Lord notes that "pottery was made on a somewhat extensive scale by Winslow Warren (1768-1837) in 1795, and before him by Jacob Barrows, in a shop that stood... in the garden of the Givens place," before the industry ultimately ceased around 1800. 

Property records show that Barrows had established deep roots and extensive landholdings in Hanover long before Warren took over the business. An entry from the Index to Grafton County Records reveals that Barrows sold a piece of Hanover property to merchant John Wheeler (1743–1811), a transaction officially recorded in Volume 24, Page 201, on April 17, 1789. Barrows maintained a presence in the town for decades, as a later index entry names him as the seller (Grantor) of another piece of Hanover land to buyer Daniel Avery (Grantee), finalized in Volume 100, Page 141, on April 21, 1818. 

The exact layout of their neighborhood is further illuminated by a June 1795 document that notes that Jacob Barrows owned a house nearby, using the 'lane leading to said Barrows' House' to establish the property boundaries of the land being sold. When combined with the left-hand page (see below), this document proves that Barrows and Winslow Warren were direct neighbors in Hanover, during the exact year Warren took over the local pottery operations..."

Note: For more information about Jacob Barrows - see a story I posted a few days ago, titled, The Fenton Connection: The Rediscovered Pottery of Jacob Barrows and Early Red Earthenware Production in Northern New England: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/08/the-fenton-connection-rediscovered.html.

This is the Revolutionary War Call for of Captain William Manning's Company

The Document Shows Solomon Fenton (Arrow)

The Document Also Shows Jacob Barrows (Circle)

Barrows Likely Trained with Fenton in New Haven, CT

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Barrows and Warren are Both Mentioned in this Document from June 1795

This Document Proves They Were Neighbors in Hanover, N.H.

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

The Fenton Connection: The Rediscovered Pottery of Jacob Barrows and Early Red Earthenware Production in Northern New England

A research trip to northern New Hampshire yesterday was a massive success, uncovering new information about a previously undocumented potter who worked at the base of the White Mountains from roughly 1806 to 1843. Remarkably, this production has never been cited or written about in any twentieth century pottery-related literature.

His name was Jacob Barrows (1757–1843), a Revolutionary War soldier originally from Connecticut, Barrows lived in Hanover, New Hampshire as early as 1790, before permanently relocating his homestead to Dalton by 1806. A portion of Dalton's first inventory of taxable property in 1809 owned by the Dalton Historical Society explicitly lists Barrows as a potter, providing an invaluable contemporary record of his operation.

Barrows' craftsmanship likely roots back to his first marriage to Lydia Fenton (1757–1813) in Mansfield, Connecticut. Lydia belonged to the prominent Fenton family—a lineage renowned for driving early American stoneware and red earthenware production—and she was a near relative of both the famed master potter Jonathan Fenton (1766-1851), and Jacob Fenton (1765-1822) who later brought the family trade westward to Gerry, New York. Given these deep ties, it is highly probable Barrows received his training from his Fenton in-laws, though some of his work also closely resembles that of the earliest members of the Clark family: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

Together, Jacob and Lydia had at least eight children before her death and eventual burial in Dalton's Johns River Cemetery. Jacob later remarried Amelia "Emily" Waterman (1782-1857), with whom he had at least four more children; a son or sons from both marriages may have assisted in running the family's pottery production. Amelia is buried in Dalton's Cushman Cemetery, though it is still pending research where Jacob was buried whether his grave is in the Dalton area or in Vermont. 

Evidence also shows Barrows operated an early pottery in Hanover as early as the mid-1790s, and hints that he may have worked as a potter in the Thetford, Vermont area during the 1780s. If verified, Barrows would be the second potter introduced in my forthcoming 700-800 page, eleventh book, titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont, whose work may predate John Norton’s (1758-1828) Bennington red earthenware production—previously thought to be Vermont's earliest. Vermont was also the birthplace of several of Jacob and Lydia's children, including their son Urial (1791–1851). Urial and his wife, Mary (1784–1873), spent their lives in the region and now rest next to one another in Johns River Cemetery.

There are at least three existing matching red earthenware jars known from Barrows' production, all outstanding in ovoid form, separate vibrant multi-colored glazes and incised decoration, though they will be saved for publication. One retains a history of ownership with the Barrows family, while another was originally owned by Mary Fiske Houlton (1782-1865) of neighboring Lancaster, New Hampshire. After marrying Joseph Holton (1779-1855), Fiske moved to Lancaster from Connecticut in 1810 to live on a large farm. Following years of terrible crop failures, her husband grew discouraged and decided to move back south in 1822. Mary flatly refused to leave the home she had built. Recognizing her grit, her father-in-law bypassed his own son and deeded the entire property directly to Mary so she could run the farm and raise her children independently.

Under Mary's management, the estate thrived and became known to locals as the "Wilder-Holton House." She ran it as a busy boarding house for visiting court officials and raised her children there, including future Wisconsin politician Edward Dwight Holton (1815-1892). Mary and her family were also passionate abolitionists, and her home became a celebrated station on the Underground Railroad, helping escaped slaves find freedom. 

Today, the Fiske family home stands as the oldest surviving two-story house in Coos County and is preserved as a museum by the Lancaster Historical Society and listed in 1975 on the National Register of Historic Places. Nonetheless, there is also existing archaeology that was examined; stay tuned for more information on this exciting discovery!

This is Dalton's First Inventory of Taxable Income in 1809

Jacob Barrows is Listed as a "Potter"

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Photo Courtesy: Dalton Historical Society

Jacob Barrows Listed as a "Potter" in the Taxable Income of Dalton in 1809

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Photo Courtesy: Dalton Historical Society

(Left) This is Lydia Fenton's Gravestone in Dalton, New Hampshire

(Middle) This is the Gravestone of Jacob and Lydia's Son Urial Barrows

(Right) This is the Gravestone of Urial's Wife Mary

These Graves are Located in Dalton's Jones River Cemetery

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(Right) This is the Gravestone of Jacob's Second Wife Amelia

This Grave is Located in Dalton's Cushman Cemetery

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This is the Likely the Location of Jacob Barrows Home

He Seems to Have Owned a Large Plot of Land

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This House is Cited on this Map Published in 1892

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Photo Courtesy: Dalton Historical Society

The Barrows Home and Pottery Business were Located Along the Connecticut River

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Dalton's First Church was Built on a Plot of Land Owned by Barrows in 1830

The Dalton Congregational Church was First Chartered in 1816

For the First 14 Years There was No Dedicated Building

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

Remarkable Survivors: 18th Century Red Earthenware Shaving Dishes

While speaking this past spring at Historic Trappe's second annual Americana symposium in southeastern Pennsylvania—which highlighted different author articles from the 2025 issue of Americana Insights—I was introduced to a remarkable survivor: a late eighteenth century slip-script decorated red earthenware shaving dish. Currently owned by Ohio potter Greg Shooner and previously in the inventory of Robesonia, Pennsylvania potter Greg Kramer, the piece immediately brought to mind another shaving dish. Held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, that museum piece is dated "1767" and adorned with similar objects, including a razor, scissors and a comb. Although the Met notes their dish was made in Pennsylvania, they provide no further information: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/7410.

Note: For more information about this year's Americana Symposium - see this article: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/03/2025-americana-symposium-at-historic.html

18th  Century Slip-Script Decorated Red Earthenware Shaving Dish

Adorned with a Razor, Comb and Scisscors

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Photo Courtesy: Greg Shooner

A View of the Back

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Photo Courtesy: Greg Shooner

18th  Century Slip-Script Decorated Red Earthenware Shaving Dish

Dated "1769"

Adorned with a Razor, Comb and Scisscors

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Here is the Shaving Dish on Display at the MET

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

Beyond the Osborn Dynasty: Attribution Challenges in Early Essex County Red Earthenware

For those interested, I want to share a quick update on my forthcoming tenth book, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly, and Salem, Massachusetts. This two-volume, 1,990-page project is finally complete, and it should be available for purchase soon! As a quick preview, today's post features a red earthenware pitcher that appears to preserve information from an old note attached to this piece, which may challenge some past attributions: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/08/an-update-on-forthcoming-two-volume.html.

"...This eighteenth or early nineteenth century red earthenware pitcher represents a type frequently associated with the prominent Osborn family of South Danvers (now Peabody), Massachusetts. However, the handwritten note accompanying the piece suggests that attributing its production to a single family may be far more complex than previously assumed. The note reads, "Old Danvers herb pitcher made in the Robert Wilson pottery about 1800 which became Andover St. Peabody, Massachusetts." 

The name “Robert Wilson” represents generations of an influential Quaker artisan family who operated prominent red earthenware potteries near 141 Andover Street in South Danvers, during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The family’s deep roots in the regional trade are anchored by Robert Wilson Junior (1724-1782), whose 1782 probate inventory valued his estate at a substantial £627 and specifically documented his house, barn, and dedicated potter's shop. His son, Robert Wilson III (1746-1797), inherited the craft, operated the pottery around the turn of the nineteenth century, and proudly served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

While direct records like this provide invaluable localized clues, definitively identifying early Essex County red earthenware remains a significant challenge. Although modern attributions lean heavily toward the Osborns, they were far from alone; numerous other Quaker families, including the Wilsons, operated extensive potteries across the Danvers and Peabody areas. These local artisan communities were deeply intertwined through a shared Quaker faith, collaborative apprenticeship systems, and frequent intermarriage. Because these craftsmen utilized the same regional clay beds, exchanged technical knowledge, and likely produced similar utilitarian forms, it is highly likely that their finished wares sometimes appeared indistinguishable from one pottery to the next. Consequently, unless a piece bears a rare maker's mark, family notes like this one are vital for separating individual workshop identities."

Note: It will be included in Volume II of the forthcoming book, where a very similar pitcher was recovered from a late eighteenth century archaeological context at the Narbonne House in Salem. The Wilson family is also associated with slip decoration and "Philadelphia" style red earthenware, all of which will be explained in the book.

18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Made in the South Danvers (Peabody), Mass. Area

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Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

An Old Note that Accompany's the Pitcher

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Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

Robert Wilson III"s Household in 1790 in Danvers, Mass.

This is From the United States Federal Census

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An Update on Forthcoming Two-Volume Tenth Book!

For those interested - I wanted to share a quick update on my forthcoming tenth book, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly, and Salem, Massachusetts. This two-volume, 1,990-page project is finally complete, and I couldn't be happier with the result. It should be available for purchase soon!  

Volume I  

The Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts area has a deep-rooted history, dating back to the seventeenth century, perhaps best-known today for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and Salem’s maritime trade in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. However, the area was also the location of one of New England’s most important red earthenware industries, dating back to the 1600s. The area’s pottery businesses were also intertwined with red earthenware production in Charlestown, Massachusetts before the American Revolution, and the industry in Bristol County, Massachusetts, as well as other parts of New England. This book is the first of its kind to explore the red earthenware produced in this part of coastal Massachusetts through archaeology, historical records and surviving objects.  

Volume II  

The Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts area has a rich history of Quakers, many of whom were intertwined with local red earthenware production, as well as Quaker potters living elsewhere in New England. The early history of these Quakers is marked by persecution, although it took a long time, but they were eventually met with acceptance. This area was also home to some potters in Salem after 1750, as well as migrants, who influenced local production from France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. This book is the first of its kind to explore the red earthenware produced in this part of coastal Massachusetts through archaeology, historical records and surviving objects.

Forthcoming Two-Volume Tenth Book!

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

From Private Study to Public Auction: The Legendary Stradling Ceramics Collection at Nye & Company

Diana and J. Garrison Stradling transformed the landscape of historical American ceramics through their rare combination of legendary antiquarian dealing, deep material scholarship, and archival research. Operating as elite dealers and curators, the Stradlings did not merely buy and sell pottery; they actively rewrote its history. Their pioneering field research and landmark publications, such as The Art of the Potter: Redware and Stoneware, bridged the gap between commercial collecting and high academic scholarship, forever altering how early American redware, stoneware, and molded pottery are valued

Their discerning eyes and dedication to provenance helped build the foundations of major public institutional collections across the United States. They sourced and sold seminal, highly documented historic pieces to prestigious institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Newark Museum of Art, the Museums at Old Salem, and other elite museums. By placing exceptional masterworks into these permanent public displays, the Stradlings ensured that the ingenuity of early American potters was recognized on par with European decorative arts.

In fact, I want to tell one story: A few years ago, my good friend Sam Herrup told me an incredible story from the late 1980s. While walking through Manhattan, he spotted a masterpiece sitting in the storefront window of a closed antiques shop: a slip-script decorated red earthenware plate reading "Days Pottery." It is widely considered one of the most significant examples of northeastern redware in existence. Sam went back the very next morning to buy it, but to his disappointment, it was already gone. The plate eventually found its way to the Stradlings, who advertised it in The Magazine Antiques in 1990 before ultimately selling it to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2023/07/the-1990-advertisement-for-days-pottery.html.

Nonetheless, for decades, alongside their public dealings, the Stradlings quietly maintained an extensive, private study collection. Following their profound legacy, this legendary collection is finally stepping out of the private sphere. Property from the Stradling Study Collection is officially heading to the auction block at Nye & Company Auctioneers in Bloomfield, New Jersey, during their Chic & Antique Auction on September 9, 2026, at 10:00 AM EDT. For historians and collectors alike, the auction represents a rare opportunity to acquire pieces carrying the ultimate pedigree of American ceramic scholarship. Here is a link to the catalog: https://www.nyeandcompany.com/auction-catalog/chic-antique-auction-september-9th-10th-2026-incl_5YW752B7DO.

For more information about the Stradlings - see an article written by Diana and Garrison for the 2014 issue of Ceramics in America, titled, Dealer's Choice: https://chipstone.org/article.php/699/Ceramics-in-America-2014/Dealers'-Choice.

The Stradling Study Collection

To Be Sold at Nye & Company on September 9, 2026

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Courtesy: Connor Rush

This is Diana Stradling in the Americana Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Large Stoneware Cooler is an American Masterpiece

Attributed to Jonathan Fenton in Boston, 1793-1796

It was Previously Owned by the Stradlings

Link: https://chipstone.org/article.php/699/Ceramics-in-America-2014/Dealers'-Choice

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Courtesy: Connor Rush

The Stradling Study Collection

To Be Sold at Nye & Company on September 9, 2026

Published in the 2026 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

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

Unearthing the Past: The Rediscovered Artifacts of Monmouth’s Safford Pottery

I was thrilled to learn that archaeological artifacts from the Safford family pottery in Monmouth, Maine, still exist. While these pieces were originally recovered in the twentieth century, they were recently acquired by Portland, Maine resident Chris Havey.

For a brief history: The Safford family pottery legacy in Monmouth, Maine, represents a multi-generational tradition of American red earthenware production spanning from the late eighteenth into the early twentieth century. The trade roots trace back to an uncle, John Safford (1742-1823), who was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and passed the craft down to his nephew, John Safford II (1769-1850). In 1830, a nineteen-year-old cousin named John M. Safford (1811–1880), who had completed his formal training as a potter in Exeter, New Hampshire, moved to Monmouth to work alongside John II. The two cousins solidified their collaboration by forming an official business partnership that operated successfully from 1832 until 1838.

Following the dissolution of the partnership and his subsequent marriage in 1840, John M. Safford constructed his own homestead and independent pottery shop in Monmouth. His workshop became well-known for producing highly functional, lead-glazed utilitarian red earthenware—such as pitchers, jars, and lidded stew pots—designed to meet the daily needs of nineteenth century households in Maine. The family trade continued well into the next generation when John M. passed the thriving business down to his son, George Llewellyn Safford (1847–1921), who continued production into the twentieth century.

For more information - see my seventh book, From One Town Came Many: The Red Earthenware Industry of Ancient North Yarmouth, Maine: https://historicbeverly.net/product/from-one-town-came-many-the-red-earthenware-industry-of-ancient-north-yarmouth-maine/.

Note: The Maine State Museum in Augusta also owns a collection of archaeology from Monmouth, Maine.

Archaeology Collected at the Site of the Safford Pottery in Monmouth, Maine

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Photo Courtesy: Chris Havey

Archaeology Collected at the Site of the Safford Pottery in Monmouth, Maine

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Photo Courtesy: Chris Havey

Archaeology Collected at the Site of the Safford Pottery in Monmouth, Maine

Some of These Sherds are Adorned with Snowflake Type Stamps

See this Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/14489

There is also an Acorn Stamp Known

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Photo Courtesy: Chris Havey

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An Elusive Trio: Investigating a Rare Form of New England Red Earthenware

This specific type of early nineteenth century red earthenware jug is exceptionally rare, with only three examples currently known to exist in New England. One sold several years ago at Sotheby's in New York City, another was owned by Dr. Ed Robertson, and a third was recently in the inventory of Massachusetts antiques dealer Sam Herrup.

While there is some past discussion suggesting these jugs may have originated in New Hampshire, they do not appear to align with any known production from that state. Instead, their physical attributes—specifically the squat, exaggerated bulbous form, the rounded foot, the handle style and the handle terminal—may suggest a connection to the Noah Bradford Jr. (1761-1841) Pottery site on Cape Cod in Barnstable, Massachusetts, circa 1819-1831.

In fact, this distinctive squat bulbous form closely mirrors two early nineteenth century red earthenware jars previously owned by Sandwich, Massachusetts cabinetmaker Samuel Wing (1774-1854), which are believed to have been manufactured nearby in Barnstable and are now in the collection of Old Sturbridge Village. Furthermore, the bold finger impression at the terminal of each jug's handle (see below) closely matches the handle treatment found on the Wing jars. It is certainly compelling food for thought!

These Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jugs Are All Likely from the Same Business

Forms Slightly Vary

Top Left and Bottom are Squat and Bulbous in Form

Top Right is a Smaller Version

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Photo Courtesy: Dr. Ed Robertson, Sam Herrup and Sotheby's

This is How All of the Handle Terminals Appear on the Three Jugs

This is the Handle Seen on the Jug Pictured to the Top Right

The Handle Terminal Sherd is from the Noah Bradford Pottery Site on Cape Cod

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A Closer View of the Comparison

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This is One of the Jars that was Owned by Samuel Wing in Sandwich, Mass.

Likely Made at the Bradford Pottery in Barnstable, Mass.

Likely 1819-1830

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Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village

This is the Second Jar that was Owned by Samuel Wing in Sandwich, Mass.

Likely Made at the Bradford Pottery in Barnstable, Mass.

Likely 1819-1830

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Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village

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