Group of Green Glazed Tiles Removed from a Church in Northern New England

According to author, Tim Grove's book, A Grizzly in the Mail and Other Adventures in American History, "Approximately 41.5 million brilliant tiles tell the stories of the history of churches in America, from American made examples to tiles that were imported from overseas." Although, America's contribution to the history of decorative tiles largely began with the Arts and Crafts movement, but there are examples that predate this period of production, such as stove tiles made by Moravian potters in Salem, North Carolina, circa 1760-1800. Roof tiles were also made in America as early as the seventeenth century. However, the production of American decorative tiles was most prominent during the 1870 to 1930 period, spanning  production throughout America, including Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Earlier this week, I visited Nor'East Architectural Salvage in South Hampton, New Hampshire, looking for a group of raised panel shutters, nevertheless, I was surprised to see their inventory of tiles. Examples ranged from rare pieces made in Chelsea, Massachusetts to much more common plain tiles. As I continued to look around their inventory, I found myself intrigued with this group of green glazed tiles, some manufactured with figures in relief. I was told they were removed about a decade ago from an early-nineteenth century church in northern New England.

I assume these tiles were imported from a foreign manufacturer seeing that I have not seen any American production that appears like this; they were manufactured from a red earthenware clay. Although, the characteristic that really caught my attention was the bright colored green glaze; most of the tiles are covered in filth. The green tile shown in the middle of the top row best represents how the glaze looks, but even this tile was dirty.

Group of Green Glazed Tiles Removed from a Church in Northern New England

Group of Green Glazed Tiles Removed from a Church in Northern New England

The Tiles are Made from a Red Earthenware Clay

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Nor'East Architectural Salvage

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

A Beautifully Glazed 19th Century Earthenware Jar or Vase Attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone in Toronto, Ontario

As I wrote in a post earlier this month, I was the winning bidder in one lot from the John Wine Collection that sold at Miller & Miller Auctions in New Hamburg, Ontario. This beautifully glazed nineteenth century earthenware jar is attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone in North York, Toronto, Ontario. The attribution for this form was determined in the twentieth century from existing objects owned by the Humberstone family.

In 1984, the University of Toronto Press published author Elizabeth Collard's (1917-2001) book, Nineteenth-Century Pottery and Porcelain in Canada, Second Edition. Some of the objects illustrated in the book were from her personal collection, including a great nineteenth century earthenware jar or vase attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone in North York, Toronto that was illustrated in plate 121. It was described as a baluster vase with relief horizontal bands, decorated in a mottled green and yellow glaze with a buff body.

North York is one of six divisions of Toronto, located directly north of old Toronto, and with a population today of nearly 700,000 people. According to the North York Historical Society, "York became an economic centre attracting merchants, entrepreneurs and settlers in the nineteenth century. With about 50,000 acres of gently rolling countryside, and Yonge Street as the main road, villages sprang up at crossroads, and wherever there was water-power for mills. In 1922, the Township of North York was incorporated, with a population of 6,000."

After Elizabeth Collard died in 2001, the ceramics from her estate were sold by Ritchies Auctioneers and Appraisers in Toronto in December 2002, which included some of the pottery illustrated in her book, such as the Humberstone vase. Here is a link to the auction catalog should anyone reading this want to see the ceramics.

According to the Archives of Ontario, "Simon Thomas Humberstone (1846-1915) was the most well known potter in the Humberstone family of potters, and was very active in conservative politics in Ontario.

The Humberstone family originally moved from Staffordshire, England to Philadelphia, then to Canada at the time of the American Revolution. Samuel Humberstone (ca. 1744-1823) established one of the first potteries in Upper Canada on the land he was granted in Augusta Township in Grenville County.

Samuel Humberstone's son Thomas (1776-1849) established his own pottery in York County in 1798. His son, Thomas Humberstone Junior (1811-1895) carried on pottery at York Mills, Thornhill, Willowdale, and at Newton Brook (west side of Yonge Street, south of Steeles Avenue).

Simon Thomas Humberstone came to be the most well known of all the Humberstone potters. He engaged in potting and Conservative politics for almost fifty years. He was a candidate for the Conservative Party, and served as Deputy Reeve and later as Reeve of York Township. Under his direction, a large pottery was erected at the Yonge and Steeles site. Works from this site were known as "Newton Brook Pottery. S.T. Humberstone. Stoneware, Earthenware and Rockingham." While Humberstone made the usual brownwares and red flowerpots, he also carried out extensive experimentation with a variety of coloured glazes and shapes."

The form of this jar or vase combined with the great glaze is possibly among the types of experimentation that Humberstone participated with at his pottery.

Earthenware Jar or Vase Attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone in Toronto, Ontario

My Niece Alexis Holding the Earthenware Jar or Vase

See Article for More Information

  19th Century Earthenware Jar or Vase

Attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone in North York, Toronto, Ontario

Stands 10" Tall

See Article for More Information

 Another View of the Vase

See Article for More Information

 View of the Interior

See Article for More Information

 View of the Base

See Article for More Information

 The Jar or Vase Pictured with Collard's Two Books and the Miller & Miller Catalog

See Article for More Information

Another Earthenware Jar or Vase Attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone

19th Century Earthenware Jar or Vase

From the Collection of Author of Elizabeth Collard

Illustrated in Plate 121 in Nineteenth-Century Pottery and Porcelain in Canada, Second Edition

Attributed to Simon Thomas Humberstone in North York, Toronto, Ontario

Stands 9 7/8" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Ritchies Auctioneers and Appraisers

The Vase Illustrated in Collard's Second Edition Book

See Article for More Information

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

Carved American Pottery from the Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Last week, I posted a story about this nineteenth century Etruscan formed stoneware vase that is attributed to the Huntington Pottery on Long Island, and likely made in the 1880s or 1890s. The vase was originally entirely covered on the exterior and interior with a brown Albany slip, although the exterior was then carved by the decorator, creating all sorts of wonderful intricate designs.

According to the information that it retains, "The vase was deaccessioned from the Litchfield, Connecticut Historical Society. It was made at the Huntington Pottery in Huntington, New York, and it is likely that the donor purchased the piece directly from the Huntington Pottery and then gifted it to the museum."

I was pleased to see other excellent examples of carved American pottery, while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City a few days ago. These objects were included in the Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection, dating from the circa 1892-1935 period: "Hand carving and incising leather-hard clay are two of the most widely used techniques for decorative surface embellishment. The formal qualities of porcelain - specifically, its strength and transparency - made it the ideal medium for delicately carved vignettes of Kate B. Sears in the late nineteenth century. Similarly, around 1900, Mary Louise McLaughlin introduced her Losanti ware, its carved floral and scroll-like compositions enhanced by subtly shaded glazes. Frederick Hurten Rhead, who came from the English tradition, excelled at crisply incised, stylized designs on earthenware vessels. His popular Rozane ware for the Roseville Pottery, most notably the "Della Robbia" line, epitomized the skill and detail with which he executed his conventionalized figural and landscape designs."

Interestingly, since it is known today that some of the earliest carved decorative pottery made in America was created by women, it would be very interesting to learn if this stoneware vase was also decorated by a female. It should also be taken into consideration that some of the decorative designs made in the later years at the Huntington Pottery are thought to have been created by female decorators. And while the manufacture of this vase is not as refined as a lot of American art pottery based on its weight, the skill of the design is quite accomplished. 

Carved Etruscan Formed Stoneware Vase from Long Island

 Late-19th or Early-20th Century Etruscan Formed Stoneware Vase 

Attributed to the Huntington Pottery on Long Island
Probably Circa 1880s or  1890s

Deaccessioned from the Collection of the Litchfield, Connecticut Historical Society

Stands 8 1/2" Tall

See Article for More Information

Another View of the Vase

See Article for More Information

View of the Base with the Litchfield, CT Historical Society's Accession Number

See Article for More Information

Carved Art Pottery from the Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection at the MET

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Collection of Carved Pottery from Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection

Circa 1892-1935

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Information Displayed with the Carved Pottery

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

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

A Stoneware Master Salt Owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Compared to a Red Earthenware Example

While visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City a few days ago, I was reminded that the museum owns a nineteenth century stoneware master salt that is directly related to a red earthenware example I wrote about a few weeks ago. In fact, both appear to have been created from the same type of glass example made in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

I acquired the red earthenware salt from the longtime collection of William Flowers, who owns Old South Jersey Glass & Antiques. He told me that he has owned it for many years.

While creating these objects, the potter modeled them after a salt manufactured about 1820 at the New England Glass Company in Cambridge. The red earthenware example even retains the embossed mark from the glass salt, which reads, "N.E. Glass Company Boston." The design shown on the front and back of the salts is a cornucopia basket overflowing with fruit, while the sides are decorated with a flower and leaves.

The following pictures illustrate the stoneware, red earthenware and glass examples of this form, and I want to note that the stoneware and red earthenware salts are slightly smaller, likely showing how they were made from a mold taken directly from a glass example.

Stoneware Master Salt

 19th Century Molded American Stoneware Master Salt

The Potter Modeled it After a Salt Made at the New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Mass.

Circa 1820-1840

Measures 2 3/4" Wide

See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Information Displayed with the Salt

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Red Earthenware Master Salt

 19th Century Red Earthenware and Glass Open Salts in a Matching Form

See Article for More Information

   (Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Open Salt

Likely Made in New England, Possibly Massachusetts

The Potter Modeled it After a Salt Made at the New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Mass.

Circa 1820-1840

Measures 2 3/4" Wide

See Article for More Information

  View of One of the Sides

See Article for More Information

View of the Interior

See Article for More Information

View of the Embossed Base

The Mark Reads, "N.E. Glass Company Boston"

See Article for More Information

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

A Great Pair of Monumental Red Earthenware Urns from Mason, Warren County, Ohio Retaining a History of Ownership in Cincinnati, Ohio

Published in this week's issue of Antiques & Auction News is a feature story I wrote about a specific type of red earthenware production from Ohio, and to coincide with that story, I would like to share this great monumental pair of related nineteenth century red earthenware urns that were recently discovered by Ohio potter, Greg Shooner. For a variety of reasons, these urns are significant to the story, including their appearance. But they also retain a long history of ownership, having originally graced the entryway to a mansion in Cincinnati, Ohio for over one century.

In the article, I discussed how Cincinnati was likely a major marketplace for this type of production from Silas Ballard (ca. 1826-1884), who worked in Mason, Warren County, Ohio, creating these type of objects during the circa 1860-1879 period, among many other wares. Although, it is really exciting to see this style of production actually retaining a history of ownership in Cincinnati.

For a full history about this type of production, here is a link to the story posted on Antiques & Auction News' website, titled, "A Look At Red Earthenware Made in Mason, Ohio." I will post the print version of the story sometime next week.

Monumental Red Earthenware Urns from Warren County, Ohio

19th Century Red Earthenware Urns from Mason, Warren County, Ohio 

They Retain a History of Ownership in Cincinnati, Ohio

Attributed to the Silas Balard (ca. 1826-1884)
Manufactured Circa 1860-1879

Each Stands a Little Over 20" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Greg Shooner

View of One of the Handles and the Glaze

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Greg Shooner

Another View of the Glaze

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Greg Shooner Please Stay

Tuned...Much More to Come...

New Published Feature Story: "A Look At Red Earthenware Made in Mason, Ohio"

Published in this week's issue of Antiques & Auction News is a feature story I wrote about a specific type of red earthenware production from Mason, Warren County, Ohio.  I truly believe this is an important style of production that should be recognized on a regional and national level today. I was able to write this story because of listening closely to a presentation given a few years back by Ohio potter, Greg Shooner at Historic Eastfield Village's ceramic conference in New York. But also thanks to Benny Kreiner, Michael Dupriest and the Mason, Ohio Historical Society.

Here is a link to the story posted on Antiques & Auction News' website, titled, "A Look At Red Earthenware Made in Mason, Ohio." I will post the print version of the story sometime next week.

"A Look At Red Earthenware Made in Mason, Ohio"

"A Look At Red Earthenware Made in Mason, Ohio"

Published in this Week's Issue of Antiques & Auction News

See Article for More Information

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

New Published Research Story: "Early Pottery Manufactured in Champion, N.Y."

Published in the current February 28, 2020 issue of Antiques & the Arts Weekly is a research story I wrote about a nearly unknown red earthenware pottery in Champion, New York, located in the northern part of the state near the shores of Lake Ontario and the Ontario, Canada border. The foundation for my research began with an important circa 1820 slip-script red earthenware jar from the collection of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. To my knowledge, the only information  previously published about pottery production in Champion was in 1878.

If you do not have access to the printed copy of the magazine, a downloadable version can be found on Antiques & the Arts Weekly's website. The story is published on page 44, and titled, "Early Pottery Manufactured in Champion, N.Y."

Here is also a link to a PDF of the story that I have uploaded by my Scribd account.

"Early Pottery Manufactured in Champion, N.Y."

"Early Pottery Manufactured in Champion, N.Y."

Research Story Published in the February 28, 2020 Issue of Antiques & the Arts Weekly

See Article for More Information

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