The William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in North Carolina

I visited the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts last week in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in order to closely study the newly installed William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery, which opened on October 27, 2017 in the Frank L. Horton Museum Center. But my nephew Jason and myself were also treated to a wonderfully informative private tour of the museum's thirty rooms.

For instance, we were told as the tour began that our view of eighteenth and nineteenth century furniture would never be the same. That may have even been an understatement, as we learned about a variety of hidden compartments found in many of the museum's examples of eighteenth century desks. While some of the compartments were easy to find, there were others that were manufactured like a maze and took us quite a bit of time to figure out. We also learned about the need to properly take accurate measurements of drawers when searching for these hidden areas - and we even saw two hidden compartments that had been individually marked in pencil "gold" and "silver."

Exquisite examples of southern red earthenware and stoneware from the Mariner and MESDA's collections were also included in some of the rooms, where the pottery accented brilliant pieces of southern furniture, paintings, prints, folk art, needlework, iron, arms, weapons, and many other decorative objects.

Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

My Nephew Jason Outside the Frank L. Horton Museum Center

The Mariner Collection is Displayed in this Building

MESDA is Located in Winston-Salem, NC

18th Century Red Earthenware Sugar Jar

Attributed to Alamance County, NC

Circa 1770-1790

See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Attributed to Alamance County, NC

Circa 1785-1810

See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts 

Early-to-Mid-19th Century Red Earthenware Jars

Attributed to the Buck Family Pottery in Wythe County, VA

See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

Touring MESDA's rooms are worth the price of admission to the museum alone; however, the Mariner Gallery must be the most important collection of southern pottery in any museum collection today. The collection is timeless with major examples representing production throughout most of the southern states.

Although, the most significant piece of pottery in the Mariner Collection may be an eleven inch nineteenth century stoneware churn decorated with an elaborate scene made by Thomas Mitchell Chandler Jr. (1810-1854) for his aunt and uncle in Baltimore, Maryland. In fact, the churn was acquired by the Mariners directly from descendant's of the family, where it had resided since 1829, and is undoubtedly one of the most important examples of southern pottery in existence. Afterwards, Chandler migrated south for employment in Edgefield, South Carolina, which he has garnered some fame for today.

According to Katherine C. Hughes, "The churn displays an agricultural landscape, with a detailed farmhouse, outbuilding, cow, five trees, and a woman churning butter in her own decorated churn. The churn is marked on its side "Mitchel Chandler" and the year "1829", and inscribed on the bottom "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829."

The scene decorating the butter churn illustrates a landscape and lifestyle once found in nineteenth century small towns all over Accomack County on Virginia's Eastern Shore. 

Family lore, and the churn itself, tells us that Thomas made the churn for his Uncle Mitchell Chandler and Mitchell's sister Rosey Chandler Fitzgerald (1772-1858). Although Thomas Chandler's family had moved from the Shore to the City of Baltimore in 1817, it seems that young Thomas would often return to visit his extended family. The story handed down with the churn, generation after generation, is that when Thomas would return to the Shore, his Aunt Rosey would make him gifts of homemade butter, rolls, and biscuits to take back to the big city. As a thank you, Thomas made her the churn, decorated with her likeness."

Thomas Chandler's Churn, Baltimore, MD

(Left) 19th Century Stoneware Churn

Made by Thomas Chandler for his Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, MD

Decorated with an Elaborate Farm Scene

Marked on the Side "Mitchel Chandler" and the year "1829"

Inscribed on the Bottom "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829"

See Pictures Below

(Right) 19th Century Stoneware Churn

Attributed to Thomas Chandler in Edgefield, SC

Circa 1840-1850

See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

19th Century Stoneware Churn

Made by Thomas Chandler for his Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, MD

Decorated with an Elaborate Farm Scene

Marked on the Side "Mitchel Chandler" and the year "1829"

Inscribed on the Bottom "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829"

 See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 19th Century Stoneware Churn

Made by Thomas Chandler for his Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, MD

Decorated with an Elaborate Farm Scene

Marked on the Side "Mitchel Chandler" and the year "1829"

Inscribed on the Bottom "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829"

 See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 19th Century Stoneware Churn

Made by Thomas Chandler for his Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, MD

Decorated with an Elaborate Farm Scene

Marked on the Side "Mitchel Chandler" and the year "1829"

Inscribed on the Bottom "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829"

 See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 19th Century Stoneware Churn

Made by Thomas Chandler for his Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, MD

Decorated with an Elaborate Farm Scene

Marked on the Side "Mitchel Chandler" and the year "1829"

Inscribed on the Bottom "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829"

 See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

Bottom of the Churn

Inscribed "Thomas M. Chandler / Maker / Baltimore / August 12 / 1829"

See Article for More Infomation

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

Aside from the churn made by Thomas Chandler, another favorite object in the collection is a green-glazed red earthenware ring bottle made by Christopher A. Haun (1821-1861) in Greene County, Tennessee, circa 1850-1860. The bottle is marked "Haun" and is decorated with an impressed pattern, a decoration also found on some handles manufactured by Haun. This object is also regarded as the only ring bottle known today from Haun's production.

However, Haun may be most known today as a Union loyalist from Tennessee during the American Civil War, who was executed by Confederate forces in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 11, 1861 for helping to burn the Lick Creek Railroad Bridge in Green County.

According to John Case from Case Antiques in Knoxville who originally sold the ring bottle, "This important event in East Tennessee Civil War history was initiated with a campaign by Union loyalists to burn nine bridges. It was led by William B. Carter and strongly supported and encouraged by President Abraham Lincoln. Several potters from the Pottertown, Tennessee area were among the men who conspired and succeeding the bridge. The potters decided not to capture or kill the Confederated bridge guards, but allowed them to go free based upon their solemn promises to not reveal their identities. Union troops did not materialize as promised and the Confederates were able to pursue and capture some of the perpetrators. The Confederate guards, who were allowed to live, were the very ones who served as witnesses to implicate the five men who were hung, four of them potters."

Christopher Haun's Ring Bottle, Greene County, TN

(Front Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Ring Bottle

Made by Christopher A. Haun in Greene County, TN

Marked "Haun"

Circa 1850-1860

(Back Right) 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Made by Christopher A. Haun in Greene County, TN

Circa 1850-1860

See Article for More  Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

View of the Impressed Decoration on the Ring Bottle

See Article for More  Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts 

View of One of the Handles on the Jar

See Article for More  Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts 

Christopher A. Haun Departing from His Family Before Execution on December 11, 1861

Wood Engraving Published in 1862

Photo Courtesy: Library of Congress

Nevertheless, those are merely two of the remarkable objects from the collection of 160 pieces of red earthenware and stoneware currently on display in the Mariner Gallery at MESDA. This is a collection that should not be missed and is certainly worth the trip, whether your passion is historical pottery or if you just appreciate art, history, museums, etc.

I have posted most of the objects on display in group pictures below - and as I have already mentioned two of my favorite objects, but I'm sure everyone who sees this gallery will have their favorites, as well. Many thanks are owed to the Mariners for allowing this collection to become a permanent public fixture at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in central North Carolina.

The William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

 William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

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

An Intriguing Sherd Recovered at the Site of the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Massachusetts

As noted in my previous post from today, I studied some of the archaeology from the eighteenth and nineteenth century Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Massachusetts last week, when I visited the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Aside from the coggle decorations, I was rather surprised to see a group of multicolored glazed sherds that were basically an identical match to a small group of jars known to exist today. But it wasn't only the glaze, either. The form of these known jars are similar in shape to the pitchers I also wrote about in my previous post.

However, through the years, these jars have been generically attributed to Maine, with such attributions as the John Corliss Pottery in Days Ferry/Woolwich, Maine, as well as the Safford family in Monmouth, Maine. Although, I don't believe there is any concrete proof to support these attributions.

Nevertheless, I suspect the Bradford Pottery in Kingston may be the location for where these jars originated; the form appears like a coastal Massachusetts style, and the particular glaze on the jar that I posted today is basically decorated with the exact same colors and style, which adorn the sherd collected by Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares) at the site of the Bradford Pottery in 1945.

Note: The type of lighting used in each photograph accounts for the difference in the appearance of each glaze. I believe there are also other forms known today that are decorated with this type of glaze, and generically attributed to Maine because of the glaze. But I believe that some of those objects may have also been manufactured in Kingston, Massachusetts. I will post an object from my personal collection sometime this week that I believe was also made at the Bradford Pottery.

Red Earthenware Jar and Sherd

Early-19th Century Red Earthenware Jar with Multicolored Glazed

The Glaze Colors Match the Colors Found on the Sherd Below

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Sherd

Recovered at the Site of the 18th/19th Century Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

Circa 1780s-1870s

The Glaze Colors Match the Colors Found on the Jar Above

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian

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

The Archaeology of the Circa 1780s-1870s Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Massachusetts

Last winter, I wrote about the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Massachusetts, an eighteenth and nineteenth century red earthenware potter's business with a significant output; however, the multi-generational company receives very little attention today.

The site of this business was first visited by Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins in 1945, and it was later excavated by archaeologists in the 1990s. The archaeology is kept today at Plimouth Plantation and was also a subject for a master's thesis in 2015 by Martha Sulya for the University of Massachusetts at Boston, entitled, 'Ubiquitous and Unfamiliar: Earthenware Pottery Production Techniques and the Bradford Family Pottery in Kingston, MA.'

According to Lura Woodside Watkins (Early New England Potters and Their Wares), "The origin of an earthenware shop in Kingston, Massachusetts, formerly a part of Plymouth is uncertain. It was run by the Bradfords, circa 1780s-1870s descendants of Plymouth's early governor William Bradford (1590-1657), but where they learned their trade is a bit of a mystery. 

We visited the Bradford site in 1945 for we found quantities of sherds. Pots glazed on the inside were a common item, as elsewhere, but were peculiar in having an impressed decoration effected by a cogglewheel a little distance below the rim."

With that said, the following pair of pitchers are believed to be related - they belong to a group of known pitchers in existence today, which are often attributed to Maine with no further information. I believe the Maine attribution may have actually materialized at the Christopher Huntington Sale in Maine in 1974; although, the Huntington Collection included red earthenware objects from all over New England.

I noted last winter that the coggle decoration applied on the center pitcher matches a highly unusual coggle recovered by both Watkins and archaeologists at the site of the Bradford Pottery. Personally, I have not seen this exact coggle decoration applied anywhere else in New England, but it exists on some forms today, including a large jar published in Sulya's master's thesis.

I visited the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. last week in order to study the artifacts recovered by Watkins in Kingston. But I also brought the pitcher in the center to the museum to compare to the coggle decorated sherds. My conclusion is that the same coggle or coggles was used to decorate the pitcher and the sherds.

Note: I have also included a wonderful jar in some of the following pictures, which upon close inspection in production, form and glaze appears related to both pitchers. Nevertheless, the Bradford Pottery in Kingston appears to have been a major eighteenth and nineteenth pottery that deserves a lot more attention today.

Three Red Earthenware Objects

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware that All Appear Related

Very Possibly Manufactured at the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collections

Another View of the Objects

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collections

The Handles Appear to be From the Same Manufacturer

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collections

Sherds Recovered at the Site of the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

The Coggle on the Pitcher and Sherd Matches

Sherd Recoverd at the Site of Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American at the Smithsonian

The Coggle on the Pitcher and Sherd Matches

Sherd Recoverd at the Site of Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American at the Smithsonian

The Coggle on the Pitcher and Sherd Matches

Sherd Recoverd at the Site of Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American at the Smithsonian

Another Type of Coggle Applied at the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American at the Smithsonian

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

A Collection of Red Earthenware Sherds Recovered in Brooksville, Maine

Two yeas ago, Maine collector, Dr. Brian Mills contacted me and told me about a large collection of red earthenware sherds that he had discovered in Smith's Cove while sailing in Penobscot Bay in Maine. Many of the sherds were glazed black and brown, but he also found sherds that were decorated with colorful glazes, as well as slip-decoration.

The site is located in the Old Mill Pond area of Smith's Cove in the town of Brooksville, Maine, which is a very short distance from Castine, Maine. Although, the aspect about this location that is interesting is the fact that Old Mill Pond is known to have employed brick makers in the nineteenth century, but there is no documentation of a local red earthenware manufacturer.

According to Dr. Mills, "I've returned for the third year in a row to the Old Mill Pond area of Smith's Cove and continue to find significant quantities of red earthenware sherds near the shoreline. I think it is safe to say that I have stumbled upon a previously unknown potter's site in Maine. It seems the pottery was located near a dam as this is where the vast majority of the sherds were found. Water power may have even been used here.

You can get pretty close to the site by ship, but the town road is a long uphill walk and no evidence exists that I can see of any other road. 

Interestingly, some of the sherds are decorated with slip, a characteristic rarely found on Maine red earthenware. But besides the black and brown glazes, there are a couple of attractive swirly greens, a real nice beige with black spots and a red glaze also with black dots. 

Many of the sherds are heavily potted, but a few are surprisingly thin. There are also a number of sherds that exhibit no glaze, whatsoever. Overall, I must have collected ten pounds of red earthenware sherds so far and I imagine more will wash out as clam diggers and the tide uncovers them." 

Red Earthenware Sherds Recovered in Brooksville, ME

Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds Recovered in Brooksville, ME

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

 Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds Recovered in Brooksville, ME
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

 Beige Red Earthenware Sherd with Black Dots Recovered in Brooksville, ME
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds Recovered in Brooksville, ME

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Sherds Recovered in Brooksville, ME

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

 Black-Glazed Red Earthenware Sherd Recovered in Brooksville, ME
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

 Brown-Glazed Red Earthenware Sherd Recovered in Brooksville, ME
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

 Red Earthenware Sherd Recovered in Brooksville, ME
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

 Unglazed Red Earthenware Sherd Recovered in Brooksville, ME
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Brian Mills

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