Exceptional Three-Gallon Stoneware Water Cooler with Elaborate Flowering Urn Decoration, attributed to Henry Harrison Remmey, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1835, cylindrical form with tapered shoulder, rounded rim, applied lug handles, and circular bunghole, brush-decorated with a large sunflower plant emanating from an open-handled urn. Decoration includes stylized, bull's-eye centers to the blossoms, additional leaves emanating from the center blossom, and a smaller plant with triangular spotted blossom ascending to the left. Drape decoration around shoulder. Reverse shoulder decorated with a wavy stripe bearing open-centered clovers and upswept swags. Dashed drape decoration below each handle. Cobalt highlights to handle terminals and surrounding bunghole. The cooler's prolific brushwork, rare subject matter, and folk art rendering of the blossoms, rank it among Remmey's greatest brush-decorated works known. An approximately 2" x 1" professionally-restored chip to left of bunghole. Three small chips to bunghole. A few minor base chips. A 5" crack from rim on reverse. Some spalling to cobalt slip. H 16 1/4".
