Another Example of William Pecker's Stoneware Production Identified from Merrimacport, Massachusetts

Yesterday, I carefully flipped through a group of old photographs while visiting West Newbury, Massachusetts antiques dealer, Paul DeCoste - and I was extremely surprised to see this picture of a stoneware jar that he had owned about 20 years ago. Back then, the unmarked jar was thought to have been manufactured in Charlestown, Massachusetts based on the form; although, I quickly recognized the impressed bird on the side of the jar as a known stamp applied at the circa 1790-1820 William Pecker Pottery in Merrimacport, Massachusetts.

Paul told me that below each handle was an impressed perched bird and on either side of the jar was an impressed flower.

I asked Paul if he knew anything about the history of the jar, and he said it was found in a local home by an antiques dealer. He said that dealer brought it to Todd's Farm Flea Market in Rowley, Massachusetts, but was not able to sell the jar. The dealer then brought the jar to the antique shows in Brimfield, Massachusetts, and that's where Paul purchased it.

I find it exciting every single time I see an example of surviving stoneware from the Pecker Pottery, seeing that this has been an area of local production that has been largely forgotten. But thanks to twenty-first century research and archaeology, William Pecker's stoneware production has been re-discovered.

I have also posted two stoneware sherds that reveal the bird stamp applied by Pecker, which my nephew, niece and I discovered within the last four-or-five years at the site of the Pecker Pottery. We have also found similar handles at the site of the pottery that match the style of handle found on this jar.

Re-Discovered William Pecker Stoneware Jar

William Pecker Pottery Stoneware Jar Manufactured in Merrimacport, Mass.

Previously Thought to Have Been Made in Charlestown, Mass.

The Jar is Decorated with Two Matching Impressed Birds and Flowers

Circa 1790-1820

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Paul DeCoste

Closer View of One of the Bird Decorations

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Photo Courtesy: Paul DeCoste

Impressed Bird Recovered at the Site of the William Pecker Pottery

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Another View of the Impressed Bird Recovered at the Site of the William Pecker Pottery

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Remains of an Impressed Bird Recovered at the Site of the William Pecker Pottery

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

The Production of Red Earthenware Souvenirs from the Battle of Gettysburg, Especially the Objects Made in Beverly, Massachusetts

I am rather excited to say that I just finalized a 3,500 word feature story, which I hope will be published sometime in 2019 about the circa 1860s-1906 Charles A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts. The story covers the entire history of the business, a subject that I have been researching for about a decade, and has never really been published or largely researched before. I cover advertising, traditional red earthenware production, slip-decorated pottery, Grecian style pottery, bean pots, the veteran organizations Lawrence supported, expanding the company through construction, the potters who worked for him, the artists who painted the Grecian style pottery, newspaper stories, surviving documents, Lawrence's business affiliations, and so much more.

Among the aspects that I am proud of from this research is re-discovering a few dozen annual advertisements that were published by Lawrence, beginning in the 1870s, and of which are basically entirely forgotten today. Advertising was clearly an important part of the C.A. Lawrence Pottery, and no two ads are alike. These are also full-page ads, which demonstrate an incredible nineteenth century sense of design.

For instance, the ad I have posted today will not be illustrated in the feature story; although, it is cited as a source. This was published in the 1903 Beverly City Directory, and I consider this to be a lesser example of Lawrence's advertising, but certainly later, as well. To my knowledge, Lawrence only advertised on a few occasions in the Beverly City Directory; whereas, he was much more prominent in other publications.

An aspect of this advertisement that I immediately recognized was the production of souvenir bean pots from the Battlefield of Gettysburg. Until I saw this ad and conducted more research, I had only heard of the souvenirs from this Civil War battle having been produced at the Speese Pottery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. For example, I posted this information to this website a few years ago, ""H. Speese and Sons made utilitarian wares and some decorative products in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the summer months they setup an outdoor stand for the tourist trade that came to the area to remember and see the land where the Battle of Gettysburg took place. They sold miniature cannonballs, canteens, jugs and other tiny objects to be used (and kept) as souvenirs. Where the clay came from was a major selling point for these objects."

But it turns out that Charles A. Lawrence also produced souvenir pots, commemorating the Battle of Gettysburg, and some of this production may be misinterpreted for Pennsylvania production today.

However, the more I researched this subject, the more information I found, such as this short-story, published in the Saturday August 15, 1891 edition of The Beverly Citizen, titled, 'Excursionists Make a Short-Cut': "Charles A. Lawrence, who accompanied the Chase Party to Detroit and visited Gettysburg on the return trip, obtained two bullets that were found near General Meade's headquarters on the battlefield, at Gettysburg, one of which, a somewhat battered missile of destruction, lies upon the editorial table.

An interesting experience occurred to Mr. Lawrence and two companions on the outward trip,. At Fostoria, where the car was on a side-track, they rose early one morning and went to a hotel for breakfast, after which they sauntered leisurely to the depot and discovered, much to their surprise, that the car had been gone an hour. By taking the next train and making a short cut, riding a distance for over 160 miles, they reached Columbus about fifteen minutes ahead of the rest of the excursionists, where they waited the arrival of the latter as calmly, ostensibly, as though nothing had occurred to mar the serenity of the trip. The surprise of their fellow passengers was only exceeded by their rejoicing at being again united."

Souvenirs from the Battle of Gettysburg Made in Beverly, Mass.

Charles A. Lawrence Visits the Battle of Gettysburg

Published in the August 15, 1891 Edition of The Beverly Citizen

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C.A. Lawrence Pottery Advertisement

Advertises the Production of Souvenir Bean Pots from the Battle Gettysburg

Published in the 1903 Beverly City Directory

See Article for More Information

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

Important Example of Locally Made Grecian Style Pottery Rediscovered in the Collection of the Beverly, Massachusetts Historical Society

I have visited the Beverly, Massachusetts Historical Society on a few occasions over the past seven or eight years, while researching the history of the Charles A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, circa 1860s-1906. My interest initially began with the glazed and slip-decorated utilitarian red earthenware made at this company. But it quickly evolved into a passion to learn more about the painted Grecian pottery (as well as the undecorated Grecian wares), which happens to be a subject that has been largely forgotten. Although, Lawrence was also the first American potter to partake in this type of production in the early 1870s, even though some potters have gained some fame today for their Grecian style pottery, despite their production happening in the years and decades that followed Lawrence.

In spite of that, I was very surprised to learn this week that the Beverly Historical Society actually does own an excellent Grecian style hand-painted vase made at the C.A. Lawrence Pottery. It was to my knowledge that they did not own any examples of this type of production. However, I have learned otherwise, and I hope to visit the historical society this winter so I can share more pictures of this wonderful vase, which must have been in long-term storage during my previous visits.

As a matter of fact, it appears that the historical society did not even realize they owned it; while gathering objects for an exhibit this past spring, the important vase was rediscovered in storage. They posted the vase on Facebook thinking it was made in Greece, saying it was going to be included in an upcoming "Souvenirs from Abroad" exhibition. But upon further inspection, the historical society was rather surprised to learn that it was actually locally made in the nineteenth century.

According to the information that I have been able to gather so far from the Beverly Historical Society, "Massachusetts was first recognized as a state on February 6, 1788, and this vase was (reportedly) made in 1888 by Charles A. Lawrence in recognition of the Massachusetts Statehood centennial. It was painted by Joseph Pitman, an artist and a salesman at the pottery company who lived in Beverly."

The base has been stamped, "Beverly Pottery / Antiquarian and Centennial / Beverly, Mass. / C.A. Lawrence." Furthermore, the base was also signed by Pitman, "T. Pittman / Artist / 877." This is only the third example of pottery I have seen marked from Beverly, and the only painted piece that I have seen signed by Pitman. I would venture to say that the combination of the mark and the signature is probably a one-of-a-kind piece today. The other two known marked pieces of Beverly Grecian style pottery are owned privately and by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.

Note: Upon further inspection and talking with the historical society, I would like to learn why the museum says this vase was made in 1888 for the Massachusetts Statehood centennial instead of the Centennial in 1876, which celebrated 100 years of America's independence.

Painted Grecian Style Vase from the C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Mass.

19th Century Hand-Painted Grecian Style Red Earthenware Vase

Manufactured at the C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Mass

Rediscovered in Storage at the Beverly, Mass. Historical Society

Stamped and Signed on the Base

Reportedly Circa 1888

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Beverly Historical Society

 Stamped, "Beverly Pottery / Antiquarian and Centennial / Beverly, Mass. / C.A. Lawrence"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Beverly Historical Society

Signed by the Artist, Thomas Pitman

"T. Pittman / Artist / 877"

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Photo Courtesy: Beverly Historical Society

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

An Evening Devoted to the Local Pottery Industry by the Peabody, Massachusetts Historical Society in the Winter of 1909

Founded on August 15, 1896, the Peabody (formerly South Danvers), Massachusetts Historical Society immediately formed a working relationship with the Moses Bailey Paige (1847/48-1941) Pottery in Peabody. The Paige Pottery was also a subject of a feature interview that I was involved with for the November 23, 2018 issue of Antiques and the Arts Weekly. Furthermore, I posted an in-depth feature story about the Paige Pottery on this website, which coincided with the published interview, titled, From Maine to Peabody, Massachusetts: The Pottery of Moses Bailey Paige.

But while researching the history of the Paige Pottery, I read about a wonderful evening spent at the Peabody Historical Society in the late winter of 1909. This information was published in the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Peabody Historical Society, 1909-1910:

March 9, 1910

"The President presented Mrs. Lyman P. Osborn, who read a paper on "The Potters Industry in Our Town." The paper was introduced by reference to the many poems which have been inspired by this work, including one of local interest written by Dr. Nichols in 1852. "The Song of the Wheel," from Longfellow's Keramos, was most artistically rendered by Mrs. J.J. Thorndike. A quotation from a letter written to friends in England in 1629, by Reverend Francis Higginson, mentioned that good clay had been found in Salem "for Brickes and Tyles and Earthen Pots." The Glasshouse field, today, on the border line between Salem and Peabody, received special mention; also Jonathan Kettle's Pottery of 1731, at what is now No. 31 Andover Street, and Joseph Osborne's, No. 91 Central Street, in 1736.

A list of Potters presented by Mr. Nathan Bushby was made the background of the paper. Other interesting facts were contributed by Mr. Daniel H. Felton and Mr. Andrew Nichols. The large collection of old local Pottery was on exhibition, while other pieces were loaned for the evening. Part of two wheels found at the Amos Osborn Pottery, now carried on by Mr. Moses B. Paige, and at the Kendall Osborne Farm, were put together, and used by Mr. Edwin A. Rich, an expert from Mr. Paige's Pottery, the last and only Pottery in town today, to illustrate the use of the "Potter's Wheel," making such forms as were suggested by members of the audience and becoming the centre of attraction for the rest of the evening."

Edwin A Rich at Work at the M.B. Paige Pottery in Peabody, Mass.

Edwin A. Rich Throwing a Vase on the Potter's Wheel at the Paige Pottery in Peabody, Mass.

A Similar Formed Vase is Owned by the MFA in Boston Decorated with a Vibrant Yellow Glaze

But Also Notice the Large Formed Bean Pots Behind Rich

Photo Circa 1905/06

Photo Courtesy: Peabody, Mass. Historical Society

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

19th Century Red Earthenware Slipware Jar Recovered from Beneath a House in New Orleans

Last week, I posted an article that showed a fascinating nineteenth century red earthenware jug recovered in New Orleans. According to the person who found the object, "The jug was dug many years ago from the bottom of a well on Tulane Avenue in New Orleans. The jug is believed to have been manufactured during the circa 1840-1860 period."

Tulane Avenue is located only a few blocks from the Mississippi River, which is how I assume this jug found its way into New Orleans in the 1800s, seeing this doesn't appear to be a type of local production. Although, I believe this jug was likely manufactured in a community with access to the river, probably having been produced by a Midwestern or Southern potter. That access could have included the actual pottery business or a merchant who peddled wares throughout the region.

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "New Orleans, like most waterside cities, was founded because of its close proximity to the Mississippi River that provided much economic benefit.

In its "golden age," New Orleans was known as the "marketplace of the wealth of the West" because of its strategic location at the center of trade between cultures and goods. The popular expansion of steamboat use in the early 1800s revolutionized transport along the river, basically creating the huge river transport industry that is in existence today. Trips from St. Louis to New Orleans that used to take four months now took only three days by steamboat. By 1853, the thriving New Orleans was one of the five largest metropolises in the United States. Unfortunately, the city did see a decline, as a result of the Civil War and the invention of the railroad."

Nevertheless, the Mississippi River was a major resource utilized for trade in the nineteenth century, bordering and running through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, as well as a major connection to the Ohio River and those states.

I also learned last week of another interesting object that was recovered about a mile from where the jug was found in New Orleans. This slip-decorated jar, which I presume is American-made was found by Michael Burkett inside a crawl space underneath a circa 1860s house on North Roman Street. 

The slipware jar was recovered alongside nineteenth century kaolin pipes, clay marbles, porcelain dollhouse toys, stoneware, imported European ceramics, and glass bottles, among other objects.

Note: For more information about some of the objects recovered in New Orleans, I suggest joining Michael Burkett's Facebook page, French Quarter Relics.

Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Jar Recovered in New Orleans

 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

Recovered from a Crawl Space Underneath a Circa 1860s House in New Orleans

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Michael Burkett

House on North Roman Street in New Orleans Where the Red Earthenware Jar was Found

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Google Images

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

Henry Francis du Pont's Collection of Red Earthenware Manufactured in Southeastern Massachusetts

I wrote in a feature story published in the June 2018 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled, The Pottery Industry in Southeastern Massachusetts, "The red earthenware manufactured in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the 18th and 19th centuries, has been desired for at a century now by collectors, dealers, and museums. A combination of factors have contributed to this infatuation, including the refinement of the production, the color of the glazes and the history of the industry. Although these objects can be romanticized today as works of art, they were once viewed for their simple utilitarian purposes in the household.

The area's redware production first received widespread published recognition in the early 1930s with articles written for The Magazine Antiques by John Ramsay and noted Providence, Rhode Island and Cape Cod collector Charles D. Cook, whose collection descended in his family until it sold in multiple highly contested sales at Skinner in Boston in the early 2000s. The highlight of the Cook collection was an incredible late 18th- or early 19th-century red earthenware jar that featured a person's initials ("A.P.B.") and a smaller jar as the finial on the lid. This elegant jar graced the cover of the October 1931 edition of The Magazine Antiques. After this jar sold at Skinner for $63,000, it went on to be featured at the Winter Antiques Show in New York City. It resides in a private collection today.

These articles may have also helped inspire Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969) with the collection he assembled at Winterthur in Delaware in the 1920s and 1930s. That collection features some objects that are very similar to what Cook published."

Last month, while visiting the red earthenware and stoneware collection at Winterthur, I spent some time with the objects du Pont had acquired from the industry along the Taunton River in southeastern Massachusetts. In fact, du Pont's collection included two harvest jugs from this region, a form that was not largely recognized in print until Falmouth, Massachusetts antiques dealers, Hilary and Paulette Nolan sold their important collection through Northeast Auctions in Manchester, New Hampshire in the summer of 2004. But du Pont was certainly one of the earliest collectors to recognize such a spectacular form.

Furthermore, most of the wares published from this industry in the 1930s were glazed green; although, du Pont collected a wider range of glazes, including a remarkable flask, which may be the only survivor today, based on the combination of the form and glaze.

Some of Henry Francis du Pont's Collection of Wares from Southeastern Mass.

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

(Left) 18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Jug

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Jug

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Flask

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

Likely 18th Century Red Earthenware Tea Bowl

Possibly Made in Rhode Island But More Likely Made in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

(Left) 18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

(Right) 18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Harvest Jug

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

(Left) 18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

(Right) 18th/19th Century Red Earthenware Harvest Jug

Attributed to the Industry Along the Taunton River in Southeastern Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur

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

The Bradfords and Their Use of Coggle Wheel Decorations in Kingston, Massachusetts

I recently wrote a feature story about the Bradford family potteries in Kingston, Massachusetts and West Barnstable, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, which I hope will be published sometime next year. A large part of the story is of course the archaeology, especially the site of the Bradford pottery in Kingston, which was visited by Lura Woodside Watkins (1897-1982) before 1950 - her observations were cited in Early New England Potters and Their Wares, and the artifacts she gathered were later gifted to the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

However, the site of the Kingston pottery was also professionally excavated by archaeologists in 1996; that collection is kept at Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts today.

The origin of the Bradford family pottery can be traced back to John Bradford (1732-1818), who reportedly began producing bricks and likely red earthenware sometime around 1750 on his property in Kingston, a small coastal community in Plymouth County, neighboring Plymouth, Massachusetts to the north. Furthermore, this family’s fame actually emerged in the seventeenth century, seeing they are direct descendants of William Bradford (1590-1657), a founder and longtime Governor of the Plymouth Colony settlement. Kingston is also strategically located for this type of business, since the land route from Plymouth to Boston traveled directly through Kingston, conveying a pottery business an easy shipping route for communities along that road. Plymouth must have also been one of the Bradford's major markets for distribution.

While not a lot of information is known about this early production, it is likely that John Bradford’s sons, Noah (1761-1832) and Stephen (1771-1837) learned the potter’s trade from their father. They both went onto have illustrious careers in the Massachusetts pottery industry, but some of this history seems to have been forgotten today.

Stephen and his son, Orrin Bradford (1839-1890) continued to produce pottery as part of the family name in Kingston, with Orrin taking over the responsibility of overseeing production sometime around his father's death in 1837, all while continuing the business in some capacity into the 1870s. On the other hand, Noah was probably employed at the family business in Kingston before he relocated to West Barnstable on Cape Cod about 1819, where he ran his own pottery up until around the time he died. Among the objects produced at Noah's business were green glazed flowerpots and saucers, sometimes mistakenly attributed for production from the potteries around the Taunton River in southeastern Massachusetts, and represented in museums around the country like Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, Delaware, Historic Deerfield in Massachusetts and the Smithsonian.

As it may be, Lura Woodside Watkins appears to have been the first scholar to have published academically about the Bradfords in Kingston. But more recently, Martha L. Sulya wrote a 131 page report in 2015 about pottery production in Kingston, as part of her Masters Theses for the University of Massachusetts at Boston, entitled, Ubiquitous and Unfamiliar: Earthenware Pottery Production Techniques and the Bradford Family Pottery of Kingston, MA.

A major characteristic of the wares produced in Kingston was the use of various coggle wheel decorations, which happen to be styles that I have not seen represented in archaeology from any other pottery in New England. These coggles can be found on various glazed and unglazed forms today, such as pitchers, jars and pots; although, a number of these pieces have been attributed to Maine through the years based on colorful glazes. 

With that said, I believe the coggle decorations recovered at the site of the Kinston pottery are a major indicator of the type of wares produced by the Bradfords. This is a potter's business that is often completely overlooked today, despite a significant three generational output for upwards of 120 years, circa 1750-1870.

For instance, the coggle found on this lidded pot posted below matches coggle decorated sherds recovered at the site of the Bradford pottery in Kingston by Watkins before 1950, as well as by archaeologists in 1996. In addition to that, the diagonal manganese glaze is also represented in the archaeology at the Smithsonian.

Nevertheless, this is part of the information that I touch upon in the feature story that I have written about the Bradford family potteries in Kingston and West Barnstable, which I hope will be published sometime in 2019. The format should be similar to the feature story I wrote about the Dodge family potteries in New Hampshire and Maine that was published in the February 2018 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled, The Dodges and Their Potteries.

Note: I was told by a longtime owner that the lid is not believed to be original to this pot. The owner told me that after owning it for years, he sold it without a lid, but bought it back at auction a few years later with a lid. The lid was likely made in New England, but not necessarily at the business where the pot was produced.

Red Earthenware Pot with a Coggle Decoration

19th Century Red Earthenware Pot 

Possibly Made at the Bradford Family Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

The Glaze and Coggle are Represented in the Archaeology of the Business

Probably Circa 1800-1840

Stands 8 1/4" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Lewis Scranton

Another View of the Pot

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Skinner

Some Examples of Coggle Wheel Decorations Appied in Kingston, Mass.

 19th Century Coggle Wheel Decorated Red Earthenware Sherds

Recovered by Lura Woodside Watkins at the Site of the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

This is Just an Example as a Variety of Coggle Decorated Sherds were Recovered

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian

19th Century Coggle Wheel Decorated Red Earthenware Sherds

Recovered by Lura Woodside Watkins at the Site of the Bradford Pottery in Kingston, Mass.

This is Just an Example as a Variety of Coggle Decorated Sherds were Recovered

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian

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