A Red Earthenware Jug Discovered Today in Central New Hampshire that is Probably Related to a Potter's Business in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire

Today, I picked a nineteenth-century red earthenware jug in central New Hampshire that was recently removed from a local home. This will be a brief article, but I wanted to quickly show the similarities in this dark-green glazed jug when compared to an example that is owned by the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire. Personally, I believe both of these jugs are related.

The New Hampshire Historical Society's jug is attributed to Daniel Clark (1768-1828) in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire in the late-eighteenth-century. Clark is the son of the famed colonial potter, Peter Clark (1743-1826), who began his career before the American Revolution in Braintree, Massachusetts. In January of 1775, Peter Clark moved his family to Lyndeborough - and, that is where Daniel Clark learned the potter's craft from his father.

The jug that I discovered today is basically the exact same form with a similar lip treatment, similar ovoid shape, similar size, similar pair of incised lines, similar footed base and a similar handle placement (but not exact). The difference in the handle attachment is possibly the result of the historical society's jug belonging to the family's eighteenth-century production - and, the jug that I discovered today probably dates from the early-nineteenth-century.

It should also be noted that Peter Clark was a southeastern Massachusetts potter, who brought that area's style with him to New Hampshire. The lips seen on both of these jugs are comparable to the typical jug-style that was produced in southeastern Massachusetts during this same period.

 Late-18th Century Red Earthenware Jug Attributed to Daniel Clark - Lyndeborough, NH

Donated to the Museum in 1902

Circa 1790's

Stands 7 1/4" Tall

Photo Courtesy: New Hampshire Historical Society - Concord, NH

 Another View of the Jug

Photo Courtesy: New Hampshire Historical Society - Concord, NH

 Early-19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Possibly Made by Daniel Clark - Lyndeborough, NH

Form/Style Appears Related to an Object Owned by the NHHSO that is Attributed to Daniel Clark

Circa 1790-1820

Stands 6 7/8" Tall

Recently Found in a Home in Central New Hampshire

 Another View of the Jug

 View of the Handle

View of the Base

Early-19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Produced in Southeastern Mass.

Notice the Lip on this Jug When Compared to the Jugs Discussed Above

Circa 1790-1820

Stands 6" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Samuel Herrup Antiques - Sheffield, Mass.

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

A Selection of 19th Century Stoneware that is Scheduled to Sell this Weekend in New York

Hyde Park Country Auctions, located near the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York, has acquired, on consignment, a large selection of stoneware for the company's upcoming sale this weekend on Saturday January 9th. Much of the stoneware comes from a collection, which was kept in Dutchess County, New York. It seems there will be objects available for every budget - and, also objects that will be catered for beginning and advanced collectors. Personally, I don't know the history of the collection, but a quick study of the fresh-to-the-market items suggests this is a longtime or possibly even a lifelong collection.

Undoubtedly, the object that will garner the most attention in this sale is a very-rare one-gallon stoneware jug made at Luman Norton's Pottery in Bennington, Vermont during the circa 1823 to 1833 period. The jug is stamped, 'L. Norton & Co.' 

According to the auctioneer, "This rare and important one-gallon stoneware jug is decorated with a rare incised flower flanked by two incised birds. The jug is completely original (reportedly no restoration). The jug is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or repairs."

The base of this jug also possesses what appears to be an inscribed signature - whether this is a potter's mark or another form of identification is a topic that I would need to further research. However, maybe someone reading this article will recognize this unusual mark.

The Bennington Museum in Bennington, Vermont owns an incredible selection of choice earthenware, red earthenware and stoneware objects that were produced in Bennington in the late-eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries - a focal point with this collection is the variety of birds that adorned various Bennington stoneware forms. This was also a subject of a book that was published in 1991, appropriately titled, 'The Birds of Bennington.'

The auctioneer is completely correct when they said that this was a rare object. Most of the bird decorations that were incorporated with the Bennington products were painted in cobalt decoration. Instead, this object demonstrates a pair of birds, which have been drawn or incised into the clay - and, then colored or highlighted with cobalt. This is an early style. This is also an early example of a bird that was used as decoration in the Bennington industry. Many of the birds that are known today were produced after 1830.

I've quickly reviewed a number of auction results from the past decade - and, I could only find one other object that is tied to the Bennington industry, which was incised with a bird. That object sold through Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland in 2007. The decoration showed a "finely incised bird perched on a tree." The design was prominently placed on a double-handled water cooler that stood twenty-inches tall. It was also stamped twice by the maker, 'Julius Norton.' It was also incised with the name, 'S. Keyes.' The cooler was attributed to the circa 1840 period.

Understandably, it has been nearly a decade since that cooler sold when it achieved a price of more-than $36,000; although, stoneware prices for important American-made objects are what Crocker Farm has described as an "all-time high today." None-the-less, with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000 - it will be interesting to see how this fresh-to-the-market jug does this weekend. It should be no surprise, either to learn that this is a highly desired object once Saturday arrives and the auction begins.

 19th Century One-Gallon Stoneware Jug Made at the L. Norton & Co. Pottery in Bennington, VT

The Incised Decoration is Extremely-Rare

Circa 1823-1833

Stands 11 3/4" Tall

Will Sell on Saturday January 9, 2015

Pre-Auction Estimate: $10,000-$20,000

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

View of the Inscribed Mark on the Base

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

Overall, this collection consists of stoneware products made in Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. A few objects, which also grabbed my attention, were a pair of products that were produced in New York City in the early-1800's. These objects would normally sell for thousands-of-dollars; however, each object is damaged. This could be a good opportunity, for a collector, who may not need a 'perfect' example for their collection. And, despite the damage, these are also rare objects to find in any type of condition today.

This first object is attributed to the Crolius family in Manhattan, New York during the circa 1810 period. The Crolius name is synonymous with America's earliest stoneware. According to the Green-Wood Historic Fund in Brooklyn, New York, "In 1730, William Crolius, a German immigrant from the Rhineland (Germany), which itself had a rich tradition of pottery making, established his stoneware business on Pot Baker's Hill in Manhattan. In all, there were fifteen Crolius potters, including six named William, five Johns, one George and three Clarksons. The family tradition may have begun in 1730, but it continued well into the 1800's."

What makes this object so special is the word 'PICKLES' that has been stamped on the ovoid jar. This is a rare mark to find today, and an equally rare form. 

I believe this jar could have been made by Clarkson Crolius (1774-1843), who was the grandson of William Crolius; although, Clarkson was not only a potter, but he was also a New York City politician, who was elected to the Speaker of the New York Assembly in 1825. He also fought in the War of 1812. Ultimately, he was an important figure in New York City during the nineteenth-century, who is known for more than only stoneware today.

 Early-19th Century Stoneware Jar Attributed to the Crolius Family in Manhattan, NY

The Jar is Stamped 'PICKLES'

Possibly Made by Clarkson Crolius (1774-1843)

Circa 1810

Stands 10" Tall

Will Sell on Saturday January 9, 2015

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

Closer Look at the 'PICKLES' Stamp

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

Honestly, this next object could be a wonderful opportunity for someone to purchase a terrific example of Manhattan-made stoneware cheaper since it is damaged. An example of this important potter's work is a 'must-have' for any serious scholar or collector of New York City stoneware today. 

In some ways, I compare this individual's work to the enslaved potters employed in the Edgefield District in South Carolina in the mid-nineteenth-century.

Brandt Zipp, a specialist at Crocker Farm, who is also responsible for the company's website has done extensive research on the history of this potter. Brandt is actually responsible for identifying this individual as an African-American rather than a white potter, which makes this individual historically important in respect to the period that he was employed.

According to Brandt's website (commeraw.com), "Thomas W. Commeraw, the well-known New York stoneware potter of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth-centuries, was not--as previously thought--simply another potter of European descent working beside the venerated Crolius and Remmey families. Commeraw was a Manhattan stoneware potter who produced thousands of vessels -- many of which survive -- from around 1796 until 1819. He was, until the announcement of this project (Brandt's forthcoming book), believed to be a white potter of French descent. But he was not. He was an African-American."

The New York Times has also taken notice of Brandt's research, "Thomas W. Commeraw, an African-American ceramist in early-19th-century New York, ran a workshop on the Lower East Side waterfront. He painted blue scallops, tassels and petals on beige and tan containers for gallons of oysters, preserved fruit and alcohol, among other products. 

No one quite knows how he learned his trade and built a business that produced perhaps thousands of pots a year. 

Brandt Zipp has uncovered details about Commeraw's clients, including black church leaders and abolitionists, and tantalizing hints that the ceramist helped soldiers protect New York forts during the War of 1812."

This jug could be a good opportunity for a stoneware collector to own an example of Commeraw's signed (stamped) work that will sell for less than normal due to the damage; however, the decoration, which is the most important aspect of this jug remains in excellent condition. 

Commeraw's most prolific stoneware is known to sell for thousands, if not, tens-of-thousand-of-dollars today. His work is represented in museum's and outstanding private collections across the country.

 Early-19th Century Two-Gallon Stoneware Jug Made by Thomas Commeraw - Manhattan, NY

Circa 1805

Stands 14 1/2" Tall

Will Sell on Saturday January 9, 2015

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

 A Closer Look at Commeraw's Mark on the Jug

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

View of the Damage

Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions - Poughkeepsie, NY

Next week, I will write a followup article that will identify how the Bennington jug does at the auction.

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

A Newly Discovered New England-Made Red Earthenware Jug Purchased Last Weekend in Nassau, New York

Last weekend, I visited Nassau, New York to retrieve a few pieces of pottery that I was having conserved - and, on my way home - I decided to stop at Timothy Bailey's antique shop, 'Antiques at Bailey's,' which is also located in Nassau. I should also mention that my three-year-old niece, Alexis also made the three-hour ride with me from my house in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Surprisingly, she (sometimes) also enjoys pottery; although, the deal I have made with her is that each time she goes out on an adventure with me that I must either buy her a doll or a stuffed animal. The conservator and restorer, who I visited, Melody Howarth, graciously, gave my niece a doll from her collection of antique dolls and vintage Christmas ornaments.

My Niece, Alexis Pictured Outside 'Antiques at Bailey's in Nassau, NY

Tim's shop is widely known today for its incredible collection of early-nineteenth-century stoneware manufactured in the Albany, New York-area. For me, personally, the highlight of the collection is the stoneware that was made by Paul Cushman - some of these important examples, which are not for sale - and, happen to reside in the store's collection have been published in past articles written for Ceramics in America. This is the largest shop collection of Albany-made stoneware that is known in the country. The largest museum collection of Albany-made stoneware is probably at the nearby Albany Institute of History and Art; although, the the Adam Weitsman Stoneware Collection at the New York State Museum in Albany also owns incredible examples of this area's production, too.

According to the State University of New York Press in Albany, New York, "Paul Cushman (1767-1833) is recognized today as one of the founders of a regional stoneware industry that stretched throughout the upper Hudson River Valley of New York State. When Cushman moved to Albany around 1800, local stoneware production was limited to a few potters. His decision to open a pottery works 'half a mile west of the Albany Goal' at the beginning of the new century resulted in a long-lived and successful business. It also initiated a century of tremendous growth and expansion in regional stoneware manufacturing."

My Niece, Alexis Pictured With Some of the Paul Cushman Stoneware Made in Albany, NY

The 'Top Shelf' Collection Contains A Group of Important Cushman Examples

Some of These Examples Have Been Published in Ceramics in America

It's always a pleasure to visit Timothy Bailey's shop; however, I also made a purchase. Recently, Tim picked the following ovoid red earthenware jug in upstate New York. The jug didn't come with much of a history, but on first sight it did appear to be quite a few miles away from where it seemed to have originally been manufactured. Understandably, objects like this also traveled over the years - people migrated and people moved. Objects that were once new eventually became old - only to later become an antique and collectible. Without a documented history - it's really anyone's guess as to how a certain object appears where it does today.

This jug is a known New England-made form, which I believe was made in South Danvers (today known as Peabody), Massachusetts during the 1800 to 1900 period. For those, who don't know - South Danvers or Peabody is located near coastal Massachusetts, next to Salem, Massachusetts and a few miles north of Boston.

There are a few reasons why I suggest this specific attribution, such as the form, the glaze, the handle, the handle attachments, the handle terminal, the rim, the footed base and the incised lines, which are all characteristic of wares, made in this area of Massachusetts, at places, such as the Osborn Family Pottery and the Joseph Reed Pottery (note: Joseph Reed purchased the Osborn Pottery) in the 1800's. My reason for suggesting such a broad manufacture date is due to the form of this jug, which was produced for many decades in South Danvers (and, later Peabody) through the span of the 1800's. Realistically, this form was some-what produced into the early-twentieth-century at the Moses Paige Pottery in Peabody, which was one of the few businesses in New England that continued utilitarian red earthenware production into the 1900's. My feeling is that this particular jug was produced during the 1800 to 1840 period, but I am not one-hundred-percent certain of that to say "definitely."

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Possibly Made in South Danvers/Peabody, Mass.

Circa 1800-1900

Stands 9 1/4" Tall

 Recently Picked by Antiques Dealer, Timothy Bailey in Upstate New York

Purchased at 'Antiques at Bailey's' in Nassau, NY Last Weekend

 Close Up of the Incised Lines, the Neck, the Rim and the Handle Attachment

 View of the Handle

View of the Base

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

A Wonderful Red Earthenware House Discovered Yesterday at an Antique Show in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I purchased this wonderful red earthenware house yesterday at Nan Gurley's annual New Year's Day antique show at the Frank Jones Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It came from Scarborough, Maine antiques dealer, Rachel Gurley, who said it came from a man in Maine. She told me that he bought objects for his house during trips to England, but he also purchased elsewhere in the United States.

Personally, I don't know exactly where this object was made, but a lot of skilled work went into its production. It's entirely solid clay and hand sculpted. The coleslaw bushes were produced in the manner of George Wagner, a potter in Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the nineteenth-century. The door is decorated in cobalt, similar to what would have been seen on traditional stoneware. The brick walls, the terra-cotta roof tiles, the terra-cotta cornices and the chimney are all glazed to appear in a natural state. The remaining colors are all variations of slip. The base is unglazed.

When I initially saw this object - I thought that it may have been made at the Henry Mercer (1856-1930) 'Moravian Pottery & Tiles Works' in Doylsetown, Pennsylvania during the 1898 to 1930 period. Basically, my reason for this thought were the colors and the skill that went into this object that are comparable to some degree of what was produced at Henry Mercer's pottery, which happens to be a preserved museum today. However, this is possibly a unique object or an 'end-of-the-day' product, which makes it difficult to properly attribute.

I've also considered the Enfield Pottery (1906-1930) in Enfield, Pennsylvania, which was similar to Henry Mercer's company, but I haven't been able to determine that, either. Although, the glaze, skill, creativity and slip colors were similar at this business when compared to this object.

It's also been suggested that this object may have been made at the Thomas Haig (1812-1893) Pottery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the latter years of the business. There are some known examples with a similar construction-style - for example, the Philadelphia Museum of Art owns an earthenware money bank in the form of a log cabin.  The Brooklyn Museum in New York owns a similar stoneware example, which is also attributed to the Thomas Haig Pottery.

19th Century Earthenware Log Cabin Money Bank 

Attributed to the Thomas Haig Pottery - Philadelphia, PA

The Base is Inscribed 'July 4, 1852'

Stands 4 5/8" Tall

Measures 5" Wide

Photo Courtesy: The Philadelphia Museum of Art - Philadelphia, PA

19th Century Stoneware Log Cabin Money Bank 

Attributed to the Thomas Haig Pottery - Philadelphia, PA

The Base is Inscribed 'July 3, 1852'

Stands 4 1/2" Tall

Measures 4 7/8" Wide

Photo Courtesy: The Philadelphia Museum of Art - Philadelphia, PA

Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland sold this sculpted nineteenth-century red earthenware house in 2011, which is attributed to an unknown potter in Pennsylvania; although, this object is earlier than the house that I purchased yesterday. Despite the age difference - there are some similarities in the style of construction.

 19th Century Red Earthenware House Attributed to Pennsylvania

Stands 8 3/4" Tall

Measures 7 1/8" Long

Measures 5 3/4" Wide

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

 Another View of the House

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

 View of One Side of the House

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

View of the Back of the House

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

Admittedly, I have also wondered if this could be an early product produced by a modern twentieth-century Pennsylvania-German potter, such as, Ned Folt or Lester Breininger; however, this doesn't fit their styles. They also would have definitely signed or stamped the base on an object of this stature. The lack of a signature or a stamp on such an accomplished product is what makes me believe this is an older piece that was produced by a potter, who worked in a traditional sense at a business that actually served utilitarian or architectural needs.

I have also considered an English potter since this house does resemble an English home, but I just can't pinpoint where in England this would have been made. None-the-less - this is a beautiful object produced by a professional potter. This is not the work of an amateur potter or an aspiring student. This was produced by a potter, who knew what they were doing. The more I look at this object - the more I appreciate it for its skill and beauty.

 Wondeful Hand-Sculpted Red Earthenware House

Possibly Made by a Pennsylvania Potter

Possibly Circa 1880-1930

Stands 7" Tall with the Chimney

Measures 9 1/8" Long

Measures 5 7/8" Wide

Purchased Yesterday at an Antique Show in Portsmouth, NH

 View of the Cobalt Decorated Front Door

 View of the Coleslaw-Style Bushes

 Another View of the Coleslaw-Style Bushes

 View of the Windows

 View of One Side

 Another View of the Side

 View of the Back of the House

 Another View of the Back of the House

 View of the Other Side of the House

 View of the Roof and the Chimney

 Another View of the Roof

View of the Base

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

A Possible Unknown French Potter or French Influence Found in Red Earthenware Produced in Essex County, Massachusetts in the 18th Century

According to the Peabody Essex Museum's (Salem, Mass.) website, "The roots of the Peabody Essex Museum date to the 1799 founding of the East India Marine Society, an organization, of Salem (ship) captains and supercargoes, who had sailed beyond either the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn. The society's charter included a provision for the establishment of a 'cabinet of natural and artificial curiosities,' which is what we today would call a museum. Society members brought to Salem a diverse collection of objects from the northwest coast of America, Asia, Africa, Oceania, India and elsewhere. By 1825, the society moved into its own building, East India Marine Hall, which today contains the original display cases and some of the very first objects collected.

The Peabody Essex Museum has been a pioneer in the acquisition, relocation, restoration and interpretation of historic environments. In 1865, the museum reconstructed the Quaker Meeting House from beams thought to be original to the first church. In 1910, under the direction of curator and early preservationist, George Francis Dow, the museum moved the John Ward House - split in two and rolled on ox-drawn logs - from its original site three blocks away. In 1911, that house opened to the public, becoming the first outdoor museum of architecture in the country. Since then, the Peabody Essex Museum has grown to include more than twenty pre-Civil War buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks and many properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places."

The following heavily incised red earthenware crock was discovered, by the museum, in one of the pre-Civil War buildings that it owns in Salem near where the museum's main building stands today. I believe this is a late-eighteenth-century locally produced product, partially based on the incising, which was predominantly popular with Essex County, Massachusetts potters during the 1700's rather than during the 1800's. However, the form also suggests an eighteenth-century potter, too - and, I'll explain why.

Basically, this is a very-rare object to see today. I've never seen anything else like it before. It may be a lone survivor. The handles are what really stood out to me as unusual for New England-made pottery in terms of 'what' is known about this region today.

I have studied the entire red earthenware collection that the museum owns - and, this object, has always remained with me as an extremely unusual Massachusetts-made form. It's even more intriguing knowing that this crock also likely possessed a lid based on the rest area located just inside the interior of the rim.

 Late-18th Century Red Earthenware Pot Likely Produced in Essex County, Mass.

The Rare Incised Decoration is Wonderful

Circa 1770-1790's

Stands Approximately 12" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Peabody Essex Museum - Peabody, Mass.

 Another View of the Pot
Photo Courtesy: Peabody Essex Museum - Peabody, Mass.

 View of One of the Handles
Photo Courtesy: Peabody Essex Museum - Peabody, Mass.

 Closer View of One of the Handles
Closer View of the Incised Decoration

Photo Courtesy: Peabody Essex Museum - Peabody, Mass.

View of the Base

Photo Courtesy: Peabody Essex Museum - Peabody, Mass.

Lyon, France archaeologist (and, author), Alban Horry emailed me a group of images, this week, that show a number of similar formed objects that are kept in his archaeology collection in France. I was shocked when this comparison was made - if you compare the Peabody Essex Museum's crock to some of these objects - you should be able to notice a similar form, with nearly identical handles and decorated with an exterior glaze that only covers part of the object. These are all characteristics that can be seen on the pot that the museum owns.

Alban told me that all of his objects were recovered in Lyon (about 285 miles south of Paris, France) in a mid-to-late eighteenth-century archaeological context. This fascinates me seeing that the later context is when I believe the Peabody Essex Museum's crock was manufactured.

Honestly, this is a first for me - I have never seen an Essex County-produced product that apparently imitated a known French form before. This is unbelievable! The more I make the comparison - the more I am convinced that there is undoubtedly a connection.

 18th Century Earthenware Uncovered in Lyon, France

The Decorations Are Wonderful

Circa After 1750

These Forms are Very-Similar to the Object Owned by the Peabody Essex Museum

Photo Courtesy: Alban Horry - Lyon, France

 More Related Pots

Photo Courtesy: Alban Horry - Lyon, France

 More Related Pots

Photo Courtesy: Alban Horry - Lyon, France

I believe my recent studies in Salem, Massachusetts may also reveal another example of locally produced pottery that was French-influenced, which I didn't realize until this week. This example was discovered at the Narbonne House.

For a brief history: the Narbonne House was built near Salem's waterfront around 1675 - the home's context has always remained with a middle-class ownership and/or occupancy from circa 1675 through the mid-twentieth century. The home has been the residence of many local artisans and skilled craftsman. The property is now owned by the National Parks Services - and, when archaeology was carefully conducted on the property - archaeologists found a group of eighteenth and nineteenth century privies. As part of the ceramic collection were red earthenware crocks, jars and pots believed to be the output of local potters from the eighteenth and early-nineteenth-centuries. 

Within the ceramic collection, there is a chamber pot with a very-unusual splattered slip decoration similar to what is seen on some of the pots shown from France above. The chamber pot was found in a circa 1770 context aside other locally produced red earthenware chamber pots decorated in slip. It is described as having a "red-blown glaze interior and  exterior with a splattered slip decoration." This pot is seen to the far left in the photo directly below.

(Left) Chamber Pot that Demonstrates a Similar Spattered Slip to the French Objects Above

Circa 1770

Photo Courtesy: National Parks Services Archaeology Department - Narbonne House - Salem, Ma

 Narbonne House - Salem, Mass.
Located 2 Blocks from Salem's Original Waterfront

Circa 1675

Now, look closely at this pitcher - I purchased it at a Carl R. Nordblom auction in Cambridge, Massachusetts five-or-six years ago. It was described as an eighteenth-century American-made red earthenware pitcher by the auctioneer. The auctioneer told me that this pitcher came with a history of ownership in Massachusetts, which I have always felt it was produced in Essex County; although, it is definitely a rarity to find today.

I have handled the chamber pot sherd that was discussed above - and, the following pitcher and that chamber pot share a related splattered slip decoration. As already indicated, this splattered slip decoration is also seen on some of the objects that were recovered in Lyon around the same period. I also believe that this pitcher dates from the same period as the crock that the Peabody Essex Museum owns.

Essex County employed a huge number of potters during the late-eighteenth-century. Apparently, there was at least one potter or potter's business, who seems to have imitated French pottery - that interpretation is based on the crock, which the museum owns. 

The chamber pot recovered at the Narbonne House and the crock that the museum own were both found in Salem. In theory - could there have been a Salem-based potter (or, another locally-based potter), who may have imitated French earthenware that was unloaded at the docks in Salem. I've heard of Massachusetts potters imitating English and German products during the seventeenth and eighteenth-centuries; however, I have not seen any French imitation within any of the archaeological collections that I have studied. This is potentially a first (for me). Admittedly, I am fascinated with this potential subject. 

There is another question that I will ask: could there have been a French-trained migrant potter, who was employed in Essex County, Massachusetts during the second-half of the eighteenth-century? And, is this why some of the objects seem to be inspired after French forms and French decoration. If true - I don't believe this potter has been identified, yet.

Personally, I feel the crock, which is owned by the Peabody Essex Museum is absolutely revealing in terms of a possible French relationship. I also find it captivating how the objects from Alban's collection potentially tie in the chamber pot from the Narbonne House, the pitcher that I own and the museum's crock. This has the potential to be very-exciting!

  Late-18th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher Likely Produced in Essex County, Mass.
Decoration is Very-Similar to Decoration Seen on a Chamber Pot Recovered in Salem, Mass.
Decoration is Also Similar to Some of the Decoration Seen on the Pots from Lyon, France

Circa 1770-1790's

Stands 11 1/8" Tall

 View of the Handle

View of the Base

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