This is an intriguing early nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware sherd that was recovered at the site of the Thomas Crafts (1781-1861) Pottery in Whately, Massachusetts. This type of slip decorated pottery has not previously been associated with production in Whately, although I would not immediately jump to the conclusion that it was produced in a place like Pennsylvania, either.
Whately is located along the western bank of the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley, and a number of exports and imports traveled this river system in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. In fact, red earthenware made in the style of wares produced in Charlestown, Massachusetts before the American Revolution have been recovered by archaeologists at some of the towns located along the river in Connecticut, which is illustrated in my sixth book, titled, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/. The book also documents other types of red earthenware used in the Connecticut River area in the eighteenth and nineteenth century.
Additionally, I would not be surprised if there was some eighteenth century slip decorated red earthenware produced in Western Massachusetts, such as a businesses that existed in Springfield, Massachusetts, which was located less than thirty miles downriver from Whately. There were other central and Western Massachusetts potters, who had ties to the industry in Charlestown before 1775, Newburyport, Massachusetts before 1775, South Danvers (Peabody) and Salem, Massachusetts before 1800, and possibly even Norwalk, Connecticut and New Jersey.
However, there was also late eighteenth century red earthenware production in Whately; according to Historic Deerfield, "Stephen Orcutt (1777-1821) began making red earthenware in Whately in 1797, where his wares were first documented in 1802 in the account book (1772-1826) of store owner Reverend Rufus Wells (1743-1834)." But little is known about this type of production.
Furthermore, wares made in the Hartford, Connecticut area by Ebenezer Faxon (1749-1811), Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849), Seth Goodwin (1772-1828), a business owned by Captain Richard Pitkin (1759-1822) and perhaps even production in Goshen, Connecticut may have been shipped to some of the communities in Massachusetts, which were located along the Connecticut River.
Production eventually took off in Whately after 1810 and into the 1820s, although previous to this time, there was probably opportunities for other potters to ship their wares to this area, including Deerfield, Massachusetts.
Nevertheless, this sherd will be published in my forthcoming eleventh book, titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires.
Note: For more information about production in Whately - see these recent posts to this website --
1) Some Information About 19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Teapots Made in Whately, Massachusetts and Long Island, New York: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/06/some-information-about-19th-century.html
2) Some More Information About the Crafts Pottery in Whately, Massachusetts and How One Family Member Traveled West as Part of California's Gold Rush: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/06/some-more-information-about-crafts.html
3) A Dated 19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Teapot Made by Sanford S. Perry in Whately, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/07/a-dated-19th-century-black-glazed-red.html
Sherd Recovered at the Site of the Thomas Crafts Pottery in Whately, Mass.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
