13 Years and Worth the Wait: A Red Earthenware Pitcher from Beverly, Massachusetts

For those of you who regularly read this website, you will probably recognize that I have a large interest in the wares made at Charles A. Lawrence's pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts, especially the Grecian-style wares and the slip-decorated objects. In fact, this is an example of nineteenth century red earthenware from the C.A. Lawrence Pottery, likely dating from the 1860s or early-1870s.

It was August of 2005, when I first saw this pitcher at a Frank Kaminski auction in Beverly; the pitcher had just been found with a long history of ownership inside an old local home. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to acquire this pitcher back then, and it has been an object that I have never forgotten about.

I then missed the pitcher when it came up for sale again a few years later; I had no idea that it had been consigned, and this time it was acquired by a Pennsylvania collector, probably thinking it was from that area because of the use of slip.

However, the third time was the charm yesterday, when that Pennsylvania collector had consigned this pitcher to Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland. I'm thrilled to own this piece because I know which home in Beverly it was found back in 2005, which is also less than two miles from where the pottery was located during the circa 1860s-1906 period.

Beverly, Mass. Red Earthenware Pitcher

 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher

Made at the Charles A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Mass.

Circa 1860s or Early-1870s

Stands 7 5/8" Tall

See Article for More to the Story

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

 Another View of the Pitcher

See Article for More to the Story

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

 Another View of the Pitcher

See Article for More to the Story

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

 View of the Handle

See Article for More to the Story

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

 View of the Interior

See Article for More to the Story

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

View of the Base

See Article for More to the Story

Photo Courtesy: Crocker Farm

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

19th Century Stoneware Jar Acquired by Henry Chapman Mercer and Displayed at Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, Pennsylvania

I plan to write about a few topics next week, which include my recent visit to Henry Chapman Mercer's (1856-1930) Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, as well as Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. But while touring the castle, I noticed this stoneware jar on display, which is an object that was actually acquired by Mercer more than 100 years ago.

According to Harvard Magazine, "Henry Chapman Mercer was born in 1856 to a wealthy Doylestown, Bucks County family. One of Mercer's greatest influences was his Aunt Lela, Elizabeth Lawrence. As she exposed Henry to her life in society she instilled in him a great sense of self and independence.

After graduating from Harvard in 1879, Mercer studied law at the University of Pennsylvania, but never pursued a career in the field. Instead, Mercer's interests turned to archaeology. He became the curator of American and Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia from 1894-1897. His site excavations as an archaeologist led to his interest in unearthing what drove America before the Industrial Age. Mercer began collecting objects that he felt told the story of human achievement. He believed that studying the tools that people used in everyday life painted a picture of their progression. 

While building his collection, Henry developed a special interest in the Pennsylvania German and Moravian settlers. He was particularly attracted to German pottery and Moravian tile work. By 1889 he was producing his own architectural tiles, for which he became famous."

This jar may have held some importance to Mercer since he kept it in the same room at Fonthill Castle that much of his prized archaeology was displayed. The glowing room surrounded by windows also exhibits an extravagant tile montage on the ceiling to Christopher Columbus. It's an impressive room!

But I was also drawn to this stoneware jar since the form, along with the impressed coggled fish and tadpole decoration just above the midsection, appear like Branch Green's production in Philadelphia and Old Bridge, New Jersey. Although it is my guess that this might be a Philadelphia example seeing that Mercer used to work in the city, and Doylestown is located just about 26 miles north of Philadelphia.

Stoneware Jar Owned by Henry Chapman Mercer

19th Century Stoneware Jar

Impressed with a Coggled Fish and Tadpole Decoration

Probably Made by Branch Green in Either Philadelphia or Old Bridge, NJ

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Fonthill Castle

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

Four Unforgettable Red Earthenware Objects on Display at the Renfrew Museum in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

As I have already written a few times this week, I visited the Renfrew Museum in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania last week; the museum displays the largest public collection in America of red earthenware and stoneware related to the Bell family's production in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

Aside from the slip-decorated red earthenware bowls made by John Bell (1800-1880) about 1840 for the Snow Hill Society in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, as well as the tin-glazed red earthenware jar that is signed and dated by Bell, the following objects were my favorite pieces in the museum's collection. Each of these pieces can be found prominently displayed directly in the center of the Bell exhibit inside the Renfrew Museum's Visitors Center. For obvious reasons, I was told by the director of the museum, "These pieces are among the group of decorative arts objects that are cherished by the museum today."

It should also be noted that hung directly above these objects is a late-nineteenth century pastel portrait on paper of John Bell attributed to Tillie Bell, whom some presentation jars are known from the Bell Pottery today with her name inscribed. This was also a topic of interest in an article published in the 2005 edition of Ceramics in America, entitled, Bell Family Presentation Jar.

Center of the Bell Pottery Exhibit at the Visitors Center at the Renfrew Museum

A Portrait of John Bell is Exhibited Attributed to Tillie Bell

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Three remarkable red earthenware lions are on display; two were made by John Bell's brother, Solomon Bell (1817-1882) in either Strasburg, Virginia or Winchester, Virginia. Similar lions, but much smaller examples are exhibited in the William C. and Susan S. Mariner Gallery at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winterthur in Delaware, and as part of the southern ceramics collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, although the lions owned by Winterthur and the MET were actually made by John Bell.

My initial reaction when I saw two of the lions at the Renfrew Museum (which happen to be a matching pair) was that these must be among the the best examples of American red earthenware folk pottery in existence today. The size, color and facial expressions are amazing. A third lion of almost equal size sat to the left; it was just as striking, adorned in a much more subtle glaze.

Exhibited to the right of the lions is a remarkable red earthenware water cooler made by John Bell in Waynesboro; if I had to choose just one cooler to live with then this would very-likely be my top choice. The two-section cooler is exceptionally well-made, and manufactured with two dolphin handles, many decorations in relief, an accomplished glaze and a wonderful lid with intricate ornamental design.

Note: Some of these objects were also published in 1994 in Gene Comstock's book, The Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley Region.

Pair of Red Earthenware Lions from Strasburg, VA

Pair of 19th Century Red Earthenware Lions Made by Solomon Bell

These Are An Amazing Example of American Folk Pottery

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another View of the Lions

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another View of the Lions

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another View of the Lions

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another Red Earthenware Lion from Strasburg, VA

19th Century Red Earthenware Lion Made by John Bell

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another View of the Lion

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Related Bell Family Red Earthenware Lions in Other Museum Collections

 (Center) 19th Century Red Earthenware Lion

Made by Solomon Bell in either Strasburg, VA or Winchester, VA

Circa 1840-1850

Measures 11" Tall and 14 1/2" Long

William C. and Susan S. Mariner Collection at MESDA

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

19th Century Red Earthenware Lion

Made by John Bell in Waynesboro, PA

Circa 1840-1865

Stands 7 3/8" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

19th Century Red Earthenware Lion

Made by John Bell in Waynesboro, PA

Circa 1845-1855

Stands 7 1/2" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Red Earthenware Water Cooler from Waynesboro, PA

Incredible 19th Century Red Earthenware Water Cooler

Made at John Bell's Pottery in Waynesboro, PA

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another View of the Water Cooler

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

An Important Book Owned by the Renfrew Museum

I would also like to add that the Renfrew Museum owns a fascinating account book, which keeps records of birth and deaths, such as Solomon Bell who was born on September 4, 1817 in Hagerstown, Maryland, and died on March 16, 1882 in Strasburg, Virginia.

Account Book Owned by the Renfrew Museum

Book Keeps Records of Births and Deaths, Such as Solomon Bell

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

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

A Beautifully Glazed 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Recently Discovered in New Hampshire

As I have previously written, last week I traveled to Pennsylvania and New York, but I also spent one day driving through New Hampshire, visiting all kinds of shops along the seacoast, as well as the southern and central parts of the state. My most unexpected find may be a highly unusual nineteenth century painted tinware cutlery holder, which I think may have been made in Maine. But I also found this exquisite red earthenware jug decorated with a wonderful glaze, which would likely be coveted by collectors today.

I asked the group shop keeper if he knew any information in regards to the history of this jug, but he said he did not. He said he thought it had been in the dealer's collection for sometime.

I believe this jug was made somewhere in southern Maine during the circa 1820-1860 period; unfortunately, though I can not provide more specific information since there were a number of potteries in this part of Maine in the 1800s, and there was some overlap in form and certainly with glazes. Regardless, I feel this is among that group of glazes that are highly prized today from the nineteenth century potters in northern New England.

Red Earthenware Jug Recently Found in New Hampshire

19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Likely Made in Southern Maine

Recently Found in New Hampshire

Stands 6 3/4" Tall

See Article for More Information

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

A Wonderful 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Abner S. Wight's Production in New England

While on vacation last week in Pennsylvania and New York, I visited an excellent private collection on Long Island, where many of the red earthenware and stoneware objects have been previously published in Ceramics in America.  I also brought along two red earthenware jars from my collection, which were made on Long Island in the nineteenth century, and those jars were traded for two New England jars.

I believe one of the jars that I acquired is from Vermont - it is decorated on the exterior with a wonderful dark green glaze and the interior is adorned with a light colorful glaze. I also believe it may have been found or sold years ago in Vermont.

Nonetheless, this is the other jar that I acquired, which I attribute to Abner S. Wight's production, likely in West Sterling, Massachusetts sometime during the late-1840s to the early-1860s. Although through the span of Wight's career he was also employed in Marlborough, New Hampshire and Keene, New Hampshire.

The form of this jar matches another jar in my private collection that is prominently stamped A.S. Wight, and it also retains a history of ownership near West Sterling in central Massachusetts. But I also want to mention that I have seen this form on a few occasions generically attributed to Maine, which is usually based on the beautiful colorful glaze. I believe this is further proof of why an attribution should not be formed strictly on a glaze color or glaze style; instead, the attribution should be developed as a result of the form and its characteristics, which were physically created by the potter's hands.

Abner S. Wight Red Earthenware Jar

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar 

Attributed to Abner S. Wight's Production Likely in West Sterling, Mass.

Circa Late-1840s to Early-1860's
But Wight was Also Employed in Marlborough, NH and Keene, NH

Stands 8 3/4" Tall

See Article for More Information

View of One of the Handles

See Article for More Information

View of the Interior

See Article for More Information

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

19th Century Red Earthenware from the Snow Hill Society on Display at the Renfrew Museum in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

According to Hamilton College, "The Snow Hill Cloister (Nunnery) was established in 1829 near Waynesboro in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on the farm of Andreas Schneeberger (Andrew Snowberger) and housed a celibate brotherhood and sisterhood in a large community house. Married members of the congregation were permitted to worship with the celibates, as had been the custom at the more well-known Ephrata Cloister, a communal settlement of German immigrants established in 1732 by Conrad Beissel in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

The Snow Hill Community never grew to be very large. It expanded from the original five members to 15 by 1830, and perhaps twice that many by 1845. Despite its small numbers, the community prospered for decades as members engaged in the production and sale of grain, textiles, barrels, brooms, furniture, and pottery. They also practiced the artistic calligraphy called fraktur and sang in the style of the famous Ephrata choir.

Members of the Snow Hill community continued composing and singing hymns in the Ephrata tradition until 1872, when the society dwindled to eight sisters and eight brothers. The society itself came to an end in 1899, and the last celibate brother at Snow Hill, Obed Snowberger, died in 1895."

While I visited the Renfrew Museum last week in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, I saw an entire room on the second floor of the Royer-Nicodemus House decorated with objects acquired directly from the Snow Hill Community, when the contents of the society were sold in the late-twentieth century.

In an article written in 1997 by Lita Solis-Cohen for Maine Antique Digest, titled, Contents of Snow Hill Nunnery Bowls Them Over, "One of the most interesting sales this summer was held at the auction gallery of Horst Auction Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The contents of the Snow Hill Nunnery were sold. 

Clarence Spoon, who cataloged the sale, said, "The buildings, dating from 1814 through 1830 housed the celibate brothers and sisters and the married congregation. The last celibate died in 1895 and things remained untouched until now. It is a time capsule. Most of the furniture was made there in the cabinet shop, and everything is in as-found condition, much of it paint decorated. There is an adult-sized cradle used for an elderly blind sister. Linens include homespun chaff bags and sheets and pillow covers with initials on them so the owners can be identified. Imagine finding forty matching slip-decorated redware serving bowls in fine condition made at John Bell's (1800-1880) pottery in Waynesboro. The bowls were used to serve stew during a ritual love feast by the German Seventh Day Baptist nuns and monks in the nineteenth-century. There were also several pieces of redware stamped by John Bell that were also included in the sale.

With the help of my sister-in-law, it took me from February (1997) until June (1997) to clean the mud wasps from the drawers of chests, remove bird dirt from the benches, and rescue a few rye straw baskets. Two groundhogs chewed the bottoms out of most of them. We dumped the chaff out of the bed ticks and discarded as many textiles as we saved because they had been gnawed on by rodents."

Two of the slip-decorated serving bowls made at the Bell Pottery for the Snow Hill Society are on display in another room on the second floor of the Royer-Nicodemus House, which the museum acquired at the sale in 1997. But I also found it interesting to see two other examples of red earthenware from the Snow Hill Society on display, although it is unknown whether these objects were made at the nunnery or if they were manufactured by one of the potters employed in nearby Waynesboro.

Snow Hill Society Red Earthenware Bowls Made at John Bell's Pottery

(Left) 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Bowl from the Snow Hill Society

Made at the John Bell Pottery in Waynesboro, PA

Circa 1840

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Another 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Bowl from the Snow Hill Society

Made at the John Bell Pottery in Waynesboro, PA

Circa 1840

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

Other Examples of Red Earthenware from the Snow Hill Society

(Left) Large 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Possibly Made at the Snow Hill Society or Otherwise Made in Nearby Waynesboro, PA

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

19th Century Red Earthenware Roach Trap

Possibly Made at the Snow Hill Society or Otherwise Made in Nearby Waynesboro, PA

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Renfrew Museum

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

Colonial Red Earthenware Pans Manufactured at the Industry in Charlestown, Massachusetts

I find it really difficult to differentiate between eighteenth and nineteenth century red earthenware pans manufactured in New England. In fact, I really have no idea how to tell the difference of such a form since production did not really differ from the early-seventeenth century through the turn of the twentieth century.

For instance, while visiting Old Sturbridge Village's ceramics storage department a few years ago, I remember a friend looking at a red earthenware jug from the 1780s, and saying if it were not for the inscribed date that the jug would likely be attributed to early-nineteenth century production. That same statement certainly holds true for the production of pans with New England potters before and after the American Revolution.

The following artifacts were recovered by archaeologists in the 1980s in Charlestown, Massachusetts during Boston's Big Dig Project. These are the remains of pre-1775 red earthenware pans, which I believe if found intact today would likely be attributed to a more rural nineteenth century area in New England, such as Maine. But this was a brand of production that was actually manufactured throughout the region in both rural and urban locations.

Aside from the reassembled pan posted below, the two pan sherds were recovered at the site of the circa 1714-1754 Parker family pottery; they are decorated with a bright glaze, which is also randomly decorated with green dots. These type of dots are sometimes found on red earthenware produced in southern Maine in the 1800s, and consequently has been used as a tool for attribution on certain forms. However this is proof that it is very difficult to attribute a specific characteristic or glaze to a single potter's business, location or region today.

It should also be taken into consideration that pans were a form regularly manufactured at the industry in Colonial Charlestown in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. This is how the forms typically appear, and thus why I generally have no idea how to differentiate between this type of eighteenth century production and the pans made elsewhere in New England in the 1800s.

Colonial Red Earthenware Milk Pans from Charlestown, Mass.

Pre-1775 Red Earthenware Pan Recovered in Charlestown, Mass.
Made at the Colonial Industry in Charlestown, Mass.

This Style of Pan is Commonly Attributed to 19th Century New England Today

However, this was Also a Style Manufactured Throughout Coastal Colonial New England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department

View of the Back of the Pan

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department

18th Century Century Red Earthenware Pan Sherds

Recovered at the Site of the Parker Family Pottery in Charlestown, Mass.

Circa 1714-1754

This Style of Pan is Commonly Attributed to 19th Century New England Today

However, this was Also a Style Manufactured Throughout Coastal Colonial New England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department

View of the Rims

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department

View of the Back of the Sherds

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Boston Archaeology Department

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