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Extremely Rare COWDEN & WILCOX / HARRISBURG, PA Man-in-the-Moon w/ Smoking Pipe Jar

October 26, 2019 Stoneware Auction

Lot #: 31

Price Realized: $8,260.00

($7,000 hammer, plus 18% buyer's premium)

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Auction Highlight: October 26, 2019 Auction | Central PA Stoneware

October 26, 2019 Auction Catalog

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Exceedingly Rare One-and-a-Half-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Man-in-the-Moon Smoking a Pipe Decoration, Stamped "COWDEN & WILCOX / HARRISBURG, PA", circa 1865, ovoid jar with tooled shoulder and flattened rim, decorated with a brushed design of a man's face in profile with prominent nose and long-stemmed pipe emitting trails of smoke, surrounded by a crescent-shaped foliate motif. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark and capacity mark. This jar is the only example of this firm's iconic man-in-the-moon design that we have seen depicting the figure smoking a pipe. Coupled with the extreme rarity of the design is an appealing, somewhat-small size to the jar and large coverage of the design of the jar's front. Provenance: Recently surfaced in the Midwestern U.S. Very nice condition with a 7/8" in-the-firing base chip, which is partially glazed over and a minor flake to bottom edge, visible when the jar is turned over.