Very Rare Rockingham-Glazed Pottery Pitcher with Incised Floral Decoration, Inscribed "James / G. O'Hara / 1864," James G. O'Hara at the William Hart Pottery, Ogdensburg, NY origin, 1864, ovoid body with footed base and tall collar with heavily-tooled accents and tapered rim molding; front incised with the script signature and date, "James / G. O'Hara / 1864," including incised line and pierced circular accents. Incised floral motifs to the left and right. Front of spout further decorated with an incised floral motif. Recessed underside incised, "J.G. O'Hara / July 1864." According to Ketchum's 1987 Potters and Potteries of New York State, 1650-1900, "[T]he 1865 census indicated that William [Hart] had but a single employee, the potter James G. O'Hara, who appears in various directories between 1863 and 1869." Ketchum goes on to say that while "it appears that the [Hart family pottery] did produce some of this ware [Rockingham Ware], ... no marked ware of this type from Ogdensburg is known, and it is most likely that the 'Rockingham' made here was brown-glazed stoneware rather than the true product." (See Ketchum, p. 396.) This newly surfaced example proves the contrary, its surface covered in a dark amber Rockingham glaze. Very nice condition with some shallow chipping to spout and rim. H 8".
