Extremely Rare Four-Gallon WM. HARE / WILMINGTON, DEL Stoneware Jar w/ Floral Design

July 16, 2016 Stoneware Auction

Lot #: 421

Price Realized: $1,955.00

($1,700 hammer, plus 15% buyer's premium)

PLEASE NOTE: This result is 8 years old, and the American ceramics market frequently changes. Additionally, small nuances of color, condition, shape, etc. can mean huge differences in price. If you're interested in having us sell a similar item for you, please contact us here.

July 16, 2016 Auction Catalog

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Extremely Rare Four-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "WM. HARE / WILMINGTON, DEL", Delaware origin, circa 1875, cylindrical jar with tooled shoulder, semi-squared rim, and ribbed lug handles, decorated on the front with a two-stemmed floral motif flanked by leaves. Reverse with wavy cobalt stripes flanking a second two-stemmed floral motif. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark, capacity mark, and handle terminals. The Delaware potter, William Hare, is well-known for his small, undecorated stoneware canning jars, as numerous signed examples have survived. However, while prolific in the production of this specific type of jar, all other forms bearing his mark are considered rare. Even more unusual are cobalt-decorated examples, of which only a small number have been documented. This jar, potted in a highly unusual four-gallon size, features extremely rare cobalt brushwork on two sides. Both its form and decoration are strongly-influenced by styles from nearby Philadelphia and Baltimore. It is the first decorated example of Hare stoneware we have ever offered. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, purchased by the consignor decades ago. Large spider crack on front. A 1" chip to one handle. A thin 1" crack to bottom edge of opposite handle. Small chips to interior of rim. A few small, minor chips to interior of rim and two tiny nicks to exterior of rim. H 16".