As I noted in yesterday's post, the history of the Safford family's red earthenware production in Monmouth, Maine, is a remarkably complex subject involving multiple competing businesses and several generations of craftsmen. This intricate narrative will be featured in my forthcoming tenth book, a two-volume work titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts.
Volume II devotes a dedicated section to illustrating how many of Maine’s early red earthenware operations either directly migrated from or were heavily influenced by the historic potting hubs of Essex County, Massachusetts. What follows here is another preview of the Safford family's story, which will also be explored in an upcoming published feature article.
"...The history of the Safford family's red earthenware production is exceptionally well-documented within the American decorative arts, largely because they were among the few New England pottery dynasties who routinely stamped their wares. Extant pieces found today are frequently identified by impressed maker's marks reading "John Safford," "John M. Safford," “Safford & Allen,” or "John Safford 2D."
The Safford & Allen mark is probably the most intriguing of the group, as neither the specific Safford family member nor "Allen" has been accurately identified. While this partnership was discussed in Manlif Lelyn Branin's book The Early Potters and Potteries of Maine, the author's information centered entirely on a single fragment bearing the mark. The book suggested that Allen may not have been a potter at all, but rather a member of a local family who provided financial assistance. This theory is supported by a Hallowell merchant's daybook found in Maine in the 1970s—later used as a scrapbook—which contains a September 18, 1841 entry charged to "Safford & Allen."
Despite these clues, no new information regarding the identities behind the mark has surfaced since the book's publication in 1978. Only a small group of extant examples bearing the mark are known today, most of which are pots glazed exclusively on the interior. However, one surviving jar may prove the partnership lasted only a single year; its stamp reads, "Safford & Allen / Monmouth 1841."
Based on this evidence, I suspect John M. Safford (1811-1880) was the driving force behind the agreement. He established his own red earthenware business in Monmouth around 1840 and likely sought a financial backer to navigate a rocky start. The Allens—a local family of prominent farmers—would have been ideal candidates for this type of financial backing. This theory is heavily supported by the jar's impressed stamps, which closely match the stamps found on other known objects stamped "John M. Safford / Monmouth." Furthermore, these impressions closely resemble stamps found on archaeological artifacts recovered during twentieth century excavations at the site of John M.'s pottery: https://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/08/unearthing-past-rediscovered-artifacts.html.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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