Maine's Monumental Stoneware

About eight years ago, my niece Alexis and I were exploring the mid-coast region of Maine when we came across an extraordinary piece of stoneware — a monumental urn with dolphin-form handles and an elaborate painted scene that I’ve long believed to be original to the factory. The decoration appears to have been applied after firing, something I had never personally encountered on much Maine stoneware before.

From the moment I saw it, the urn stood apart from anything I had known. While there are somewhat related examples associated with the Portland Stoneware Company — particularly pieces made from sewer tile — this example felt entirely different. Even then, I strongly suspected it was made in Maine.

Recently, I learned of a somewhat related piece that descended through the family of the craftsman who originally produced it at the Bangor Stoneware Company in Bangor, Maine. That example differs in form, featuring applied leaves and a domed lid, but it provides important evidence that this type of ambitious ornamental stoneware production was indeed taking place in Maine during the period.

Pieces like these appear to be quite rare, and it remains unclear whether my urn originated in Bangor or Portland. Regardless of the exact maker, it stands as a rare and monumental example of Maine stoneware craftsmanship, and perhaps one of the more impressive survivals from the later Portland-area production.

Note: According to the Kevin Daughney, "His Grandfather came from Sweden, worked at the Norton Pottery in Worcester and left for Bangor in the 1870s. There were a group of stoneware potters working at these locations who were trained in Sweden."

My Niece Alexis with the Urn Moments After We Found it in Maine

See Article for More Information

A Comparison of the Two Stoneware Urns Noted in the Article

The Urn to the Left was Made in Bangor, Maine

The Urn to the Right was Likely Made in Bangor or Portland, Maine

See Article for More Information

Another View of the Urn

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Vicki Harris Stanley

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