Rare Miles Mill, Edgefield District, SC Stoneware Face Jug, circa 1865-1875
Sold! $26000.
Rare Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Face Jug with Kaolin Eyes and Teeth, attributed to Miles Mill, Edgefield District, SC, circa 1865-1875, cylindrical jug with rounded shoulder and wide spout with flattened mouth, decorated with an applied and hand-modeled clay face, including pierced kaolin eyes and oval lids, thin eyebrows, stylized nose, large ears, and open mouth with incised kaolin teeth. Surface of jug covered in a high-gloss, olive-colored alkaline glaze. Miles Mill face vessels are some of the few Edgefield examples of the form to be positively attributed to a specific pottery based on archaeological evidence and the distinctive style of spout employed. Face vessels from this manufactory were often prone to in-the-firing losses to the applied facial features. This jug's fine condition and lustrous green glaze rank it as the best Miles Mill example of the form to come to auction in years. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, purchased by a Mid-Atlantic consignor forty years ago. Excellent condition with a shallow chip to lower lip and minor wear to edges of ears. H 5".
