Extremely Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Cobalt Decoration of Sparring Gamecocks, Stamped "L. LEHMAN & CO. / WEST 12TH ST N Y," third quarter 19th century, cylindrical crock with tooled shoulder, semi-rounded rim, and applied lug handles, decorated with a folky brushed design of two roosters with long tails and heavily-feathered bodies, facing each other in fighting stances with reared heads and raised legs. Stylized foliate design below. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark and capacity mark. This crock is the first piece of 19th century stoneware we have seen with a cobalt illustration of a cockfight. Cockfighting was a popular pasttime in 18th and 19th century America, and one major center for the sport was New York City, where this crock was made. A dynamic figural decoration. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, recently found in New England. Thin X-shaped crack on side of crock, which measures approximately 8" diagonally. A shallow chip on interior of rim. A faint surface line on underside, not visible on interior, and most likely in-the-firing.
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