Exceptional Cobalt-Decorated Stoneware Presentation Mug with Applied Dog Scene, Stamped "W.L. / 1890 / UTICA, N.Y." and "A.R. / MAY 18, 90," Adam Richthammer at Central New York Pottery, Utica, NY, 1890, cylindrical form with twig-form handle and incised bark surface, the front decorated with a hand-modeled, applied, and incised design of a seated dog between a tree and stump, facing a fence with large flower. A curving branch extends from the wall of the vessel, framing the design. Two pieces of clay modeled and incised to resemble sawed limbs are applied to the sides of the mug. Impressed "W.L. / 1890" within a circular medallion featuring impressed dots at the border. Base impressed "UTICA, N.Y." within an incised border. Underside incised "A.R. / MAY, 18. 90." Salt-glazed surface with cobalt highlight to decoration. Albany-slip-glazed interior. Among the finest examples of late-period Utica stoneware that we have ever offered, this mug features a remarkably delicate design that is entirely hand-modeled and carefully incised, differing markedly from the molded relief motifs for which this pottery is known. A match safe with applied lamb by the same maker is illustrated in Scherer, Art for the People: Decorated Stoneware from the Weitsman Collection, p. 140. The match safe is impressed "WM. PFEIFER" and made for the infant son of Central New York Pottery potter, Henry Pfeifer, and, like the mug in this auction, is stamped with the initials, "A.R.," clearly referring to Adam Richthammer, a German-born potter who appears in period documents--including city directories and the 1900 federal census--as a potter in Utica. Richthammer immigrated to the United States in 1882 and obviously became an important part of the city's well-known stoneware craft. (See lot 409 in this auction for another example made for William Pfeifer.) Excellent, essentially as-made condition with a small glazed-over loss to branch at base of design. H 4 7/8".
