Two Red Earthenware Jars Attributed to the Industry in North Yarmouth, Maine

As I have already noted, I continue to share stories and pieces from my private collection on my personal Instagram and Facebook pages. For instance, I posted these two nineteenth century red earthenware jars yesterday, which based on archaeological evidence, I believe were manufactured at the industry in North Yarmouth, Maine. The green glazed jar shown to the left (tough to accurately photograph this glaze) is really an exceptional piece, exhibiting two different glaze styles on each side.

Both of these jars were illustrated in a lengthy research story I wrote about the red earthenware industry in North Yarmouth, which was published in the November 2019 issue of  Maine Antique  Digest, titled, "The North Yarmouth, Maine Pottery Industry, 1791-1890." The story was a result of a number of years worth of research, largely also thanks to the preservation and archaeology efforts of Gorham, Maine historian Chris Havey.

Two Red Earthenware Jars Attributed to the Industry in North Yarmouth, Maine

19th Century Red Earthenware Jars Attributed to North Yarmouth, Maine

Both Published in the November 2019 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

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Another View of the Jars

Both Published in the November 2019 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

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"The North Yarmouth, Maine Pottery Industry, 1791-1890"

Research Story I Wrote for the November 2019 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

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 "The North Yarmouth, Maine Pottery Industry, 1791-1890"

Research Story I Wrote for the November 2019 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

 See Article for More Information

 "The North Yarmouth, Maine Pottery Industry, 1791-1890"

Research Story I Wrote for the November 2019 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

 See Article for More Information

"The North Yarmouth, Maine Pottery Industry, 1791-1890"

Research Story I Wrote for the November 2019 Issue of Maine Antique Digest

 See Article for More Information

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

A Wonderful Circa 1876 Grecian Style Red Earthenware Jug Just Acquired by Historic Beverly in Massachusetts

As most of you probably know who regularly read this website, I have a large interest in the antique Grecian style wares made at the Charles A. Lawrence (1829-1904) Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts. These type of wares were advertised as early as 1872, and were the first of its kind made in America, later followed by a number of other American potteries, many of which were located in Massachusetts in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

I recently learned about this wonderful Grecian hand painted red earthenware jug that was just acquired by Historic Beverly in Beverly, Massachusetts. The museum received the jug from a private collection in New Hampshire. To my knowledge, this is only the second Grecian object in this form known from the Beverly Pottery today; the other jug is displayed in the Americana Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.

Both jugs are decorated in a similar style, and each is marked with the same ink stamp on the base, reading, "BEVERLY POTTERY / C.A. LAWRENCE  / ANTIQUARIAN / CENTENNIAL / BEVERLY, MASS."

For more information about this type of production and the history of this business, I suggest a book I wrote that was just published late last year by Historic Beverly, titled, The Beverly Pottery: The Wares of Charles A. Lawrence.

Circa 1876 Grecian Style Jug Just Acquired by Historic Beverly in Massachusetts

19th Century Grecian Style Hand Painted Red Earthenware Jug

Made at the C.A. Lawrence Pottery in Beverly, Mass.

Circa 1876

A Very Similar Example is Displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan

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Photo Courtesy: Historic Beverly 

View of Base Which is Marked with One of the Known Company's Stamps

"BEVERLY POTTER / C.A. LAWRENCE  / ANTIQUARIAN / CENTENNIAL / BEVERLY, MASS."

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Photo Courtesy: Historic Beverly 

Some of  Historic Beverly's Collection of Grecian Style Wares

All Made at the C.A. Lawrence Pottery After 1872

The New Jug is Displayed in the Middle

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Photo Courtesy: Historic Beverly 

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

19th Century Slip-Script Red Earthenware Platter Related to an Object Recovered in Manhattan

As some of you may already know, Flying Pig Antiques in Westmoreland, New Hampshire has been listing some of their inventory on their Etsy page. Moments ago, I was thrilled to acquire this wonderful nineteenth century slip-script red earthenware platter from Flying Pig Antiques, which I think reads, "Sukey." Sukey is an eighteenth century girl's name of English origin, and is a derivative of the name Susan.

Although, what really caught my attention about this object is that it is likely from the same manufacturer as a rare slip-script red earthenware platter recovered from an early-to-mid nineteenth century context in Manhattan by Scott Jordan and Maribelle Costes that reads, "Emily." 

For more information about this type of production recovered in New York City, see the research articles I have written in the past few years for Maine Antique Digest, Antiques & the Arts Weekly and Untapped New York.

19th Century Slip-Script Red Earthenware Platters

19th Century Slip-Script Red Earthenware Platter

Likely the Same Manufacturer as the Example Posted Below Recovered in Manhattan

Measures 13" Long and 9" Tall

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Photo Courtesy: Flying Pig Antiques

19th Century Slip-Script Red Earthenware Platter

Recovered from an Early-to-Mid 19th Century Context in Manhattan

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Photo Courtesy: Scott Jordan and Maribelle Costes

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

An Excellent 19th Century Slipware Plate Recovered in Bergen County, New Jersey

I have known about this great piece of nineteenth century slipware for almost a year now, and I was very pleased to finally purchase it yesterday from a collector in northern New Jersey. This nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware plate was recovered some years ago in Paterson, New Jersey, which is located about eighteen miles northwest of Manhattan.

I believe the context that this piece was recovered likely indicates it was made about nine miles to the east in River Edge, Bergen County, New Jersey, which is where George Wolfkiel (1805-1867) was employed, circa 1830-1867. Born in Franklin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, Wolfkiel was likely a Pennsylvania trained potter before arriving in northern New Jersey, eventually purchasing a company established by Henry Jacob Van Saun (d. 1829) in April 1847. Much of the River Edge production was sold along the Hackensack River, as well as the communities surrounding River Edge. But a lot of this production was also shipped to New York City in the 1800s.

More specific details about the circa 1811-1867 red earthenware and stoneware production in River Edge will hopefully be published soon in a lengthy research story I wrote. I hope to share the details about this story in the near future.

19th Century Slipware Plate Recovered in Paterson, New Jersey

19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Plate

Recovered in Paterson, New Jersey

Likely Made by George Wolfkiel (1805-1867) in River Edge, New Jersey

Likely Circa 1830-1867

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Phil Pinto

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

A Comparison of Marbled Slipware Plates, Some of Which Were Recovered from Early Contexts on Long Island

As I have previously written, I have been posting pictures of various objects from my private collection to my Facebook and Instagram accounts, which will continue for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. And this is a piece that I just posted this morning.

Published in the October 2018 issue of Maine Antique Digest is a research story I wrote about domestic red earthenware found in New York City in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, titled, "The Red Earthenware Available in the 18th and 19th Centuries in New York City." Among the illustrated artifacts were two three-color marbleized red earthenware plates recovered from separate contexts on Long Island (see below), although, they are probably from the same manufacturer. One of the plates was recovered from a foundation hole on central Long Island in the 1970s; the other plate was recovered on Shelter Island along the eastern end of Long Island.

To my knowledge, the manufacturer of these objects has not been identified, but it was a style of red earthenware produced at some businesses in the northeast in the late eighteenth and nineteenth century.

Nevertheless, the two-color marbled slipware plate that my niece Alexis is holding here is similar to the plates found on Long Island; the colors are very similar, as is the manufacture of plate. All three of these objects may be related. But I also want to note that the type of lighting used for these pictures likely accounts for the differences seen in the glaze colors - for instance, my niece is pictured holding this plate yesterday, which was a bright sunny day with nearly not a cloud in the sky. The other plates were photographed indoors with darker lighting.

With all of that said, these three plates may have been made by John Betts Gregory (1782-1842) at the Huntington Pottery on Long Island in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Gregory is known for using multiple colors of slip later in his career in Clinton, New York; Gregory also worked in Norwalk, Connecticut. The archaeological context of the two recovered plates match up as to when Gregory was employed on Long Island.

A Comparison of Marbled Slipware Plates

Two-Color Marbled Red Earthenware Plate

Possibly Made by John Betts Gregory at the Huntington Pottery on Long Island

Circa Late 18th or Early 19th Century
Possibly Related to the Two Pieces Illustrated Below

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Late 18th or 19th Century Marbled Red Earthenware Plate

Recovered from a Foundation Hole in Central Long Island in the 1970s

Possibly Made by John Betts Gregory at the Huntington Pottery on Long Island

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Gary Hammond - Long Island

Late 18th or 19th Century Marbled Red Earthenware Dish
Recovered on Shelter Island Located on the Eastern End of Long Island
Possibly Made by John Betts Gregory at the Huntington Pottery on Long Island
See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Anthony Butera - Port Jefferson, Long Island, NY

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

Eighteenth Century Sgraffito Plate Owned by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts that was Manufactured in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

There are a variety of American eighteenth century sgraffito decorated red earthenware plates in existence today, owned by such as museums as Winterthur in Delaware, the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Although, I cannot recall having seen a plate like this before from the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, inscribed with two folky figures smoking and drinking.

The plate is attributed to Thomas Smith (1728-1813) in Wrightstown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, circa 1791. According to the museum, "The plate underscores the informal and communal nature of eating and drinking in early America."

The plate is inscribed, "Hear Luck gifs to all those that Wares Raged Clothes / and has no Wife to Mend them / may the dogs get those Wags that has plenty of Joes / and has no heart to spend them / Come hand us a glass / And Round Let it pass."

According to the book, Lead Glazed Pottery, written by Edwin Atlee Barber (1851-1916) in 1907, "A square brown glazed tea caddy,  about six inches in height, is owned by Mr. James Terry of Harford, Connecticut (whereabouts of this piece is unknown to me today), on one side of which is etched, through a coating of yellowish slip, a rude design of a fruit tree with two birds at the base, and the inscription, "Esther Smith, Her Tea Cannister, September 6, 1767," and in the lower-right hand corner, the name of the maker, "Smith." Joseph Smith established a pottery in Wrightstown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about the year 1763, and while not a German himself, appears to have adopted some of the methods of his neighboring German craftsmen. He was succeeded by Thomas Smith, probably his son, and several sgraffito plates with lines of poetry and dates are in existence, which bear the latter's name."

Although, current scholarship has actually determined that Thomas was Joseph's nephew, and Thomas is known to have decorated his wares with verse. This particular plate descended in his family.

Note: Related Colonial eighteenth century sgraffito decorated red earthenware tea canisters, made by Joseph Smith are currently displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Winterthur, one of which was recently loaned for the first part of the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum's ongoing redware exhibit in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Eighteenth Century Sgraffito Plate Made by Thomas Smith in Bucks County, PA

18th Century Sgraffito Decorated Red Earthenware Plate

Attributed to Thomas Smith (1728-1813) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania 

Circa 1791

Measures 10 3/8" in Diameter

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Photo Courtesy: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

View of the Back

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Photo Courtesy: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

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

A Red Earthenware Sugar Bowl Found in Strasburg, Virginia Compared to Slipware Recovered in Richmond, Virginia

Last month, I posted these pictures of this nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware sugar bowl with its original lid, writing in part, "I was told by the owner that he purchased this piece a few decades ago from a family in the Strasburg, Virginia area, where it had been owned for many years. In fact, this person thought it may have descended in the family since it was originally purchased, but I currently have no way to prove that information."

Interestingly, I learned last night from Chris Rowell, who has recovered a number of amazing artifacts in Baltimore and Philadelphia that this bowl is similar to some wares recovered in Richmond, Virginia; although, to my knowledge, the origin of these wares has not been identified. Some of these artifacts have been recovered within an early-to-mid nineteenth century archaeological context. Chris also previously noted that while this type of production has been found in Richmond, it has not necessarily been recovered in other nearby cities in Virginia. But there was also a lot happening in Richmond during this period based on its strategic location along the James River.

Aside from the pictures of the bowl, I posted the remains of a heavily slip-decorated red earthenware pan recovered in Richmond, which reveals some slip styles similar to that found on this bowl. I have also posted pictures of a slightly domed lid that was recovered in Richmond; the shape of the lid and knob is very similar to the shape of the lid found on this sugar bowl. And a miniature pitcher was also recovered in Richmond, where the style of the slip appears to be related to the lid. This is interesting to see, nevertheless.

Among the notable known early red earthenware potters in Richmond was Andrew Pitman (d. 1838), who operated a pottery during the circa 1783-1838 period, where the site of his business was excavated in 1996 by archaeologists from the James River Institute for Archaeology and the Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia. The archaeology and local account books indicate that Pitman's business was likely most active during the circa 1807-1824 period. Pitman did produce a variety of slipware, including pans, but the archaeological evidence does not support this type of elaborate abstract and floral slip-decoration.

Red Earthenware Sugar Bowl Compared to Slipware Recovered in Richmond, Virginia

 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Sugar Bowl

The Style of the Slip and the Lid is Similar to Artifacts Recovered in Richmond, Virginia

Purchased Years Ago from a Family in the Strasburg, Virginia Area

Stands 6" Tall with the Lid

Measures 8" Across from Handle to Handle

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 Another View of the Bowl and the Lid

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 View of the Base of the Lid and the Bowl

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 19th Century Red Earthenware Slip-Decorated Pan

Recovered from an Early-to-Mid 19th Century Privy in Richmond, Virginia

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Photo Courtesy: Bruce Adwell

View of the Back of the Pan

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Photo Courtesy: Bruce Adwell

19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Lid, Pitcher and Bird

Recovered from an Early-to-Mid 19th Century Privy in Richmond, Virginia

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Photo Courtesy: Chris Rowell

Another View of the Lid

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Photo Courtesy: Chris Rowell

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