Exceedingly Rare and Important Stoneware Jar with Incised Foliate Decoration, Stamped "COERLEARS HOOK" and "N. YORK," Thomas Commeraw, Manhattan, NY, late 18th century, two-gallon ovoid jar with rounded foot, tooled shoulder, flaring rim, and large open loop handles. Impressed on one side of the rim with the large and extremely rare maker's mark "COERLEARS HOOK", highlighted in cobalt, above a deeply-incised foliate design, delicately filled with vibrant cobalt slip. Reverse rim impressed "N. YORK," the body decorated with a similar foliate motif. This recently-discovered jar exhibits some of the best color and finest firing known on an example of stoneware made by the African-American potter, Thomas Commeraw. This example, along with a small number of others bearing the mark "COERLEARS HOOK / N. YORK" are among the earliest and rarest works by Commeraw known, made during a period in the late 18th century when he was still hand-incising his work. This mark is the earliest impressed maker's mark from Manhattan known, and one of the very earliest known in all of American stoneware. Provenance: Recently found in South Carolina. Cracks in underside, forming tighter cracks and hairlines, which extend partway up side of jar below one handle. Two small base chips and a few rim chips. In-the-firing chip (contact mark) to one side. H 11 5/8".
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