19th Century Red Earthenware Sherds Recently Recovered in Alfred, ME

There were a small group of red earthenware potters, who operated in Alfred, Maine in the late-eighteenth and early-to-mid-nineteenth centuries; however, I feel this is a type of production that is not widely known today. I have seen examples of pottery attributed to Alfred, but I have always wondered how the attribution was developed since I can not find much accurate information about this area today.

According to Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares), "Joshua Emery started the Alfred, Maine pottery in 1791. At some point before 1805 he moved to Windham, Maine, and later to Gorham, Maine, where he ran a gristmill. He was followed in 1805 by Daniel Holmes, whose pottery stood opposite of the Alfred meetinghouse. Either the shop itself or the business was reportedly moved north, and under the ownership of Porter Lambert, it was nearly opposite the courthouse. 

The Lambert shop was behind the buildings that composed the Berry Tavern. When the inn was being demolished in 1938, we visited the site finding numerous fragments, but none of any significance (these sherds are owned by the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. today). This tavern was bought in 1832 by General Samuel Leighton, who, in his diary, facetiously refers to it as his 'pot stable.' Porter Lambert was working there as early as 1825.

Thus came a close to the Lambert Pottery. General Leighton makes a note that Porter Lambert died the morning of August 9, 1839. When Leighton bought the property, Lambert was in business with his son-in-law Albert Weber. The Executive Documents Relative to the Manufacturers in the United States record that they made annually earthenware of various kinds worth five-hundred dollars. They employed two men at seventy-five-cents a day and sold all their output in Maine. Albert Weber is remembered by persons now living (1930s). After the pottery in Alfred came to an end he opened a shop in North Yarmouth, Maine."

A friend, Matt Anson, who is a collector and researcher in southern Maine recently contacted me saying that he had recovered a group of red earthenware sherds in Aflred; whereas, he said, "These sherds were discovered in an old foundation hole from the nineteenth century. The site had been occupied from the early-1800s until about World War 1 by a family named Goodrich."

I was actually quite excited to see the glaze on some of these sherds since some are decorated with a grayish-colored glaze, which is a style that I have seen before from southern Maine. I also assume that these sherds are the remains of objects that were likely made in Alfred in the early-mid-nineteenth century.

But I also wonder how much is accurately known about the potter's businesses in southern Maine today since there appears to have been so much overlap with glaze colors. For example, here is a link to an article that I published online a few years ago, which shows somewhat of a similar grayish-colored glaze that was recovered less than twenty-miles away at the site of the Bickford Pottery in Buxton, Maine, circa 1825-1880.

Note: Here is a link to an article that I published online last year, where I wrote about a nineteenth century utilitarian pot that is owned today by Winterthur in Delaware, which is attributed to Alfred, Maine.

Sherds Recovered in Alfred, ME

19th Century Grayish-Colored Glazed Sherd Recovered in Alfred, ME

Circa Early-to-Mid-19th Century

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Photo Courtesy: Matt Anson - Maine

19th Century Sherds Recovered in Alfred, ME

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Photo Courtesy: Matt Anson - Maine

19th Century Sherds Recovered in Alfred, ME

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Photo Courtesy: Matt Anson - Maine

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A 19th Century Stoneware Birdhouse Recovered from a Privy in Brooklyn, New York

There has been a lot of local and national publicity lately for Boston's City Archaeology Department, where archaeologist, Joe Bagley, as well as students and volunteers are thought to have discovered some sort of eighteenth or nineteenth century privy in Boston. The brick-lined structure was discovered on the property of the circa 1711 Piece-Hichborn house, which neighbors the seventeenth century Paul Revere House in Boston's North End neighborhood. So far there have not been a lot of artifacts recovered from this context; whereas, it appears that this privy had been previously cleaned-out and later back-filled with bricks and dirt in the 1800s.

Nevertheless, this nineteenth century stoneware birdhouse, which appears to have been hand-modeled was recently recovered from a circa 1860/1870 brick-lined privy in Brooklyn in New York City. I was told that there were actually three related birdhouses found within this deposit; however, this was the only intact example, where another was found missing its base and the third was recovered in pieces.

I have never seen this form of stoneware birdhouse before - therefore, I assume it is from a local nineteenth century manufacturer possibly from New York or New Jersey, but it would be interesting to hear what others think.

Note: Here is a link to an article recently published in Boston Magazine that further discusses the ongoing archaeology dig at the circa 1711 Pierce-Hichborn House in Boston's North End neighborhood.

Stoneware Birdhouse Recovered in Brooklyn, NY

19th Century Stoneware Birdhouse

Recovered from a Circa 1860/1870s Privy in Brooklyn in New York City

Possibly a Local Manufacturer

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Photo Courtesy: Zach Miller - Bella Vista, AR

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A Whimsical Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Lamb Found Yesterday in Southern Maine

I visited the Maine Historical Society's storage department yesterday in Portland, Maine in order to study some material that was made at the Dodge Pottery in Portland in the nineteenth century; however, I also visited some of the local shops in southern Maine while I drove home to Massachusetts.

I was surprised to see this slip-decorated red earthenware lamb in the junk section of one of the shops, where I believe a lot of the clean-out-type material from estates is kept. The woman working in the shop also told me that she believed this figure was recently found in Maine.

The manufacture of this object immediately reminded me of a related red earthenware cow, which I purchased a little over one-year ago when Nan Gurley's lifelong antique collection was sold onsite at her house in Parsonfield, Maine.

Nan Gurley's daughter, Rachel Gurley had told me that her mother had owned the cow for as long as she could remember, and it was an object that she had always kept in her secretary. But I had also assumed that Nan must have found the cow somewhere in northern New England.

Shortly after I posted an article about the cow on this website, I was contacted by Tim Saunders, who is an antiques dealer and collector in Bayfield, Ontario - he said he owned a related cow, which also retained a long history of local ownership in Ontario.

Nevertheless, this red earthenware lamb is decorated in two colors of slip, which closely resemble the colors commonly found on utilitarian pottery manufactured in Nova Scotia in the late-nineteenth century. Whereas, red earthenware from Nova Scotia has also been known to commonly appear in twentieth century contexts of ownership throughout Maine, which is completely understandable since Maine and Nova Scotia share the same border.

Note: The links posted above in this article show the slip-decorated red earthenware cow, which I bought from Nan Gurley's collection in Parsonfield, Maine, as well as the matching-formed cow that is owned today in Ontario.

Red Earthenware Lamb

19th Century Red Earthenware Lamb Found in Maine

Possibly Made in Canada in the Late-1800s

See Dollar Bill for Size Reference

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Another View of the Lamb

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Another View of the Lamb

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Another View of the Lamb

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View of the Base

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An Important Stoneware Presentation Jar from Essex County, Massachusetts that Will Sell Later this Month in Maryland

An absolutely remarkable example of William Pecker stoneware made in Merrimacport, Massachusetts, circa 1790-1820 has been consigned to Crocker Farm's upcoming sale in Sparks, Maryland on October 28th; although, this object may also prove to be closer to the eighteenth century rather than something that Pecker produced in the latter years of his career.

According to Crocker Farm, "This six-gallon stoneware presentation jar with impressed bird-and-floral motif, as well as busts of George Washington is regarded as the finest known example of stoneware by this renowned early Massachusetts potter."

The attribution is possible for this object partially based on the impressed bird, which was found on a marked jar discovered at a southern flea market that was made by William Pecker and published in the 2004 edition of Ceramics in America. But I have also recovered a matching sherd decorated with an impressed bird and a matching handle, along with tons of wasters and kiln furniture at the actual site of Pecker's pottery in Merriamcport.

This jar has also been marked with a person's initials "S.H." but I have not attempted to research, who they may represent.

Note: Here is a link to an article that I had written about William Pecker's stoneware production in Merrimacport, Massachusetts, which was published in the August 2015 edition of the New England Antiques Journal.

Here is also a link to a YouTube video uploaded by Crocker Farm, where Mark Zipp talks about this significant piece of stoneware made by Pecker

Important William Pecker Stoneware Jar

 Important 6-Gallon Stoneware Presentation Jar Attributed to William Pecker - Merrimacport, Mass.

Circa 1790-1820

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Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

 Another View of the Jar

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Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

 View of the Busts of George Washington and the Inscribed "S.H."

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Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

Another View of the Busts

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Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm - Sparks, MD

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A Locally Made Red Earthenware Chicken Waterer on Display at the Topsfield Fair in Massachusetts

There must be one-half dozen articles published on this website today written about nineteenth century red earthenware chicken feeders or waterers that I have discovered in various old contexts of ownership in Essex County, Massachusetts. Most of these objects have also been found near Peabody, Massachusetts, which is where I suspect they were made in the 1800s.

I also suspect that this was a form that was regularly included in production at one of the potter's businesses in Peabody, circa 1840-1900s, such as the Osborn Pottery, the Reed Pottery and the Paige Pottery.

However, I am now rather certain this was a style of production that took place in Peabody after I visited the Topsfield Fair in Topsfield, Massachusetts with my niece on Saturday. I was really susprised when we visited the chicken exhibit at the fair, where we saw a stoneware chicken feeder or waterer reportedly made at the Dorchester Pottery Works in Dorchester, Massachusetts in the late-nineteenth or early-twentieth century, as well as a red earthenware chicken feeder or waterer in a matching form to the objects that I just described. I was also really surprised to hear that these objects were still used by a local farmer today.

Note: Without the contexts that these red earthenware feeders or waters are found - I would assume that this style of production would be attributed to another location today.

Chicken Feeder or Waterer

 (Right) Probably 19th Century Red Earthenware Chicken Feeder or Waterer 

Likely Made in Essex County, Mass., Likely the Industry in Peabody, Mass.

Circa 1840-1900s

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Photo Courtesy: Topsfield Fair - Topsfield, MA

 Another View of the Chicken Feeders or Waterers

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Photo Courtesy: Topsfield Fair - Topsfield, MA

Another View of the Red Earthenware Chicken Feeder or Waterer 

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Photo Courtesy: Topsfield Fair - Topsfield, MA

 View of the Base

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Photo Courtesy: Topsfield Fair - Topsfield, MA

View of the Back

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Photo Courtesy: Topsfield Fair - Topsfield, MA

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A 19th Century Red Earthenware Creamer that was Discovered About One Decade Ago at an Estate on Long Island

This is a nineteenth century red earthenware creamer that I purchased about ten-years ago from an estate on Long Island in New York. I have never been able to determine exactly where this object was made; although, I have always assumed that it may have been made on Long Island even though I have never seen this type of production from Long Island's eighteenth or nineteenth century industry before.

However, I recently gave this object some thought; whereas, I still have not been able to accurately determine, where it was made, but the unusual exterior glaze does remind me of some mid-nineteenth century objects that are attributed to the Great Road from southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee today. The interior is decorated with a different colored glaze that somewhat appears green.

These pictures were recently taken with my nephew at a Washington Nationals versus New York Mets baseball game in the parking lot at Citi Field in Queens in New York City. They really demonstrate how this object appears in-hand in both form and glaze color.

Note: I am not saying there is any relationship, but I do want to show how this object closely resembles the glaze found on this small jar that Crocker Farm sold in Maryland, which is attributed to the Great Road from either southwestern Virginia or northeastern Tennessee. This jar has since sold, again at a Jeffrey Evans auctions in Virginia, where it was given the same attribution -- here is a link to this jar's listing on Jeffrey Evans' website.

Red Earthenware Creamer

19th Century Red Earthenware Creamer

Purchased from an Estate on Long Island in New York

Origin Not Currently Identified

But Glaze Resembles Some Glazes Attributed to Southwestern VA and Northeastern TN

Stands 2 3/4" Tall

Measures 4 3/4" Long

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Another View of the Creamer

Another View of the Creamer

View of the Interior Glaze

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View of the Base and the Clay

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A Green-Glazed Sherd Recovered in Charlestown, Massachusetts

I have previously written about a distinctive late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth century southeastern Massachusetts red earthenware sherd recovered at the site of the nineteenth century African-American meeting house in Boston, as well as Essex County, Massachusetts red earthenware recovered at various archaeological sites in the Boston-area in the 1800s.

Nevertheless, the following green glazed red earthenware sherd with a crimped rim was recovered in a post-American Revolution archaeological context in Charlestown, Massachusetts. I suspect that it may be the remains of a flower pot or flower pot saucer; whereas, its form somewhat resembles a wonderful large green glazed red earthenware flower pot that was recently recovered by archaeologists at Strawbery Banke within an early nineteenth century archaeological context in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

But this sherd may also be related to similar green glazed flower pot and saucer sherds with both regular rims and crimped rims, which were recovered by Cape Cod antiques dealer, Brian Cullity in the 1980s at the site of the Bradford-Parker Pottery near southeastern Massachusetts on Cape Cod in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. The information about these sherds was first published in 1991, when Brian Cullity published 'Slipped & Glazed: Regional American Redware,' which was a book that was written to coincide with an American redware exhibit that Brian had assembled at the Heritage Plantation in Sandwich, Massachusetts.

According to Brian Cullity, "The West Barnstable sherds illustrate some of the forms and decorative techniques used at the West Barnstable Pottery by Noah Bradford and Daniel Parker, Jr. Parker worked for his father-in-law before assuming the operation of the pottery following the death of Bradford in 1832. Most pieces displayed a clear lead glaze, but a number of them were various shades of green, and some manganese black. 

A surprising number of fragments revealed incised decoration with multiple wavy bands. Kiln furniture from the site included cut and pinched wedges, cockspurs and a partial setting tile."

Note: Click the links in this article to see similar styles recovered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as West Barnstable, Massachusetts.

Sherds Recovered in Charlestown, Mass.

(Top) Late-18th or Early-19th Century Rim Sherd Recovered in Charlestown, Mass.

Possibly Related to Sherds Recovered in Portsmouth, NH or Cape Cod

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Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department - West Roxbury, MA

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