While my collecting focus centers primarily on red earthenware from southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and New England, I have acquired several southern examples over the years. Two of these pieces—the large jug and the large pitcher shown here—were featured in my July 2, 2021, article for Antiques & Auction News, titled "The Story of Andrew Pitman: A Revolutionary War Veteran Turned Potter In The Shenandoah Valley Of Virginia" - https://www.scribd.com/document/513691137/Andrew-Pitman-Article-for-AAN-July-2-2021.
I suspect the remaining pieces in this photograph were made in the Virginia and East Tennessee region. Among them is a small jar, which is one of only two examples of this size known to me adorned with this specific multi-colored glaze. The (sugar) bowl bears a strong stylistic resemblance to pieces from the Carol Wahler Collection recently sold at Crocker Farm in Maryland; it also retains an early handwritten note reportedly documenting its nineteenth century ownership history.
However, the large, vibrant glazed jar on the far left perhaps remains the most compelling piece to me. Acquired a decade ago, it was discovered in an old barn in Bristol, located in northeastern Tennessee. During the nineteenth century, Bristol and surrounding Sullivan County served as a vital hub for red earthenware production, fueled by the region's rich, iron-heavy clay. The most prominent of these operations was the Cain Pottery, established near Bristol around 1814 by Leonard Cain (1782-1842) and operated by his sons, Abraham (1826-1910) and William (1822-1899), until 1897. Alongside neighboring potting families like the Motterns, the Cains utilized the "Great Road" trade route to produce and distribute their wares throughout the region.
Note: For more information about the (sugar) bowl - see a feature story I wrote for the April 3, 2026 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, Red Earthenware And Stoneware Sugar Bowls: A Brief Examination Of The Form Manufactured In 18th- And 19th-Century America: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/03/new-feature-story-published-in-antiques.html.
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