Exceedingly Rare and Important Manganese-Glazed Redware Jar, Inscribed "Silas Watkins / 1846," Silas Watkins, Randolph or Guilford Counties, NC, 1846, ovoid jar with footed base, thin, angular rim, ribbed open-strap handles with depressed terminals, and incised straight and wavy line decoration to shoulder, the surface covered in a mottled reddish lead-and-manganese glaze. Underside incised with the large script signature and date, "Silas Watkins / 1846." This jar is believed to be the only known signed example of pottery produced by Silas Watkins, the son of Henry Watkins. In her notes, Wahler states, "This [is the] only signed Silas Watkins at this time." The manner of signing and dating the vessel on the underside in large script follows the work of his father, and the jar's artistic potting and glazing reveal this elusive potter's remarkable level of skill at his craft. Equally beautiful and rare, this lot is among the most important examples of North Carolina redware from the Quaker tradition known, serving as the "rosetta stone" for attribution to this potter's hand. Professional restoration to a top-to-bottom crack from rim, which forms a V on underside, where the crack is visible and lightly-colored. Part of this V continues as a thin unrestored crack ascending approximately 4 1/2" up the jar's base. Restoration to scattered surface flakes to body of jar. Some additional restoration to handles, although handles remain largely original. Some additional unrestored wear to rim, handles, and surface of jar. A few unrestored chips to foot and some short vertical, unrestored lines at base. Some exfoliation to interior. H 14".
