Exceptional Moravian Redware Squirrel Bottle

Fall 2020 Stoneware Auction

Lot #: 161

Price Realized: $2,400.00

($2,000 hammer, plus 20% buyer's premium)

PLEASE NOTE: This result is 4 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.

Fall 2020 Auction Catalog

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Exceptional Glazed Redware Squirrel Bottle, Salem, NC origin, circa 1804-1829, molded figure of a standing squirrel holding a strawberry, the surface decorated with streaks of copper and manganese over a yellow ground and covered in a clear lead glaze. The mold of this bottle differs from two other types of squirrel bottles documented in Johanna Brown's Ceramics in America 2009 article, "Tradition and Adaptation in Moravian Press-Molded Earthenware." Other period bottles produced from a similar or identical mold can be seen in Erickson, Hunter, and Hannah, Ceramics in America 2009, "Making a Moravian Squirrel Bottle," figs. 23-25. The mold used on this particular bottle includes a less-commonly-seen, angled spout with beaded edge that extends off the back of the squirrel's head. Interestingly, the bottle to be auctioned features a different style of coggled decoration on the squirrel's tail than is commonly seen, featuring an open circle followed by smaller punctates. Typical coggling on the squirrel's tail appears as a continuous series of open circles or punctates. In addition, while most Moravian squirrels depict a small clay ball (or nothing at all) between the squirrel's paws, this example features a well-defined strawberry with raised seeds and small stem. This work is also the first Salem squirrel bottle that we have seen featuring dark slip highlighting the eyes. This treatment, however, can been seen on lady bottles and at least one owl from this school. The owl, likely made during the same period as this squirrel, features closely-related streaked copper and manganese decoration over a yellow clay ground. Despite condition issues, this previously-undocumented piece is a noteworthy new discovery in Moravian molded ware, ranking among the most high-styled squirrel bottles produced in this Southern ceramics tradition. Provenance: Recently surfaced in Ohio. Significant restoration to exfoliation throughout the lower two-thirds of the bottle. The head, spout, and ears remain unrestored. The squirrel's hands and strawberry are largely unrestored, except for a small area of restoration to one finger and some possible small coloring or restoration to one side of the strawberry. Most or all of the base and feet are unrestored, except for some possible restoration to the area between the squirrel's feet. Minor wear to edge of one ear. Minor exfoliation to tail. H 8 1/2".