I first posted about this green glazed red earthenware object ten years ago just after I had found it in a small shop located less than thirty miles to the west of Portland, Maine. I do not believe this shop exists today, but I remember the shop owner telling me back then that she had found it in the Portland area, although she was not sure where this piece of pottery originated.
I have learned a lot about red earthenware made in this part of Maine since I found this object back in the summer of 2014, although I am still not sure of where it was made. But I picked it up a few weeks ago, and I still feel it is an object that dates from the nineteenth or perhaps the early twentieth century, although it had some issues when it was originally removed from the kiln.
First the visible clay on the base is a gray color, which is something often seen with red earthenware discarded at potter's waste sites in the nineteenth century; for instance, I have shown below red earthenware sherds collected at the site of potter's businesses in Buxton, Maine, Limington, Maine and West Barnstable, Massachusetts that show this same gray colored result. However, the actual color of the clay on this object is a brick red with some visible small pieces of mica. Mica is also found in the clays used by the potters in this part of Maine, and is a mineral found all over the state.
Secondly, the base and the two sides of the pot have small remains of other objects stuck to it, which happened when it was being fired in the kiln. This isn't typically something you see with objects made in industrial kilns or modern twentieth century kilns, and then being kept or sold afterwards. The clay stuck to the base may also be from a piece of kiln furniture.
Thirdly, I do not believe this is a student's art project; and fourth, there is significant wear around the rim, which suggests that something either sat inside of this object or it had some sort of lid. However, I suspect the shape is a vase, which was a form also found with some art potters in New England (i.e. Merrimac Pottery, William J. Walley Pottery, etc.), often referred to today as a bowl shaped vase. A flower holder would have sat inside of it.
Nevertheless, I also want to add that this type of green glaze was produced by both the Dodges in Portland, Maine, a business that existed from the 1790s-1870s, as well as the circa 1791-1890 industry in North Yarmouth, Maine. There are a lot of unknowns about pottery production from both of these locations today, whereas the Portland and North Yarmouth area was the largest production center for red earthenware in Maine in the nineteenth century, and a number of the objects that were produced after 1850 were intended for use with plants and flowers.
For more information - see my seventh book, titled, From One Town Came Many: The Red Earthenware Industry of Ancient North Yarmouth, Maine: https://historicbeverly.net/product/94597/.
Green Glazed Red Earthenware Object Found a Decade Ago in Maine
My Dog Jack Pictured with the Piece of Pottery
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Probably a Late 19th or Early 20th Century Green Glazed Red Earthenware Vase
Found Years Ago in the Portland, Maine Area
Measures 5" Across at the Widest Point
The Base Measures 4 1/4" in Diameter
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Additional Views of the Vase
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A View of the Base
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Red Earthenware Wasters with a Gray Colored Clay
Sherd Recovered from a Potter's Site in Buxton, Maine
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Sherd Recovered from a Potter's Site in West Barnstable, Mass.
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Sherd Recovered from a Potter's Site in Limington, Maine
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Green Glazes Produced in North Yarmouth and Portland, Maine
Green Glazed Sherds Recovered. in North Yarmouth, Maine
The Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd Also Recovered in North Yarmouth
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Photo Courtesy: Yarmouth, Maine Historical Society
19th Century Green-Glazed Flower Pot Sherd
Recovered at the Site of the Brooks Pottery in North Yarmouth, ME
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Photo Courtesy: Chris Havey
A View of the Base
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Photo Courtesy: Chris Havey
19th Century Red Earthenware Two-Piece Urn and Flowerpots
Made at the Dodge Pottery in Portland, Maine
Each Object is Marked "B. Dodge / Portland"
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Photo Courtesy: Maine Historical Society
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
