Last month, I posted a twentieth century red earthenware vase to my social media accounts, writing, "Perhaps a rare find today at my local Sunday flea market in Massachusetts. This twentieth century red earthenware vase was recently found during a house clean out in Peabody, Massachusetts, where the home was reportedly occupied by the same family for multiple generations. And it just so happens that there are a lot of unknowns about the various decorative wares made at the Moses B. Paige Pottery in Peabody during the circa 1900-1940 period, as well as two Italian trained potters who migrated to Salem, Massachusetts in the early 1900s and worked for Paige, later branching out on their own in Peabody, circa 1945 to the early 1950s. In fact, Historic New England owns a pitcher they made in 1926 that was decorated by one of their daughters. The colors on that pitcher are similar to those seen on this vase. The crayon or whatever was used to draw on the base is also found on wares made at the Paige Pottery owned by the Peabody Historical Society.
However, I have nothing to compare this vase to whatsoever, but it is skillfully thrown, and decorated with incised acorn branches, a style of decoration quite popular with Majolica from the 1800s through the mid-20th century or so, as well as rustic wares made in the 1800s. The incised decoration is also highlighted with three colors of slip.
I had also considered that this is possibly a modern piece made in the last 40 years, but I can not find a record of anything like it, whereas I would also think it would have been signed or marked during this period."
A knowledgeable friend actually commented on one of my posts saying that he thought the vase dated from around the mid twentieth century or possibly a little earlier. He said he had seen related pieces before in New England, but he was not sure where they were made.
Furthermore, according to Massachusetts author Lura Woodside Watkins' (1897-1982) book Early New England Potters and Their Wares, "Perhaps
the most famous craftsman employed
at the Paige pottery was John Donovan, who was born in Exeter in 1851 and died in 1932. He was a turner for nearly
sixty years, having become a skilled potter
at the age
of fifteen. I once watched John Donovan at work making
kitchen bowls. He was able to complete one in from two to
three minutes. One by
one they would be laid on the drying
board. Donovan meantime chatting quietly with his visitors; the
board would be carried away, and he would begin
another round. Speed was an important
consideration in producing
utilitarian vessels,
but it took phenomenal
skill to make them of
uniform shape
at the same time. During Donovan's day
the Paige pottery
sold commercially
little herb pots with covers and a
lip, almost identical to those made in the
early days
of potting. They
were not made as reproductions, but in the ordinary
course
of events.
Edwin A. Rich, a Vermonter, worked in
the pottery about 1880, and James Crawford
Porter, an extremely
able turner, was one of
the later employees. Upon
the death of John
Donovan, the old tradition, too, passed
away. Two Italians, Ermano and Luigi Paolucci, attempted to throw pots and to run
the kiln, but they had not enough
skill to do
excellent hand work and they found machine
methods unprofitable
in competition with
the great modern factories. They
nevertheless turned out a number of interesting things
in Italian style. These were principally pitchers and large deep dishes, tin-enameled,
and painted in gay
floral designs. They
also
succeeded in producing some colored glazes,
such as a soft rose color, on a redware body."
Over the weekend, I discovered this finely thrown twentieth century red earthenware Italian style pitcher in a thrift-type shop located only a few miles from where the Paoluccis and Paige worked in Peabody. I was told it was found in a local home, although no other information was available about its history.
However, what struck me about this object is the way the base was cut by the potter, which is exactly the same as the base found on the vase. It is also very similar to the types of wares that Watkins describes that were made by the Paoluccis. Additionally, the clay color on both objects is exactly the same, whereas the pitcher's base reveals it was cut by a wire or some sort of string, another technique also found with some wares made in Peabody.
For more information - I suggest my second book available from Historic Beverly, titled, The Moses B. Paige Company: The Last of the Peabody Potteries.
A Comparison of Two 20th Century Red Earthenware Objects
20th Century Italian Style Red Earthenware Pitcher
Recently Found in Salem, Mass.
Stands 6" Tall
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Another View of the Pitcher
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Another View of the Pitcher
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A View of the Handle
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20th Century Red Earthenware Vase Surrounded by Incised Acorn Decoration
Recently Found in an Estate in Peabody, Mass.
Stands 6 1/4" Tall
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A View of the Interior
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A Comparison of the Vase and Pitcher
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A Comparison of the Bases
The Way the Bases were Cut Appears to the Be the Exact Same Way
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The Clay Color is the Same
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A Closer View of the Pitcher's Base
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A Closer View of the Vase's Base
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Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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