Two Red Earthenware Sculptures Found in Ohio and Pennsylvania

Later this week, a feature story I wrote about the Stahl family pottery in Powder Valley, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania should be published in Antiques & Auction News. The Stahls operated under three generations of production from about the mid-nineteenth century until the early 1900s. They then ceased production only to re-establish the company in 1933, which operated until the 1950s. A large amount of pottery from the twentieth century production exists today, much of which is highly collectible and extremely well-made.

But the Stahls were also an unusual company seeing that they were a traditional utilitarian pottery business that operated in the 1800s and continued to produce well into the 1900s. Very few American potteries were able to find this type of success after the utilitarian red earthenware market had been largely affected by the Industrial Revolution. Although I also suspect that there may be some small potteries which produced red earthenware in the twentieth century that are not well recognized today. 

For instance, I just acquired this wonderful twentieth century hand-modeled red earthenware sculpture of a man duck hunting, holding his gun in one hand and a duck in the other, and a decoy is seen in front of him on the ground. He is also stepping on some plants. The glaze colors and slip-decoration used on this object is really wonderful. The skill of the sculpture is also great. On the back of the man's coat is his duck hunting license and what I assume is the year of production, reading "OHIO / 305 / 1948." Ohio is also where this object was reportedly found years ago.

Overall though, I think this is a great subject, especially since the commercial aspect of duck hunting with decoys was extremely popular in the 1940s. I have never seen anything quite like this subject before made from red earthenware, decorated with all sorts of wonderful glaze colors and slip.

Interestingly, two or three years ago I bought another red earthenware hand-modeled sculpture that I believe is a tooth pick holder from Robesonia, Pennsylvania antiques dealer Greg Kramer. Greg told me that this object was found somewhere in Pennsylvania. This object shows a squirrel climbing a tree stump, also decorated with wonderful glaze colors.

Based on the size of these two objects, the way they were manufactured, the combination of glaze colors used to create the green on the base, and where they were found, I believe they could have been made by the same person or at the same pottery. I do not know the potter or artist who is responsible for these pieces, but they are really well made and might be a type of production from the Ohio-Pennsylvania area that has somewhat been forgotten today. I would also be happy to continue to buy these sculptures, but these are the only two like this that I currently know about.

Two Red Earthenware Sculptures Found in Ohio and Pennsylvania

My Niece Alexis Holding The Duck Hunter Sculpture

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 20th Century Hand-Modeled Red Earthenware Duck Hunting Sculpture

Features a Duck Hunter, Duck, Gun, Decoy, Plants and Hunting License

Reportedly Found Years Ago in Ohio

The Combination of Glazes and Slip Is Great

Possibly Made in Ohio or Pennsylvania
Base Mesures 9" Across and Stands 9 5/8" Tall

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 View of the Decoy

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 View of the Duck

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 Another View of the Duck Hunter

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 Another View of the Duck Hunter

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 View of the Back

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 The Tag Likely Represents a Hunting License and Year of Production

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 20th Century Hand-Modeled Red Earthenware Tooth Pick Holder

Features a Squirrel Climbing a Stump

Reportedly Found Years Ago in Pennsylvania

The Glaze Colors are also Great on this Piece
Base Mesures 6 1/2" Across and Stands 7 1/8" Tall

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 Another View of the Squirrel Climbing the Stump

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19th Century Images and a Sketch from the Jacob H. Ahrens Pottery in Paris, Ontario

According to information published in a book written by archaeologist and museum specialist Donald Webster in 1971, titled Early Canadian Pottery, "Jacob H. Ahrens (1828-1905), a migrant from Germany, was making pottery in Paris, Ontario by 1860 (although, some reports suggest he began making pottery in 1859)." 

Furthermore, it was written in Charles Pelham Mulvany's (1835-1885) book, The History of the County of Brant Ontario, which was published in 1883: "While in Germany, Mr. Ahrens learned the potter's trade as well as something of the art of war, for in 1849, he was drafted into the army, and served three years during the war with Denmark on the Schleswig-Holstein question. In 1852 he sailed for Canada, making Berlin, Waterloo County (Ontario), his destination, where he subsequently moved to Brant County (Paris, Ontario), and engaged in pottery production in 1859. By industry he made money (he ran the Paris Potteries), but in 1869, the unfortunate breaking away of the dam at Paris caused a loss to him of $2,558."

The book Art and Architecture in Canada by Lerner and Williamson briefly describes the types of wares that Ahrens made: "Jacob Henry Ahens manufactured pottery on the Nith River in Paris, Ontario from 1860-1892. The manufacturer, known either as the Ahrens Pottery or the Paris Pottery, produced a wide variety of (colorful) earthenware products and a number of prizewinner decorative items."

Nevertheless, I recently came across two photos and a sketch of Jacob H. Ahrens' business from about 1880, which are owned today by The Paris Museum and Historical Society.

Images of the Jacob H. Ahrens Pottery in Paris, Ontario

 Exterior of the Jacob H. Ahrens Pottery in Paris, Ontario

Circa 1880

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Photo Courtesy: The Paris Museum and Historical Society

 Interior of the Jacob H. Ahrens Pottery in Paris, Ontario

Circa 1880

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Photo Courtesy: The Paris Museum and Historical Society

Sketch of the Jacob H. Ahrens Pottery in Paris, Ontario

Circa 1880

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Photo Courtesy: The Paris Museum and Historical Society

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Red Earthenware Jar that Sold Almost Ten-Years Ago in Vermont

While going through some old pictures yesterday, I came across these images buried in my Gmail account of a nicely glazed red earthenware jar that sold in a small sale almost ten-years ago. According to the information that I have on file with this object, it was consigned to Prozzo Auction Gallery in Rutland, Vermont from a local estate. The jar is attributed to Vermont, and very possibly made in the Middlebury, Vermont area sometime during the early-to-mid nineteenth century.

The reason why I am posting these images this morning is because of the glaze, which is also comparable to colors found on pottery produced in Maine, Massachusetts, maybe New Hampshire, Western New York and Ontario. Glazes can be produced anywhere, thus why I would suggest rarely ever using a glaze as a means of attribution, and instead use the form to determine that information.

I sometimes like to say that you can not create an attribution for an artist based on paint color alone; it is about the composition, the subject and the manner that the artwork was created. It's the same with pottery; a glaze can be created at any business, but it's the hand-thrown object that reveals the potter's work of art.

Red Earthenware Jar that Sold in Vermont

 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Attributed to Vermont
Possibly Made in Middlebury, VT

Retains Some History of Ownership in Vermont

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Photo Courtesy: Prozzo Auction Gallery

 Another View of the Jar

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Photo Courtesy: Prozzo Auction Gallery

 View of the Interior

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Photo Courtesy: Prozzo Auction Gallery

 View of the Base

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Photo Courtesy: Prozzo Auction Gallery

Another View of the Base

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Photo Courtesy: Prozzo Auction Gallery

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Colonial Stoneware Production in Charlestown, Mass. Feature Story Published in the May 24, 2019 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

For almost a decade now, I have been researching the circa 1742-1746 Parker stoneware pottery in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which has been a subject cited in various sources since Massachusetts author Lura Woodside Watkins (1897-1982) first published her research in 1950 when Early New England Potters and Their Wares was published.

While researching this information, I have gone through every single box from the Charlestown Archaeology Collection kept at the City of Boston Archaeology Program in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. I have found some possible evidence of this production, but nothing extensive.

Nevertheless, I have also been working on a feature story about this subject for the past five or six years that I finally completed last year, and was just published in the May 24, 2019 issue of Antiques & Auction News. The story includes the history of the pottery, some advertising, a stoneware pot once owned by Watkins that is now in the collection of Historic New England, as well as some great archaeology from Charlestown.

Circa 1742-1746 Colonial Charlestown, Mass. Stoneware Feature Story

Circa 1742-1746 Colonial Charlestown, Mass. Stoneware Feature Story

Published in the May 24, 2019 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

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Here are links to the story as it appears in print:

- Page 1

- Page 2

Here is a link to the online version (but I feel the print version is better to see):

Online version: The Parkers' Colonial Stoneware Production in Charlestown, Massachusetts

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Wonderful 19th Century Slip-Decorated Jar that Sold Yesterday in New Jersey

This excellent nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware jar attributed to Pennsylvania sold yesterday at Nye & Company Auctioneers in Bloomfield, New Jersey. The overall form is nice, but the multi-colored use of slip is what really sets it apart from other lidded jars. Although it is also decorated with peace pipes, cannons and guns, which I suspect may demonstrate more meaning behind the history of this object.

Adhered to the base of this jar is an old collection sticker, apparently indicating that it was previously sold as part of the Dr. and Mrs. Henry P. Deyerle Collection at an onsite sale held by Sotheby's  in Virginia in May of 1995. But there is also a feeling that this jar did not sell in the Deyerle sale, and the sticker represents another sale at Sotheby's.

Nevertheless, other significant objects that sold in the Deyerle sale include a great multi-glazed red earthenware lamb doorstop made about 1880 at Jacob Eberly (1830-1908) & Company in Strasburg, Virginia. The doorstop is considered by some to be one of the more iconic examples of Shenandoah Valley pottery in existence today.

According to a story written by Mark St. John Erickson for the Daily Press on May 27, 1995, "Staged by Sotheby's auction company, the two-day sale of mostly Virginia, Southern and Pennsylvania antiques from the collection of the late Henry P. Deyerle, a Harrisonburg physician was held under a tent on the grounds of the Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia.

More than 600 buyers and spectators filled the tent at the busiest time of the auction, competing with an estimated 1,000 absentee bids and at least 100 offers called in over the phone.

Bidders ended up beating out a steady chorus of both record prices and low bids becoming (at the time) one of the richest house sales ever held in the United States."

Wonderful Pennsylvania Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Jar Attributed to Pennsylvania

Also Decorated with Peace Pipes, Cannons and Guns

Stands 6" Tall

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Photo Courtesy: Nye & Company Auctioneers

 Another View of the Jar

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Photo Courtesy: Nye & Company Auctioneers

 Another View of the Jar

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Photo Courtesy: Nye & Company Auctioneers

 View of the Lid

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Photo Courtesy: Nye & Company Auctioneers

View of the Base

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Photo Courtesy: Nye & Company Auctioneers

Deyerle Collection Sold by Sotheby's in Charlottesville, VA in May 1995

19th Century Multi-Glazed Red Earthenware Lamb Doorstop

Attributed to J. Eberly & Company in Strasburg, VA

Sold in the Deyerle Collection at Sotheby's in Charlottesville, VA in May 1995

Circa 1880

Measures 3 5/8" by 12" by 5 1/4"

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Photo Courtesy: Sotheby's

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John Stahl's 19th Century Red Earthenware Pottery in Winesburg, Ohio

John Valentine Stahl (1784-1854) was primarily a red earthenware potter in Ohio in the 1800s, who I do not believe is widely known today. Stahl arrived in Winesburg, Ohio in the fall of 1828 with his family and almost immediately established a pottery business. Winesburg is located 68 miles south of Cleveland, 115 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and 97 miles northeast of Columbus, Ohio.

Interestingly, Winesburg was founded in 1827, and the following year is when Stahl began making pottery; although, I do not believe he has any direct relationship to the nineteenth and twentieth century Stahl family pottery in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

According to the Winesburg Historical Society, "Archaeologist Stanley Kaufman began a search for evidence of pottery production on the old Stahl farm in Winesburg. In all, he found 1,653 red earthenware artifacts, including plates and jars. All of these objects have since been donated to the Winesburg Historical Society, and were also published in a feature story written by Kaufman and Stanley Baker for The Ohio Archaeologist Journal."

Of all the objects I have posted below from the historical society, the slip-decorated plate with tulips really stands out to me, seeing that its composition and style of production reminds me of some of the wares made in Salem, North Carolina in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century. According to the historical society, "The plate with a complex slip-trail decoration was found near Sugar Creek, Ohio and (appears to be) related to some of the archaeology recovered from the Stahl farm in Winesburg."

John Stahl's Pottery in Winesburg, OH

19th Century Red Earthewnare Related to John Stahl's Pottery in Winesburg, OH

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Photo Courtesy: Winesburg, OH Historical Society

19th Century Red Earthewnare Related to John Stahl's Pottery in Winesburg, OH

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Photo Courtesy: Winesburg, OH Historical Society

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Wonderful Make-Do Stoneware Birdhouse Found in a Barn in Illinois

The definition of the term make-do is when something serves as a substitute, often an object that may be considered superior to the real thing. But there is also a great amount of ingenuity that goes into a make-do, especially when it comes to ceramics and pottery. In fact, however make-dos where once viewed, they are now highly prized today.

For instance, this wonderful make-do is like nothing that I have ever seen before - whoever made this used a nineteenth century stoneware jug and turned it into a birdhouse, using what may have been some scrap or leftover wood. I think this is so cool!

I recently learned about this object from Justin Enger, an antiques dealer and collector from South Dakota who now owns the birdhouse. But he also told me that it was found in a barn in Rockford, Illinois, which may very likely be the property that it was originally used.

I would also guess that the jug was likely made in the Midwest (maybe Illinois), but I don't think it really matters that much, seeing the creativity that went into this object. I have never seen anything like this before.

Make-Do Birdhouse Found in a Barn in Illinois

 Make-Do Birdhouse Utilizing a 19th Century Stoneware Jug

The Jug May Have Been Made in the Midwest
Found in a Barn in Rockford, IL

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Photo Courtesy: Justin Enger

 Another View of the Birdhouse

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Photo Courtesy: Justin Enger

 Another View of the Birdhouse

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Photo Courtesy: Justin Enger

 Another View of the Birdhouse

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Photo Courtesy: Justin Enger

 Another View of the Birdhouse

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Photo Courtesy: Justin Enger

Another View of the Birdhouse

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Photo Courtesy: Justin Enger

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