Where Witchcraft and Red Earthenware Intersect: A Research Journey to Danvers, Massachusetts

My forthcoming tenth book—a two-volume work spanning more than 1,900 pages—is titled An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts. This new publication will expand significantly on the life and career of Peter Clark (1743–1826), who is unquestionably one of the most vital figures in the eighteenth and nineteenth century New England pottery trade. 

While my eighth book, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses, largely analyzed his family’s production in New Hampshire, Clark’s vast influence actually began in Danvers, Massachusetts. From there, he established a business in Braintree in the 1760s before going on to shape early pottery production in Hartford, Connecticut, and across New Hampshire and Vermont. 

With the book’s release quickly approaching, I made one final trip recently to the Salem Village Parsonage Site in Danvers to ensure no detail was missed. There, one historical marker clearly details the architectural history of the property under the potter's grandfather, Reverend Peter Clark (1693-1768), who became the village minister in 1717. The marker notes that by the early 1730s, the 1681 parsonage had fallen into such poor condition that Reverend Clark urged the community to either renovate or rebuild. This culminated in a January 1734 town vote to demolish the old lean-to and erect a two-and-a-half-story addition on the back west side of the house. Crucially, this very property serves as a dark focal point in American history; it was in this original 1681 parsonage structure that the Salem Witch Trials originally ignited in 1692, under the tenure of Reverend Samuel Parris (1653-1720). This profound layer of historical evolution adds immense depth to the physical landscape the Clark family would later inhabit.

For more information about the Clark family - see my eighth book, though this family will also be highlighted in my eleventh book that is currently an ongoing project, titled,  A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

Information on Display at the Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Mass

See Article for More Information

Information on Display at the Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Mass

See Article for More Information

This is the Site of the Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Mass.

Operated 1681-1784

See Article for More Information

This Jar was Made by the Clark Family in Northern New England

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Ed Robertson

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

A Remarkable Survivor: Rare Bristol County Red Earthenware Jar Surfaces at Flying Pig Auctions

A significant example of late eighteenth or early nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware from Bristol County, Massachusetts, sold today at Flying Pig Auctions in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Offered as part of the Matt King Collection, the uncleaned jar remains a remarkable survivor; despite significant slip loss, its overall condition is fine.

The piece is directly related to a well-documented jar once sold by New York City dealers Garrison and Diana Stradling (see below). That companion piece was originally held by the Howard Gilman Foundation and displayed in their Manhattan office alongside decoys, early photography, and the rest of the corporate red earthenware collection before selling at Christie's New York in 2003 and 2004. Today, only a small group of these slip-decorated Bristol County jars are known to exist—most having been specially made for local Quaker weddings or members of the Bristol County Quaker community—making this newly surfaced example an incredibly rare find.

For more information - see my fifth published book, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-celebrated-industry-the-historic-wares-of-southeastern-massachusetts-bristol-county-and-cape-cod/.

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to Bristol County, Mass.

Circa 1780-1830

See Article for More Information

Courtesy: Matt King Collection

Another View of the Jar

See Article for More Information

Courtesy: Matt King Collection

Another View of the Jar

See Article for More Information

Courtesy: Matt King Collection

Another View of the Jar

See Article for More Information

Courtesy: Matt King Collection

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

Attributed to Bristol County, Mass.

Circa 1780-1830

Previously Owned as Part of the Howard Gilman Foundation in New York City

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy Garrison & Diana Stradling

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

Unearthing the Bradford Family Green Glazes: Tracking 19th-Century Glazes from Kingston to Cape Cod

The Major John Bradford House is a historic First Period homestead built around 1714 in Kingston, Massachusetts, for Major John Bradford (1653-1736)—a foundational town figure and grandson of Mayflower passenger Governor William Bradford (1590-1657). While the house itself was never the site of a pottery business, it shares a profound ancestral connection with the famed Bradford family pottery operation. That multi-generational business began around 1750 on a nearby Wapping Road farm, where a later descendant named John Bradford (1732-1811) established a brick-making and local red earthenware kiln. The workshop truly flourished between the 1780s and 1870s under his son, Stephen Bradford (1771–1837), and grandson, Stephen Jr. (1807-1866), who harvested local clay pits along the Jones River.

Among the artifacts on display in this house is a collection of red earthenware, many of which are green-glazed flowerpots and saucers. These pieces feature a glaze similar to the type produced by Quaker potters in Bristol County, who also made their own green-glazed flowerpots and saucers: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/05/three-generations-of-red-earthenware.html.

Identical green-glazed saucers were also recovered during the twentieth century by Brian Cullity (see below), the former curator of Heritage Museums & Gardens (formerly the Heritage Plantation of Sandwich), which were discovered at another Bradford family pottery business on Cape Cod. This branch was established in 1819 when Noah Bradford Jr. (1761–1841) relocated from Kingston to Barnstable, Massachusetts, to expand the family's regional reach. After purchasing the site from Prince Nye (1781–150), Bradford operated the pottery there from 1819 to 1830. While this specific green glaze flowerpot and saucer style was unquestionably manufactured at the primary Kingston location, it remains unclear if the Bradford family also produced it on Cape Cod or if the found artifacts were shipped there from Kingston.

Interestingly, I have questioned whether some of the more uncommon green-glazed forms currently attributed to Bristol County might actually be Bradford family creations. However, the only definitive evidence gathered so far confirms their production of green-glazed flowerpots and saucers. Surviving examples of these distinct objects are preserved today in various private collections, as well as at Historic Deerfield in Massachusetts and the Winterthur Museum in Delaware.

For more information -  see a five-page feature story I wrote for the May 2019 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled “The Bradford Family Potteries in Massachusetts.” This information was then published again in my fifth book, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-celebrated-industry-the-historic-wares-of-southeastern-massachusetts-bristol-county-and-cape-cod/. 

This is the Major John Bradford (1653-1736) House in Kingston, Mass.

Built About 1714

See Article for More Information

This is the Major John Bradford (1653-1736) House in Kingston, Mass.

Built About 1714

See Article for More Information

Various Red Earthenware Flowerpots and Saucers

Many of the Examples are Glazed Green

All Manufactured by the Bradford Family in Kingston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Jones River Village Historical Society

These Green Glazed Flowerpot Saucer Sherds were Recovered on Cape Cod

These were Recovered by Brian Cullity

Found at the Site of the Noah Bradford Jr. Pottery

They Match the Form Made by the Bradford Family in Kingston, Mass.

Circa 1819-1830

See Article for More Information

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

New Published Feature Story - Early 19th-Century American Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported to America

This is the print version of my latest feature story published on pages 4, 5 and 10 in the August 14, 2026 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, Early 19th-Century American Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported to America.

Here is a link to a PDF of page 4: https://www.academia.edu/171344044/Early_19th_Century_American_Marbled_Slip_Decorated_Red_Earthenware_A_Short_Look_At_The_Design_Transported_to_America

Here is a link to a PDF of page 5: https://www.academia.edu/171344054/Early_19th_Century_American_Marbled_Slip_Decorated_Red_Earthenware_A_Short_Look_At_The_Design_Transported_to_America

Here is a link to a PDF of page 10: https://www.academia.edu/171344054/Early_19th_Century_American_Marbled_Slip_Decorated_Red_Earthenware_A_Short_Look_At_The_Design_Transported_to_America

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Pages 4-5

See Article for More Information

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Page 4

See Article for More Information

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Page 4

See Article for More Information

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Page 5

See Article for More Information

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Page 10

See Article for More Information

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Page 10

See Article for More Information

"Early 19th-CenturyAmerican Marbled Slip Decorated Red Earthenware: A Short Look At The Design Transported To America"

Published in the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

This is Page 10

See Article for More Information

This is the August 14, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

See Article for More Information

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

Potter’s Proof: Solving the Mystery of a 19th-Century New England Red Earthenware Jar

Another branch of the Bradford family pottery business was established on Cape Cod in 1819, when Noah Bradford Jr. (1761-1841) relocated from Kingston to Barnstable, Massachusetts, to expand the family's regional reach. After acquiring the site from Prince Nye (1781-1850), he operated the pottery there from 1819 to 1830. Fascinatingly, archaeological evidence from this enterprise survives today, having been salvaged in the twentieth century by Brian Cullity, the former curator at Heritage Museums & Gardens (formerly the Sandwich Museum).

Only a small group of these jars are known today, which feature a highly distinct construction detail: somewhat pressed curved handles finished with bold, deep finger impressions pressed into the clay at each terminal. This specific stylistic and structural treatment is exceptionally rare, separating this work from other known New England red earthenware manufacturers of the period.

Intriguingly, several different shaped jars with this same type of handle appear to have been originally owned by Samuel Wing (1774–1854), who established himself as a prominent rural cabinetmaker in neighboring Sandwich during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These jars may suggest a direct trade relationship between the Bradford pottery in Barnstable and Wing's homestead in Sandwich. These specific pieces owned by Wing are now preserved as part of the permanent collection at Old Sturbridge Village.

In contrast, another jar from the New England region has remained somewhat of an origin mystery. Previously held in the collection of Stephen Corrigan in Vermont before passing to Brian Cullity on Cape Cod, early provenance indicators suggested a possible Vermont origin. However, a closer inspection reveals that it closely mirrors the handled jar featured in yesterday’s post in near-exact form (also shown below)—minus the handles themselves. Because those distinctive handles so closely resemble the known stylistic types produced by the Bradford family on Cape Cod, it is possible that this mystery jar was also a product of the Bradford family, manufactured at either their Kingston or Barnstable operations.

Nonetheless, both of these objects will be included in a chapter about the Bradford family and the archaeology of the Samuel Bell House in Peabody in my upcoming tenth book—a comprehensive, 1,900-page, two-volume study titled An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts.  

For more information -  see a five-page feature story I wrote for the May 2019 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled “The Bradford Family Potteries in Massachusetts.” This information was then published again in my fifth book, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-celebrated-industry-the-historic-wares-of-southeastern-massachusetts-bristol-county-and-cape-cod/. 

Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from New England

Retains Some History of Ownership in Vermont

Perhaps Related to the Jar Shown Below

This Type of Glaze is also Known from the Hews Pottery of Weston, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Possibly Related to the Bradford Family's Red Earthenware Production

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

These Jars Were Owned by Samuel Wing in Sandwich, Mass.

Likely Made at the Bradford Pottery in Barnstable, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village

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

The Barnstable Connection: Noah Bradford Jr.’s Red Earthenware and the Samuel Wing Homestead

As noted yesterday, another branch of the Bradford family pottery business was established on Cape Cod in 1819, when Noah Bradford Jr. (1761-1841) relocated from Kingston to Barnstable, Massachusetts, to expand the family's regional reach. After acquiring the site from Prince Nye (1781-1850), he operated the pottery there from 1819 to 1830. Fascinatingly, archaeological evidence from this enterprise survives today, having been salvaged in the twentieth century by Brian Cullity, the former curator at Heritage Museums & Gardens (formerly the Sandwich Museum).

Only a small group of these jars are known today, which feature a highly distinct construction detail: somewhat pressed curved handles finished with bold, deep finger impressions pressed into the clay at each terminal. This specific stylistic and structural treatment is exceptionally rare, separating this work from other known New England red earthenware manufacturers of the period.

Intriguingly, several different shaped jars with this same type of handled appear to have been originally owned by Samuel Wing (1774–1854), who established himself as a prominent rural cabinetmaker in neighboring Sandwich during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These jars may suggests a direct trade relationship between the Bradford pottery in Barnstable and Wing's homestead in Sandwich. These specific pieces owned by Wing are now preserved as part of the permanent collection at Old Sturbridge Village.

Notably, the Bradford family's output in Kingston and possibly Barnstable also featured a distinct green glaze that is comparable to those produced by Quakers in Bristol County, Massachusetts. This pottery helps contextualize Wing's career, which is remarkably well-documented thanks to the survival of his personal account books and tools. These records reveal that Wing, like many country artisans of his era, sustained his workshop by blending furniture-making with agricultural labor and local trade. Through surviving pieces matched to his documentation, scholars have identified his distinct construction styles and specialized chair-making techniques, illustrating how Cape Cod craftsmen successfully integrated urban stylistic influences from Boston with the practical demands of local agrarian and seafaring populations.

For more information -  see a five-page feature story I wrote for the May 2019 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled “The Bradford Family Potteries in Massachusetts.” This information was then published again in my fifth book, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-celebrated-industry-the-historic-wares-of-southeastern-massachusetts-bristol-county-and-cape-cod/. 

Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Possibly Related to the Bradford Family's Red Earthenware Production

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

A View of the Handle

This Type of Handle is Associated with the Bradford Family

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

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

Cape Cod Craftsmanship: The Red Earthenware of Noah Bradford and the Woodwork of Samuel Wing

Another branch of the Bradford pottery business was established on Cape Cod in 1819, when Noah Bradford Jr. (1761-1841) relocated to Barnstable, Massachusetts, to expand the family's regional reach. After acquiring the site from Prince Nye (1781-1850), he operated the pottery there from 1819 to 1830. Fascinatingly, archaeological evidence from this enterprise survives today, having been salvaged in the twentieth century by Brian Cullity, the former curator at Heritage Museums & Gardens (formerly the Sandwich Museum). 

Only a small group of these jars are known today, some of which appear to have been originally owned by a local Sandwich cabinetmaker and are now part of the collection at Old Sturbridge Village. Notably, the Bradford family's output in Kingston and possibly Barnstable also featured a distinct green glaze that is comparable to those produced by Quakers in Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Samuel Wing (1774–1854) established himself as a prominent rural cabinetmaker in neighboring Sandwich, during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Wing's career is remarkably well-documented thanks to the survival of his personal account books and tools. These records reveal that Wing, like many country artisans of his era, sustained his workshop by blending furniture-making with agricultural labor and local trade. Through surviving pieces matched to his documentation, scholars have identified his distinct construction styles and specialized chair-making techniques, illustrating how Cape Cod craftsmen successfully integrated urban stylistic influences from Boston with the practical demands of local agrarian and seafaring populations.

For more information -  see a five-page feature story I wrote for the May 2019 issue of Maine Antique Digest, titled “The Bradford Family Potteries in Massachusetts.” This information was then published again in my fifth book, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-celebrated-industry-the-historic-wares-of-southeastern-massachusetts-bristol-county-and-cape-cod/. 

These Jars Were Owned by Samuel Wing in Sandwich, Mass.

Likely Made at the Bradford Pottery in Barnstable, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village

Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar

Probably Made at the Bradford Pottery in Barnstable, Mass.

Stands 9" Tall and Measures 10" Across

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook

A View of One of the Handles

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook

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