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Rare and Important Miniature Redware Mug, Incised "Solomon Miller / October 7th / 1890"


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Item #CPMX01

Description:

This miniature redware mug measures just 3 1/8" tall. It is brilliantly glazed with lead, manganese, and possibly copper, creating an orange and green surface, with an overcoat of brown mottling. It is elegantly thrown, particularly for its small size, with very thin walls, a flared foot, shoulder incising, and arching ribbed handle. The mug is incised in script on the underside

Solomon Miller
October 7th
1890

Miller was an Adams County, Pennsylvania, potter, active in the last quarter of the 19th century. Several extant examples of finely thrown and glazed redware pieces incised "Solomon Miller" indicate he was a very skillful potter. According to Comstock's "Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley Region," Miller worked for a period at the John Bell Pottery in Waynesboro, PA. This is made evident by a glazed redware jar stamped "JOHN W. BELL / Waynesboro, Pa," which bears Miller's name incised on the underside. According to Lasanky, Miller may have employed his sisters to incise his name on the various pieces he produced.

This mug has nearly all desirable attributes one can find in a piece of pottery, being rare in form, size, and signature, and having a colorfully glazed body. A recently surfaced and remarkable example of Pennsylvania redware.


Size:

3 1/8" tall.

Condition:

Excellent condition. One rim chip. Expected wear to glaze on interior bottom.
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