Rare Two Gallon Stoneware Jar with Elaborate Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "JOHN WALKER," Washington, D.C. origin, circa 1830, ovoid jar with semi-squared rim and heavily arched lug handles, brush-decorated on the front and reverse with two sweeping floral motifs featuring fern-like blossoms. Reverse decorated with four vertical foliate or floral motifs. Cobalt highlights to handle terminals. Impressed with rare "JOHN WALKER" maker's mark below rim on front and incised "2" below for two gallons. This jar showcases a strong influence from stoneware produced at the Wilkes Street Pottery in nearby Alexandria. Few marked examples by this potter are known; he was clearly the master potter for Richard Butt's stoneware manufactory, as evidenced by his listing as a potter there in the 1830 Washington, D.C. city directory. The relatively few surviving pieces of stoneware bearing his mark were either made during that time, or perhaps during an undocumented period in which he owned the pottery himself. A few chips to one handle. Two large in-the-firing surface chips to front. Other small in-the-firing surface flaws to front. A 1" semi-circular surface crack to reverse, not visible on interior. A 2 3/4" x 2" U-shaped flaked area to surface of underside, including an approximately 6" tight spider crack ascending from this damage up front of jar. A 1 1/4" line on underside, extending approximately 3 1/2" up base. A 1 1/4" chip to underside at edge. Other minor chips to bottom edge, partially in-the-firing. Circumferential surface wear. An inverted U-shaped in-the-firing contact mark to front and reverse. Water glass staining throughout. H 12 1/4".
