The Janis Blouin Collection of Americana that Sold Over the Weekend in Downtown Exeter, New Hampshire

According to Amesbury, Massachusetts auctioneer John McInnis, "I typically have no problem writing an auctioneers note for the many ads I have done over the years. At 58 years of age, I sit here at a loss for words to describe the unique Americana collection of Janis Blouin. Janis is an old fashioned North Shore, Massachusetts picker. No computers, no cell phones, no technology in her life - and up until recent years, she never missed any kind of local auction, estate sale, yard sale or flea market in her backyard. 

I conducted my first auction in my late teens, I remember in the audience seeing Janis and Aime, her late husband in attendance for over 38 years. It is easy to see her love for country and primitives by the selection of items she has amassed."

John McInnis sold Janis Blouin's Americana collection over the weekend in a highly competitive three day sale at the historic Town Hall in downtown Exeter, New Hampshire. There was truly a little bit of everything in this sale, color and paint was clearly an emphasis, but there was also apparently an appreciation for obscurity, folk art and the occasional peculiar antique. I also found it fascinating that a number of the items had been picked years ago at Ginny's Flea Market in Rowley, Massachusetts, which hasn't operated in decades, as well as Todd's Farm Flea Market, also in Rowley.

Among the highlights from the sale was a nineteenth century carved eagle attributed to John Haley Bellamy in Kittery, Maine, a circa 1893 crazy quilt that was really in tune with popular culture of the period and a grain painted chest with two birds possibly from Vermont. But there were also some objects in the sale that had been purchased directly from Russell Kettle, who had previously illustrated these pieces and many others when his book, The Pine Furniture of Early New England was published in 1929. The best Kettle piece in the sale was very likely an eighteenth century three door cupboard, which brought a lot of interest from bidders on the floor.

Janis Blouin Collection, Exeter, NH

Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Janis Blouin Collection Sold by John McInnis in Exeter, NH

Three Day Sale Took Place August 24-26, 2018

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Some Highlights from Janis Blouin's Auction

19th Century Grain Painted Trunk Decorated with Two Birds

Possibly Made in Vermont

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Circa 1893 American Crazy Quilt

Much of the Quilt's Themes are in Tune with American Popular Culture from the 1890s

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The sale also included a variety of red earthenware and stoneware - although the red earthenware seems to have been much more competitive with many of the pieces having also been picked years ago by Janis Blouin at the flea markets in Rowley.

It may have been a coincidence, but much of the competition revolved around red earthenware produced in Essex County, Massachusetts in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century, such as a variety of wares made at the industry in Peabody (formerly South Danvers), Massachusetts. Peabody is also an industry that I wrote about last year in a feature story published in the November 2017 issue of the New England Antiques Journal, entitled, Digging Into the Peabody Potteries: Archaeology and Red Earthenware.

Nevertheless, the most sought after piece of pottery in the sale was a slip-script "ABC" plate, which may have set an auction record for any type of red earthenware inscribed "ABC" selling for almost $4,500 after the buyer's premium. 

Overall, there were five pieces of pottery on my list that I wanted to bid on yesterday, but after careful consideration, that list shrunk down to three objects. I was also pleased with the outcome since I was the winning bidder on the three pieces, as well. I have posted two of those objects below, including a wonderful example of red earthenware manufactured at William Pecker's pottery in Merrimacport, Massachusetts, circa 1790-1820, and a beautifully thrown and glazed pot that I attribute to either Essex County or New Hampshire, but it may have also been made at one of the potteries in Merrimacport in the nineteenth century.

Janis Blouin's Red Earthenware Collection

19th Century Slip-Script "ABC" Platter Attributed to Norwalk, CT

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Late-18th or Early-19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Likely Made in Essex County, Mass.

Stands 9" Tall

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19th Century Red Earthenware Pitcher

Likely Made in Essex County, Mass.

Stands 6 1/2" Tall

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Janis Blouin's Red Earthenware Collection

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Janis Blouin's Red Earthenware Collection

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Janis Blouin's Red Earthenware Collection

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Janis Blouin's Red Earthenware Collection

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Janis Blouin's Red Earthenware Collection

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Wonderful Red Earthenware Jug

Attributed to the William Pecker Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

 Circa 1790-1830

Stands 7 1/2" Tall

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19th Century Red Earthenware Handled Pot

Likely Made in Essex County, Mass. or New Hampshire

Very Possibly Made at One of the Potteries in Merrimacport, Mass.

Circa 1800-1860

Stands 6" Tall

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

Another Day Exploring the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

Earlier this week, my nephew and I spent some time visiting museums in upstate New York and New York City, which I will begin to share some stories about our trip next week. However, yesterday morning, I visited the site of Phineas Chase's pottery in Merrimacport (formerly West Amesbury), Massachusetts again with my nephew Jason and niece Alexis. I first explored this site last weekend, which is documented on this website in an introductory report that I already posted.

We have been given permission by the property owners to salvage as many artifacts as possible related to Chase's production, who's business is an extension of the earlier William Pecker and James Chase potteries. There is some construction planned for the property next year, and we are trying to save as much material as possible before that happens. As I have already written, this will be an ongoing project this summer and fall.

Interestingly, Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins mentioned Phineas' business in 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares,' but the evidence that we have seen thus far certainly suggests that this was a much larger operation than previously noted.

Phineas built the house that stands on this property in 1851 and also moved the pottery business from another location in Merrimacport to this site about that time, as well. Therefore, this pottery operated circa 1851ish until at least the 1880s, producing all the expected utilitarian forms, with a larger emphasis in the later years devoted to the manufacture of glazed and unglazed flowerpots.

Nevertheless, yesterday we found hundreds of sherds, most of which do not appear to be from flowerpots. But we also found at least three different forms of kiln furniture, and possibly a few kiln bricks. The reason we believe these bricks may have belonged to the kiln is a result of unintentional glazes that cover part of each brick.

Phineas Chase's Pottery, Merrimacport, Mass.

(Left) My Nephew Jason Holds What May Appears to be Two Kiln Bricks

Each Brick is Partially Decorated with an Unintentional Glaze

(Right) My Niece Alexis Holds Some of the Kiln Furniture We Discovered

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One of Three Pads We Found Yesterday

This Kiln Furniture was Used in Groups to Separate Pots Inside of the Kiln

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One of Three Pads We Found Yesterday

This Kiln Furniture was Used in Groups to Separate Pots Inside of the Kiln

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Collection of Artifacts that We Collected Yesterday

We Found this Material at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

The Pottery Operated at this Location Circa 1851ish Until at Least the 1880s

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Kiln Furniture that We Found Yesterday

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Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds that We Collected Yesterday

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Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds that We Collected Yesterday

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Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds that We Collected Yesterday

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Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds that We Collected Yesterday

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Some of the Red Earthenware Sherds that We Collected Yesterday

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

An Introductory Article: Phineas Chase's Red Earthenware Pottery in Merrimacport, Massachusetts

I wrote a feature story for the October 2014 edition of the New England Antiques Journal, entitled, "Utilitarian Redware in Massachusetts: The Chase Family Pottery." The story gave an overview of the Chase family pottery in Merrimacport (formerly West Amesbury), Massachusetts, which proceeded William Pecker's related circa 1790-1820 red earthenware and stoneware business.

But I only touched upon the Chase family's production from the late 1800s since there is no archaeology known today, and it also appears to have been a business that Massachusetts author Lura Woodside Watkins did not devote a lot of material to in Early New England Potters and Their Wares.

However, the book, History of Amesbury: Including the First Seventeen Years of Salisbury, to the Separation in 1654, and Merrimac, from Its Incorporation in 1876, which was first published in 1880 seems to tell a different tale indicating that Phineas Chase's pottery was in fact a regularly active company during this later period: "Mr. Phineas Chase continues the manufacture of earthen ware, which his father commenced (James Chase) more than a half century ago (circa 1820) at the Merrimack River.

Watkins does cite Phineas' business, which she indicates was moved from his father's property adjacent to the Merrimack River to Phineas's house, "At some time before 1863, Phineas moved the works to his own land at the top of the hill on the road leading up from the river. John Donovan, a traveling potter who worked at Moses Paige's pottery in Peabody, recalled his producing a green glaze. Not very much is known about Phineas' activities, except that pieces of Chase pottery from this later period are frequently encountered about the country."

Watkins also wrote that some artistic pottery, such as painted vases were manufactured in Merrimacport, "The trend towards bric-a-brac may be observed at other redware potters that were running in the 1870s and 1880s. At Exeter, at Merrimacport, at Keene, and at Concord, terra-cotta vases, ewers, and knickknacks were substituted for the heavy kitchenware of early manufacture."

Phineas' pottery is also listed in the 1884 Essex County, Massachusetts Directory, alongside two major companies for the area - Moses Paige's Pottery in Peabody (formerly South Danvers), Massachusetts and Charles A. Lawrence's Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Nevertheless, I am going to be working with the current property owners of Phineas' house in order to salvage as many artifacts as possible that relate to his business. The property owners have some construction planned for next year, and before that happens, I have been given permission to collect as much material as I can find. For example, I spent yesterday afternoon investigating this nearly two acre estate, and I found kiln furniture, wasters, sherds and what I believe to be an actual kiln brick.

While it appears that the remains of the kiln and waste pile may be long gone, there still appears to be a significant amount of kiln debris scattered throughout property. I even found a bright green glazed crimped rim sherd from a flowerpot that appears to be the same green glaze Watkins learned about from John Donovan. This will also be an ongoing project that I will continue to write about this summer and fall.

I should also note that the property originally included Phineas' potter's shed, which I assume stored his pottery, and is likely also where he threw his wares. This shed had survived until recently, when it was taken down because of its condition. But the family has many photographs showing how this shed looked - I would also compare this structure to the shed found on the property of John Corliss' business in Days Ferry, Woolwich, Maine, which has been widely published by the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine.

Phineas Chase Billhead from the 1880s

Photo Copy of an 1880s Billhead from Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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1884 Essex County, MA Directory

Phineas Chase Listed in the 1884 Essex County, MA Directory

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Artifacts Recovered from the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

Shown Here are Examples of Kiln Furniture, Wasters, Sherds and a Kiln Brick

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Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Artifacts Recovered at the Site of Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Green Glaze No. 1

Green Glazed Sherds from Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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Green Glaze No. 2

Green Glazed Flowerpot Sherd from Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

The Sherd is Also Decorated with a Crimped Rim

This is Likely the Bright Green Glaze Referenced by the Potter John Donovan to Watkins

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Another View of the Green Glazed Flowerpot Sherd

The Sherd is Also Decorated with a Crimped Rim

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Green Glaze No. 3

Spotted Green Glazed Sherd from Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

This Tye of Glaze is Often Misattributed to New Hampshire Today

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Interior of the Green Glazed Sherd from Phineas Chase's Pottery in Merrimacport, Mass.

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