Outstanding Five-Gallon Stoneware Churn with Elaborate Cobalt Bird-on-Flower Decoration, Stamped "T. HARRINGTON," Lyons, NY origin, circa 1860, highly ovoid churn with tooled shoulder, flared collar, and applied lug handles, decorated with a large slip-trailed design of a bird with crest and turned head, perched on the stem of a flower. Elaborate spotted decoration to bird's head, neck, wing, belly, and tail. The bird's dash-decorated body creates a visually-appealing contrast with these areas. Flower includes striped and heavily-spotted details. Slip-trailed "5" to shoulder. Unusual maker's mark variant, omitting the city name, "LYONS." The finest example of stoneware from Harrington's Lyons tenure that we have ever offered, this churn's bold bird-and-floral motif follows the Rochester, NY school of decoration, where Harrington previously worked, with a strong resemblance to pieces produced at the factory of Frederick Stetzenmeyer. The decorator's exacting and varied application of the liquid cobalt slip, including heavy spotting juxtaposed with blank areas in the bird's body, reveals the hand of a true master. The churn's extravagant design, measuring an impressive 11 3/4" x 8 3/4", is complemented by stylish, ovoid potting to the vessel, rarely seen in this form by any maker. Provenance: Vicki and Bruce Waasdorp Decorated Stoneware Auction, October 5, 1997, lot 102, illustrated on the catalog cover; Ed Hoffman Collection, Victor, NY. A 2 1/4" horizontal Y-shaped line to right of bird, not visible on interior. A 3 1/2" x 2 3/4" X-shaped surface line below one handle, not visible on interior. A 1/2" in-the-firing spider line below opposite handle near base, not visible on interior. Chips and wear to inner rim for lid. Long horizontal crack at base of churn. This crack includes a hairline descending from it and extending across underside, not visible on interior. A minor in-the-firing contact mark near base on reverse. Lid with two edge chips and a minor edge nick. H (excluding lid) 18".
