As I mentioned in a post from yesterday - the use of slip decoration in Maine occurred in North Yarmouth's potter's industry in the nineteenth-century. To what extent is still under investigation; however, it was certainly employed to some degree. This is a concept that I don't believe has been previously identified with Maine-made products from the 1800's. I'm hoping to become further involved with this subject, through a huge collection of red earthenare sherds that were recovered from this industry, which are now kept at the North Yarmouth Historical Society and the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine.
I feel the North Yarmouth industry is a major location to understand today in terms of its significance and influence on the entire state's industry. Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins appears to have felt the same way in her important book, '
Early New England Potters and Their Wares' - she identified that this industry began in the eighteenth-century, around 1791, when the potter, John Thomas arrived from Essex County, Massachusetts. And, for the next century, this was a thriving potter's industry, which was highlighted by a group of potter's, who established businesses at a location known as Yarmouth corner (in North Yarmouth). This area is also known as 'four-corners' today.
Watkins indicates that Thomas was born in Gloucester, but he is also found in Newburyport, Massachusetts in the eighteenth-century - which leads me to believe that he may have trained in Newburyport (i.e. Daniel Bayley Pottery) before he traveled to North Yarmouth to establish his own business. Coincidentally, the eighteenth-century Newburyport potters also employed large amounts of slip on various products, such as milk pans, plates, jugs, porringers and chamber pots.
It has been described to me that Yarmouth corner was actually the location of numerous potter's businesses in the nineteenth-century. The name, John Corliss, who was a prominent potter in the Days Ferry neighborhood in Woolwich, Maine is said to have trained here before 1820. However, it is my belief, that this was the location, where a number of Maine's red earthenware potters may have trained, such as John Goodell, who was a nearby potter in Windham, Maine. Goodell's surviving products today share similarities to what is currently known about red earthenware made in North Yarmouth. For more information about John Goodell, I suggest an article that I wrote on October 28, 2015 - here is a
link to that story.
The focus with today's article is a jug that was recovered from an early-context in North Yarmouth by collector, Christopher Havey from Gorham, Maine. He is also the person, who recovered most of the North Yarmouth sherds that are owned by museums in Maine today. He is responsible for donating many of the artifacts, most of which, he saved when construction happened in North Yarmouth over the past few decades. Large examples of broken sherds, kiln furntiure and wasters are represented in the collections.
The jug's form (lack of a footed base) and the glaze pattern (about one-inch has been left unglazed at the bottom of the jug) is a known North Yarmouth-style today. As far as I can see, it's also a properly attributed-style. This attribution dates back decades and can be found most-recently with a rare wonderful lidded jar that sold as part of the Hilary and Paulette Nolan collection at Northeast Auctions in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2004. I'm lucky to say that I also own two of these-types of jars, which are considered very-rare today.
At this point, it is difficult to say what potter or what potter's business may be responsible for these types of objects; although, I can say that they were produced as a heavier made product. The weight is consistent from one product to the next. But, this shouldn't be interpreted as a style that is representative for every potter, who worked in North Yarmouth after 1791. For example, I believe I also own a jug from North Yarmouth that is thinly potted. These type of variations are likely the result of multiple potter's businesses, which employed a variety of skilled potters throughout the 1800's.
This is a list of potters, who are currently known to have worked in North Yarmouth today; however, I believe that there were additional potters, who likely trained in North Yarmouth and possibly others, who may have traveled there for work. It appears that there were at least five major businesses; the Brooks Pottery, the Cleaves Pottery, the Corliss Pottery, the Foster Pottery and the Thomas Pottery. These businesses spanned the late-eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries.
The North Yarmouth Potter's Industry:
George Bruce (North Yarmouth and Yarmouth Corner, ME) – active
1806
Brooks Family
Joel Brooks Sr. (North Yarmouth, ME) 1851-1880
Joel Brooks Jr. (North Yarmouth, ME) – active 1855
Cleaves Family
David Cleaves (North Yarmouth, ME) – 1794-1860
Robert C. Cleaves – son of David (North Yarmouth, ME) –
1875-1885
Corliss Family
Ebenezer Corliss – uncle of John Corliss (Yarmouth, ME) – 1764-1853
John Corliss – nephew of Ebenezer Corliss (Yarmouth &
West Woolwich) – 1799-1892
Foster Family
Nathaniel Foster (North Yarmouth, ME) – 1767-1856
Benjam Foster – son of Daniel (North Yarmouth, ME) –
1855-1878
William Henry Foster – son of Nathaniel (North Yarmouth, ME)
– active 1856
Thomas Family
John Thomas (North Yarrmouth, ME) – 1754-1843 (born in
Gloucester)
Samuel Thomas – son of John (North Yarmouth, ME) – 1843
William Thomas – son of John (North Yarmouth, ME) - 1843
19th Century Red Earthenware Jars Likely Made in North Yarmouth, ME
Notice the Glaze Pattern and the Lack of a Footed Base
Style is Also Found with Surviving Products from the Nearby John Goodell Pottery in Windham, ME
Circa 1820-1860
(Left) Stands 6 1/2" Tall (Incised Maine-Made Lid Not Original)
(Right) Stands 8" Tall
19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Likely Made in North Yarmouth, ME
Circa 1820-1860
Stands 7" Tall
Collection of Hilary and Paulette Nolan - Falmouth, MA
Photo Courtesy: Northeast Auctions - Portsmouth, NH
In particular, what struck me about the following jug (which was recovered in an early-context in North Yarmouth) is a presence of slip decoration. The slip appears to have been accidentally dripped onto the jug. However, on the contrary, it may have also been done intentionally - and, this object may happen to have less slip than others that were decorated at the same time. Slip decoration can also be seen on the jug's handle.
19th Century Red Earthenare Jug Recovered from an Early-Context in North Yarmouth, ME
Notice the Large Dot of Slip
Likely Produced in North Yarmouth, ME
Circa 1820-1860
Stands Approximately 9" Tall
Another View of the Jug
Notice the Two Dots of Slip Decoration
View of Slip Decoration on the Handle
The following jar is an object that some people may recognize - it is owned by Ohio antiques dealer and collector, David Good. This jar has appeared at a few prominent national antiques shows in recent years, such as the Historic Deerfield, Massachusetts Antiques Show, the Hartford, Connecticut Spring Antiques Show and the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association Show in Manchester, New Hampshire.
This jar is said to be a rare nineteenth-century Maine-made product with an equally-rare dabbed slip decoration; however, it has never been attributed to a specific area in Maine (that I am aware of).
I've always agreed that it appears like a Maine-made form decorated in a traditional Maine glaze; although, I have never previously seen slip applied like this in Maine from the nineteenth-century.
I now believe otherwise - I now feel this could possibly be a North Yarmouth, Maine-made product. This is also potentially a significant example of North Yarmouth red earthenware. The style of the slip looks like it could be related to what the potter was trying to achieve with the jug discussed above. If you notice: this jar's base is also similar when compared to the other objects discussed in this article.
19th Century Maine-Made Red Earthenware Jar Possibly Made in North Yarmouth, ME
The Use of Slip, the Base and the Glaze Pattern at the Base is What Suggests the Attribution
Circa 1820-1860
Stands Approximately 9" Tall
Photo Courtesy: David Good Antiques - Camden, OH
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
