Feature Story Published in Antiques And The Arts Weekly: Amos Seavey, A Stoneware Potter In Chelsea, Mass.

This is the print version of a feature story I wrote published on page 28 in the April 25, 2025 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, Amos Seavey, A Stoneware Potter In Chelsea, Mass.

Feature Story Published in Antiques And The Arts Weekly

Amos Seavey, A Stoneware Potter in Chelsea, Mass.

Published in the April 25, 2025 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

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Amos Seavey, A Stoneware Potter in Chelsea, Mass.

Published in the April 25, 2025 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

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This is the  April 25, 2025 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

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

Some Information that Will be Included in Forthcoming Tenth Book: More About the Clark Family and Thomas Oliver's Estate Inventory in Salem Village from 1679

For those of you who bought my eighth book, titled, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses, there will be more information about the Clark family published in my forthcoming 800-900 page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, South Danvers, Peabody and Salem, Massachusetts. I'm hoping the book will be published sometime this fall, otherwise early next year.

This is some information that will be published in the new book: "An interesting connection found in the Salem Village Parsonage was that Reverend Peter Clark (1693-1768), who served as the minister from 1717-1768 was the grandfather of Captain Peter Clark (1743-1826) of Braintree, Massachusetts and Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Captain Clark was an influential potter in both locations, although he was likely previously a trained potter in the South Danvers area. This success as a potter was partly a result of domestically produced red earthenware being a non-valuable commodity at the time. These objects also often had a shorter lifespan when compared to the imported wares due to more frequent use, among other reasons. As a result, these locally produced wares were often in high-demand and regularly produced because of the household needs in the Danvers, South Danvers (Peabody) and Salem area.

Captain Peter Clark’s parents were Peter Clark (1720-1747) and Anna Porter (Clark) (Faxon) (1722-1763); they were both born in Danvers, Massachusetts. The elder Clark was the son of Reverend Peter Clark of Salem Village. They were married in Salem, Massachusetts on October 3, 1741. They were then living in Braintree by 1743. The elder Peter Clark died in Braintree in 1747, and Anna Clark died in Braintree in 1763. Although she remarried Thomas Faxon (1710-1801) in Braintree on September 14, 1752. 

The Clark family eventually influenced production in a number of locations in New England in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, especially in New Hampshire and Vermont, with lesser known businesses in Orford, New Hampshire and Brownington, Vermont. The Clark family can also be traced back to Hugh Clark (1612-1693) in Watertown, Massachusetts, who migrated to Massachusetts from London, England in 1638.

(Shown below) This is Reverend Peter Clark's probate inventory from July 1768 in Salem Village; he was born in Watertown, graduated from Harvard College in Cambridge in 1712, and became the minister of the Salem Village parsonage in 1717."

Reverend Peter Clark's Probate from July 1768

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Photo Courtesy: Essex County Probate Records

Reverend Peter Clark's Probate from July 1768

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Photo Courtesy: Essex County Probate Records

Reverend Peter Clark's Probate from July 1768

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Photo Courtesy: Essex County Probate Records

Reverend Peter Clark's Probate from July 1768

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Photo Courtesy: Essex County Probate Records

Additionally, "...a notable estate inventory from Salem Village is one from 1679 from Thomas Oliver (1601-1679). Oliver was born in England in 1601, and was a passenger listed aboard the “Marey Ann of Yarmouth,” which departed England on May 13, 1637.

The "Mary Anne of Yarmouth" was a ship that sailed from Ipswich, England, to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1637, carrying passengers including those persecuted for their Puritan beliefs. The ship was captained by William Goose and left England in May, arriving in Boston on June 20th.

Oliver was living in Salem, Massachusetts by 1641, which is where his daughter Mary (b. 1641) was born. His first wife was Mary Leeman (1605-1666), who he married on January 29, 1626 in Norfolk, England. However, she passed away in 1666, and Oliver remarried Bridget Bishop (1632-1692), who was the first victim of the Salem Witch Trials in June of 1692.

Among the items listed in Thomas Oliver’s estate were “some few earth [enware] dishes.” These may have been imported wares from England, although there may have been some production in Salem during this period, as well as known production from the Drinker and Kettle families in Charlestown, Massachusetts."

Thomas Oliver's Estate Inventory from Salem Village, Mass. in 1679

Earthenware Dishes are Noted

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

A Good 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar that Recently Sold in New York

As I noted in a post earlier this week, titled, A Good Large 19th Century Green Glazed Red Earthenware Jar Sells at Hyde Park Country Auctions in New York & Other Auction Results, "This is a good red earthenware object that I recently purchased at Hyde Park Country Auctions in Poughkeepsie, New York, whereas I will post better pictures when it arrives later this week."

Nonetheless, the jar arrived yesterday and it is much better than I expected in both form and the light green or rust-yellow colored glaze (changes color in different types of lighting)! I had also suggested in the previous post that this jar may have been made in Vermont or New York State, however, I now suspect that it is more likely from northern New England, perhaps Vermont or New Hampshire.

According to the auction house, "The jar came from an estate filled with Americana in Ulster County, New York." It is unclear where the jar was found before that, although Ulster County is located in eastern upstate New York along the Hudson River.

I also wrote in that post earlier this week, "I believe this jar might be related to some cream colored glazed red earthenware jars and jugs that are known today, where the jugs have a northern New England look to the form." After careful inspection and comparison, I still believe this may be the case with this jar that stands over eleven inches tall and retains its original lid.

Note: For more information about red earthenware production in New Hampshire, Vermont and New York - see two books I wrote that were published earlier this year:

1) America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York, two volumes, 1,400 pages: https://historicbeverly.net/product/103125/

2) An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses, 700 pages: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/

Good 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar that Recently Sold in New York

My Dog Jack Pictured with the Jar

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Large 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar with Its Original Lid

The Glaze is a Light Green or Rust-Yellow Colored Glaze

Possibly Made in Northern New England

Perhaps Made in Vermont or New Hampshire

Retains Some History of Ownership Along the Hudson River in New York

Stands 11 1/4" Tall

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A View of the Original Lid and One of the Handles

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

A Good 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher Sells at Heckler's Auction in Connecticut

A good example of possible nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware from the Charles A. Lawrence (1829-1904) Pottery in Beverly, Massachusetts sold for a strong price last night in an online sale at Heckler's Auction in Woodstock Valley, Connecticut. The form of this pitcher is slightly different than the more typical pitchers of this shape known from Beverly, including one with its original lid that is in the collection of Winterthur Museum in Delaware. I have also found some of the pitchers made in Beverly that are under six inches tall often retain a smell of maple syrup.

However, it has also been suggested that this pitcher may be from Hagerstown, Maryland; similar glazes were produced there, as well.

But there were multiple potters who worked at the Beverly Pottery so there will be some variations; interestingly though, I happen to own a similar smaller version of this pitcher (only 2 1/4 inches tall) in both form, as well as exterior and interior glaze, which was found in a house in Marblehead, Massachusetts in the 1940s. Marblehead borders Salem, which is located next to Beverly.

Furthermore, another appealing aspect about this pitcher is the fact that it retains a George Skinner McKearin (1874-1958) label on one side. McKearin was an antiques dealer and collector, who owned an antiques shop in New York City, and he became an expert on American glass. But he also collected and dealt in various types of pottery. For example, some objects he owned were even published in Lura Woodside Watkins' (1897-1982) book, Early New England Potters and Their Wares: https://whatelyhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/earlynewenglandpotters.pdf.

Nonetheless, this pitcher sold for $4,095 including the buyer's premium: https://auctions.hecklerauction.com/249/.

Note: For more information about the Beverly Pottery - see my first published book, titled, The Beverly Pottery: The Wares of Charles A. Lawrence: https://historicbeverly.net/product/the-beverly-pottery-the-wares-of-charles-a-lawrence/.

Good 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher 

19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher

Might be Related to Production in Beverly, Mass.

Otherwise Possibly Made in Hagerstown, Maryland

Stands 4 3/4" Tall

Retains George S. McKearin Label

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Photo Courtesy: Heckler's Auction

Additional Views of the Pitcher

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Photo Courtesy: Heckler's Auction

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

A Red Earthenware Jar Stamped "UTENSIL" Found in a Thrift Store in Saugus, Massachusetts

This is not necessarily the most exciting object, although I found it six months ago in a thrift store in Saugus, Massachusetts, where it had to retain some type of history of local ownership. In fact, many of the objects found in this thrift store have resided in the area for a number of years, and there were a lot of manufacturers of all types of products located a short distance from Saugus in the late nineteenth and twentieth century.

I have gone back and forth about this object for months now; was it made locally or was it made by another potter elsewhere in the country? I have not been able to find any information about it or another object like it.

However, the jar is stamped with the word "UTENSIL," which is a noun that refers to a tool or implement, especially one used for practical purposes in the household, such as in the kitchen. The word has its origins in Latin, entering English through Old French.

Furthermore, the base of the jar shows that it was removed from the potter's wheel using a wire or a string of some sort, which was a technique used on some of the red earthenware produced at the circa 1876-1930s Moses Paige (ca. 1847/48-1941) Pottery in Peabody, Massachusetts. The color of the clay and the throw rings on the interior are also consistent with wares produced in Peabody in the twentieth century.

Nonetheless, I would very much like to learn otherwise, but for now I am leaning towards this being an object produced in Peabody during the circa 1920s-1930s period.

Note: For more information about the Paige Pottery - see my second published book, titled, The Moses B. Paige Company: The Last of the Peabody Potteries: https://historicbeverly.net/product/the-moses-b-paige-company-the-last-of-the-peabody-potteries/.

Red Earthenware Jar Stamped "UTENSIL" Found in a Thrift Store in Saugus, Mass.

20th Century Red Earthenware Jar Stamped "UTENSIL"

Found Earlier this Year in a Thrift Store in Saugus, Mass.

Retains Some Type of History of Local Ownership

Stands 7" Tall

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A View of the Interior

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A View of the Base

This Type of Wire or String Cut Base is Found with Wares Made in Peabody in the 1900s

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

A Good Large 19th Century Green Glazed Red Earthenware Jar Sells at Hyde Park Country Auctions in New York & Other Auction Results

This is a good red earthenware object that I recently purchased at Hyde Park Country Auctions in Poughkeepsie, New York, whereas I will post better pictures when it arrives later this week. Nonetheless, I suspect this large nineteenth century green glazed red earthenware jar was made in either Vermont or New York, although I have never been able to pinpoint the exact business. I believe it might be related to some cream colored glazed red earthenware jars and jugs that are known today, where the jugs have a northern New England look to the form. This jar survives in excellent condition and the lid is original.

According to the auction house, "The jar came from an estate filled with Americana in Ulster County, New York." It is unclear where the jar was found before that, although Ulster County is located in eastern upstate New York along the Hudson River.

Note: These are two other auction results that I wanted to mention, but I have not had an opportunity to write articles about either of them.

1) Unusual Molded Plate Sells at Amelia Jeffers on Ohio: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/209106383_redware-plate-with-rockingham-glaze-columbus-oh

2) Inscribed Spittoon from York County, Pennsylvania Sells at Keystone Auction LLC: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/209252201_1880-garfield-redware-spittoon-rare-signed-york-pa

Large 19th Century Green Glazed Red Earthenware Jar 

Large 19th Century Green Glazed Red Earthenware Jar with Its Original Lid

Possibly Made in Vermont or New York

Retains Some History of Ownership Along the Hudson River in New York

Stands 11 1/4" Tall

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Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions

A View of One of the Handles

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Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions

A View of the Base and the Lid

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Photo Courtesy: Hyde Park Country Auctions

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

A Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd Recovered at the Site of the Thomas Crafts Pottery in Whately, Massachusetts

This is an intriguing early nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware sherd that was recovered at the site of the Thomas Crafts (1781-1861) Pottery in Whately, Massachusetts. This type of slip decorated pottery has not previously been associated with production in Whately, although I would not immediately jump to the conclusion that it was produced in a place like Pennsylvania, either. 

Whately is located along the western bank of the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley, and a number of exports and imports traveled this river system in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. In fact, red earthenware made in the style of wares produced in Charlestown, Massachusetts before the American Revolution have been recovered by archaeologists at some of the towns located along the river in Connecticut, which is illustrated in my sixth book, titled, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/. The book also documents other types of red earthenware used in the Connecticut River area in the eighteenth and nineteenth century.

Additionally, I would not be surprised if there was some eighteenth century slip decorated red earthenware produced in Western Massachusetts, such as a businesses that existed in Springfield, Massachusetts, which was located less than thirty miles downriver from Whately. There were other central and Western Massachusetts potters, who had ties to the industry in Charlestown before 1775, Newburyport, Massachusetts before 1775, South Danvers (Peabody) and Salem, Massachusetts before 1800, and  possibly even Norwalk, Connecticut and New Jersey. 

However, there was also late eighteenth century red earthenware production in Whately; according to Historic Deerfield, "Stephen Orcutt (1777-1821) began making red earthenware in Whately in 1797, where his wares were first documented in 1802 in the account book (1772-1826) of store owner Reverend Rufus Wells (1743-1834)." But little is known about this type of production.

Furthermore, wares made in the Hartford, Connecticut area by Ebenezer Faxon (1749-1811), Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849), Seth Goodwin (1772-1828), a business owned by Captain Richard Pitkin (1759-1822) and perhaps even production in Goshen, Connecticut may have been shipped to some of the communities in Massachusetts, which  were located along the Connecticut River. 

Production eventually took off in Whately after 1810 and into the 1820s, although previous to this time, there was probably opportunities for other potters to ship their wares to this area, including Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Nevertheless, this sherd will be published in my forthcoming eleventh book, titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires.

Note: For more information about production in Whately - see these recent posts to this website -- 

1) Some Information About 19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Teapots Made in Whately, Massachusetts and Long Island, New York: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/06/some-information-about-19th-century.html

2) Some More Information About the Crafts Pottery in Whately, Massachusetts and How One Family Member Traveled West as Part of California's Gold Rush: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/06/some-more-information-about-crafts.html

3) A Dated 19th Century Black Glazed Red Earthenware Teapot Made by Sanford S. Perry in Whately, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/07/a-dated-19th-century-black-glazed-red.html

Sherd Recovered at the Site of the Thomas Crafts Pottery in Whately, Mass.

Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd 

Recovered at the Site of the Thomas Crafts Pottery in Whately, Mass

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Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute

Another View of the Sherd

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Photo Courtesy: National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute

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