Another 19th Century Red Earthenware Object Discovered Last Weekend at an Antique Show in Bath, Maine

Today's article reveals the final object that I picked last weekend at an antique show in Bath, Maine (note: see this week's previous articles for the additional objects that I also acquired). It was purchased from a Maine-based antiques dealer - he told me that he recently found the jar in a small shop located along Maine's Midcoast region.

The overall form of this jar is a style that was made at the North Yarmouth, Maine potter's industry in the nineteenth-century (archaeological evidence supports this attribution). However, it is difficult to specify, which business could have potentially manufactured this jar since there were multiple red earthenware potter's businesses located in North Yarmouth in the eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries. Nonetheless, this is a rare Maine-made object to find today. I really enjoy the colorful glaze!

Also shown below is my collection of nineteenth-century North Yarmouth red earthenware jars - you will probably notice that the forms slightly vary; however, this is probably the result of the many potters, who were employed in the North Yarmouth-area in the 1800's.

If you can, please take a moment to carefully look at these three jars, and how well their glazes appear grouped together.

Rare 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Likely Made in North Yarmouth, ME

Recently Found on Maine's Seacoast

Purchased Last Weekend at an Antique Show in Bath, ME

Circa 1820-1860

Stands 7 1/2" Tall

Another View of the Jar

Another View of the Jar

Base is Inscribed '170'

Originally, There was Likely a Lid that was also Incised '170'

Collection of North Yarmouth, ME Red Earthenware Jars

Collection of Rare 19th Century Red Earthenware Jars Likely Made in North Yarmouth, ME

Each Jar is Decorated in a Wonderful Vibrant-Colored Glaze

Circa 1820-1860

Left Jar Stands 7 3/4" Tall

Middle Jar Stands 7 1/2" Tall

Right Jar Stands 6 1/2" Tall

Another View of the Beautiful Glazes

View of the Bases

All of the Bases Are Inscribed with a Number

Each Jar Originally Came with a Lid with a Matching Number Inscribed onto the Base

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

A Rare 19th Century Red Earthenware House Discovered Last Weekend at an Antique Show in Bath, Maine

This article will continue the discussion about the nineteenth-century American-made red earthenware objects that I discovered last weekend at an antique show in Bath, Maine. The following object is actually one of my favorite discoveries in recent months. The dealer told me that he recently discovered this object in a house located in the town of Damariscotta, Maine. He said it was found mixed in with a group of nineteenth-century New England-made red earthenware and early stoneware.

Overall, this nineteenth-century red earthenware house is great! It is entirely hand-modeled. It is mostly decorated with a brown glaze with certain areas also highlighted with slip-decoration. The house appears to be all original with no restoration and no real noticeable damage.

It is often today that many of these type of 'end-of-the-day' red earthenware products are attributed to Pennsylvania after 1820. The auction house, Crocker Farm located in Sparks, Maryland has sold a few Pennsylvania-made red earthenware houses in the past ten-years - and, Winterthur owns a single example in its important collection in Wilmington, Delaware.

This is now the third whimsical red earthenware house that I have discovered in the Maine-area in recent years. Two of the houses were actually found in Maine, and the third was purchased from Scarborough, Maine antiques dealer, Rachel Gurley at an antique show in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Note: All three houses are pictured below).

19th Century Hand-Modeled Red Earthenware House Likely Made in Pennsylvania

Recently Found in a House in Damariscotta, ME

Circa 1820-1880

Stands 4 7/8" Tall

Measures 5 1/8" Wide

Measures 5 7/8" Long

Purchased Last Weekend at an Antique Show in Bath, ME

View of One Side

View of the Other Side

View of the Rear of the House

View of the Base

Collection of Red Earthenware Houses

Collection of Red Earthenware Houses Picked in Maine in Recent Years

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

A Rare Black-Glazed 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug that Appears to Have Been Produced in Southern Maine Before 1860

Today, general knowledge seems to imply that black-glazes were not commonly applied on red earthenware objects made in Maine in the nineteenth-century. This belief is the result of only a few known surviving black-glazed objects that are attributed to Maine today. It appears to have been a glaze style that was more-popular in states such as New Hampshire and Massachusetts. However, this statement should not be interpreted to believe that black-glazes were not utilized in Maine in the nineteenth-century - instead, it should be understood that this type of glaze appears to be rare today based on the amount of known surviving Maine-made products that are decorated with a black-glaze.

In-fact, archaeological evidence has revealed that black-glazes were regularly employed for basic decoration at potter's businesses located in places like Buxton, Maine and North Yarmouth, Maine. Nonetheless, it appears that surviving Maine-made products decorated with a simple black-glaze are rare to find today.

A few months ago, I acquired this wonderful hand-thrown black-glazed red earthenware jug from New Hampshire collector, Mark Newton. He purchased it from a longtime New England picker at the Milford, New Hampshire Antiques Show in 2015; however, there is nothing about this jug that suggests (to me) that it was made in New Hampshire or even Massachusetts. The ovoid form, the spout, the lip, the rim, the handle and the separation in the black-glaze all suggest a southern Maine potter (to me).

It is also important to note that the large flat-footed base is a characteristic often seen with red earthenware produced in southern Maine during the 1820-1860 period. Personally, I believe there are many characteristics besides only the base that likely attributes this rare jug to one of the potter's businesses, which were employed to the west of Portland, Maine before 1860.

19th Century Black-Glazed Red Earthenware Jug Likely Made in Southern Maine
Recently Acquired in New Hampshire
Black-Glazes are Rare to Find Today from Southern Maine Potters
Circa 1820-1860
Stands 7 1/2" Tall

View of the Handle

View of the Large Flat-Footed Base

A Closer Look at the Large Flat-Footed Base

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

A Very-Rare 19th Century Maine-Made Red Earthenware Jug that was Recently Discovered on Cape Cod in Massachusetts

Yesterday, I told you about a wonderful nineteenth-century coastal Maine-made red earthenware jug that was recently discovered by Falmouth, Massachusetts antiques dealers, Hilary and Paulette Nolan in a shop on Cape Code in Massachusetts. They made the discovery a few days before Easter Sunday. Paulette discovered the jug for only $12. It is believed that based on some of the characteristics that this jug may have been made at the Ezra Porter (1769-1847) Pottery in Wiscasset, Maine during the 1820-1850 period. Nonetheless, this was not the only object that the Nolans discovered, either - Paulette also found another significant Maine-made jug in that same shop.

It was also Hilary and Paulette's decision that both of these jugs should remain together. They did not want them separated.

This second nineteenth-century red earthenware jug was marked $9. Again, that is not a typo, either. This jug was priced at only $9. The belief is that both of these jugs were recently discovered together possibly during a house clean out or maybe even at an estate sale on Cape Code.

This second small jug is absolutely remarkable. I believe it is a jug that was made in southern Maine during the 1820-1860 period. This type of unusual speckled glaze has been properly attributed to some of the small potter's businesses in southern Maine, which spanned the 1800-1880 period. Although, it was also a popular glaze style applied by the important potter, John Alld in Hollis, Maine, who was active in the nineteenth-century before 1865.

A similar, but larger formed red earthenware jug (with a comparable glaze) is pictured in The Butch and Betty Berdan Collection catalog that was sold by Cyr Auction Company in Gray, Maine on January 28, 1998. The jug is described as an "Ovoid redware jug with an olive glaze and red speckles standing 9 1/4 inches tall. It was (reportedly) found in an Oxford County, Maine home."

Personally, I believe the jug that is discussed today is also a museum-quality object, which is how I described yesterday's jug, as well. The glaze seen on today's jug is absolutely beautiful. This glaze is also extremely rare to find.

I have also shown below a second jug that is likely related to the jug discussed today. I acquired this jug in New Hampshire in 2015. Overall, the form is similar and the handles are a near-exact match. There are also similarities in color that can be seen in the speckled glaze.

Note: I traveled to the Bath, Maine Antiques Show yesterday to pick up the two jugs that I wrote about yesterday and today; however, I also picked the show. I still have two more exciting rare red earthenware products to write about this week.

Jug Found on Cape Cod in March 2016

19th Century Red Earthenaware Jug Likely Made in Southern Maine

Circa 1820-1860

 Stands 6 1/2" Tall
Recently Found in a Shop on Cape Cod in Massachusetts for $12

Another View of the Jug

Another View of the Jug

View of the Handle

Likely a Related Jug Found in New Hampshire in 2015

(Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Likely Made in Southern Maine

Circa 1820-1860

Stands 6 3/8" Tall

Found in New Hampshire in 2015

These Jugs Were Likely Made at the Same Potter's Business

View of the Matching Handles

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

A Very-Rare 19th Century Maine-Made Jug that was Recently Discovered on Cape Cod in Massachusetts

I acquired four wonderful nineteenth-century red earthenware objects today at an antique show in Bath, Maine - and, rather than share all of them in the same post today, I have decided to discuss each object individually in separate articles this week.

This first object is part-one of a two-part series - the reason for the two articles is a-result-of this object having been discovered together with another object in the same location on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

This jug was found by Falmouth, Massachusetts antiques dealers, Hilarly and Paulette Nolan a few weeks ago only days before Easter Sunday. Paulette actually found this jug for $12. That's not a typo, either. It was in a shop alongside another object with a sticker that read $12. The other object was actually cheaper - I will discuss the second object tomorrow.

This jug was very-likely made at the Ezra Porter (1769-1847) Pottery in Wiscasset, Maine during the 1820-1850 period. This is a very-rare potter's business to find today. This is also a very-desired potter's business by New England collectors and museums. I have tried to acquire a few Porter Pottery pieces that have come to auction in recent years; however, I have been outbid on each object. Although, I have been the underbidder on those objects, as well. Nonetheless, I believe this jug is as good as any product that survives from the Porter Pottery today.

This jug is also in remarkable condition. It is believed to have recently been discovered in a house on Cape Cod possibly during a house clean out or maybe even at an estate sale. This object is also proof that there it still quality American-made red earthenware and stoneware left for discovery today.

Personally, I believe this jug is easily museum-quality. It compares to any of the Ezra Porter Pottery products that are owned by the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine.

A similar, but smaller jug is pictured in M. Lelyn Branin's book, 'The Early Potters and Potteries of Maine.'

I should also mention that I promise the next three objects should be as exciting as this object! Nevertheless, it was a very-succesfull day in Bath, Maine!

 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Made in Maine

Likely Made at the Ezra Porter Pottery in Wiscasset, Maine

Circa 1820-1850

Stands 7" Tall

Recently Found in a Shop on Cape Cod for $12

 Another View of the Jug

 Another View of the Jug

View of the Handle

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

A Rare Red Earthenware Form: The 19th Century Muffin Pan

Occasionally, I assume, most people, probably enjoy a freshly baked muffin. I definitely do. However, it is rare that I actually get the chance to eat a muffin today; although, when I do, I usually prefer to purchase them locally at a favorite bakery near where I live in Newburyport, Massachusetts. I would say the area's best muffins used to be made at a restaurant named 'Kathy Ann's Bakery' in Newburyport.

My family enjoyed all different flavored muffins from 'Kathy Ann's Bakery' in the 1990's - I can recall, as a kid, waking up some weekends during the spring and summer months to the smell of fresh muffins. My favorite was always the large blueberry muffins stuffed with a jillion blueberries. Unfortunately, this once popular restaurant is now long gone. The owners retired, and the property was purchased by a local boatyard. Nonetheless, the area still has plenty to offer for freshly made muffins today.

Last Saturday morning, my nephew, Jason and myself work up early in search of a dozen muffins from what is now (in my family's opinion) the area's best bakery for fresh muffins. We drove from Newburyport across the Merrimack River to 'Marshview Cafe' in Salisbury, Massachusetts, where we bought blueberry muffins, multi-berry muffins, peach muffins and orange muffins. For the record: the two of us did not eat a dozen muffins. We shared them with my niece, Alexis and my parents.

I quickly searched Google before I began to write this story, with hopes that I may find an old article that I could quote that mentioned the closing of 'Kathy Ann's Bakery;' instead, I found a few old reviews about the restaurant. One reviewer said, "This is a restaurant and a bakery that you will never forget."

I was reminded, again of how fantastic 'Kathy Ann's' muffins were earlier this week, when I noticed a nineteenth-century red earthenware muffin pan that is owned by Winterthur in Wilmington, Delaware. The pan was acquired by the museum at the bequest of Henry Francis du Pont in 1965.

Seeing Winterthur's muffin pan also reminded me about the time when I first saw an American-made red earthenware muffin pan: it was sold as part of the Protruski Trust Collection, which was handled by Peterborough, New Hampshire auctioneer, Charlie Cobbs and his family in July 2010. I guess I did not recognize the rarity of that pan in 2010, but I certainly have a better understanding for the form today - especially, knowing the pan owned by Winterthur is the only nineteenth-century muffin pan that I have seen since.

I was actually an active bidder at the Protruski sale; however, I did not bid on the group lot that contained the muffin pan. The lot also included a group of nineteenth-century red earthenware cake molds that were likely made in Pennsylvania.

According to Winterthur, "The muffin pan was possibly made in New England during the 1800-1875 period. The pan was constructed from a mold, and it is decorated in a multi-colored slip-decoration."

Personally, I do not know where this pan could have been made in New England, but I can not disagree with the attribution, either since the form is extremely rare today. Rarely will I ever attribute a red earthenware object based on glaze alone considering glaze styles overlapped at many potter's businesses from Pennsylvania to Ohio and Virginia, and elsewhere in America including the six states in New England.

Nevertheless, this glaze could be interpreted as a product that was made in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine, but it may have been made somewhere else in America, too. The only way to know for sure is either a rock-solid provenance or archaeological evidence.

 19th Century American-Made Red Earthenware Muffin Pan
Suggested to Have Been Made in New England

Circa 1800-1875

Stands 2 1/8" Tall

Measures 18 7/8" Wide

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, DE

View of the Base

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, DE

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

Rare 19th Century Red Earthenware Forms Owned by Winterthur in Wilmington, Delaware

The American, Canadian and English red earthenware collection owned by Winterthur in Wilmington, Delaware is remarkable - it is easily among the best red earthenware collections in the country. Essentially, the diversity of this collection is what makes it so special today. Important objects are represented from potters in Ontario, Nova Scotia, western New York, Maine, Massachusetts, New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and among other states, as well.

An aspect of the collection that I truly enjoy are the rare forms that seem to have been more-so regularly manufactured in Pennsylvania than anywhere else in America in the nineteenth-century. The Pennsylvania potters were arguably the most-experimental when it came to introducing unusual forms to the American potter's industry - and, many of these types of forms are represented in Winterthur's collection. Although, this statement should not be misunderstood - unusual forms were made by red earthenware potters all over America in the nineteenth-century; however, it appears that the Pennsylvania potters gave a greater effort to produce forms that did not necessarily fit into the norm of the day-to-day products made by a tradition American red earthenware potter.

The museum's notable rare red earthenware forms include inkstands, inkwells, candlesticks, vases, roasting pans, wall pockets, trivets, strainers, pipes, sanders, salts, sugar bowls, various formed flower containers, butter molds, whimsical figures, decorative objects, roof tiles, castors, various cooking molds, gemels, pipe racks and plaques. Many of these objects were made in Pennsylvania, too.

Today, I have chosen six objects from Winterthur's collection that I feel represents the idea of what a rare red earthenware form exemplifies today. I believe all of these objects are also attributed to Pennsylvania. The rarest among the group is likely the red earthenware tobacco shredder, which is a form that I have never seen made from red earthenware or stoneware before.

Note: Nineteenth-century tobacco shredders are often made from cast iron - in-fact, a number of the tobacco shredders that appeared in America in the 1800's were cast iron products, which were manufactured in Germany. It should be understandable, too that this red earthenware tobacco shredder was likely manufactured by a Pennsylvania-German potter in the nineteenth-century.

Lamp

19th Century Red Earthenware Lamp Attributed to Pennsylvania

Suggested Circa 1800-1830

Stands 7 3/4" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

Animal Feeder

19th Century Red Earthenware Animal Feeder Attributed to Pennsylvania

Suggested Circa 1800-1850

Stands 5 3/8" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

Door Stop

19th Century Red Earthenware Door Stop Attributed to Pennsylvania

Circa 1800-1900

Stands 9" Tall

Measures 12" Long

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

Tobacco Shredder

 19th Century Red Earthenware Tobacco Shredder Attributed to Pennsylvania

Suggested Circa 1800-1840

Stands 1 5/8" Tall

Measures 4 3/8" Long

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

Another View of the Tobacco Shredder

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

Cane Holder

  19th Century Red Earthenware Cane Holder Attributed to Pennsylvania

Inscribed 'E. DEIHL, 1841'

Circa 1841

Measures 1 3/4" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

View of the Inscription 'E. DEIHL, 1841'

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

Cane Holder

 19th Century Red Earthenware Cane Holder Attributed to Pennsylvania

Suggested Circa 1825-1920

Stands 2 3/4" Tall

Photo Courtesy: Winterthur - Wilmington, Delaware

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