Exceptional Sgraffito-Decorated Redware Plate with Flowering Urn Motif, attributed to the Conrad Mumbauer Pottery, Haycock Township, Bucks County, PA, circa 1820s-1830s, with coggled edge, the interior coated in yellowish slip and sgraffito-decorated with an extravagant design of a flowering plant bearing tulip and stylized, star-shaped blossoms, emanating from an open-handled urn. Splashed copper slip decoration throughout. Surface covered in a clear lead glaze. Based on its distinctive decoration, this recently-surfaced work is firmly attributed to the pottery of Conrad Mumbauer (1761-1845) and his apprentice-turned-master, John Monday (1809-1862), which they successively operated in Haycock Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania between 1794-1862. A closely-related dish owned by Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Wilmington, Delaware is dated 1832. According to Christopher Malone's 2025 Americana Insights article, "The Potters of Haycock Mountain: Conrad Mumbauer, John Monday, and Simon Singer," the Winterthur example is "the last known dated dish attributed to the pottery" (Malone, p. 141). Its close similarity to the plate in this auction helps us date the latter, within reason, to the 1820s or 1830s. The example offered here is distinguished by the strength and clarity of its decoration and the immaculate condition in which the object survives. The decoration features exceptionally deep and crisp carving to the slip-coated surface, exposing a dark red clay that contrasts strikingly with the yellow slip ground. The urn motif at the base follows a doubly-carved, curvaceous form mirroring the tulips that grow from within. Floral motifs and geometric triangular designs fill the interior of the urn. Delicate vine-like plumes emanate from the stylized blossoms, corresponding stylistically with the stamens springing forth from the centers of the tulips. The entire design, which fills the interior of the plate, is executed with the deft hand of a true master. Sgraffito-decorated redware is among the most prized fields in the American ceramics market, transcendent into the broader realm of high-end American Folk Art. When available, most examples are offered with significant damage or restoration. Our Fall auction offers the rare opportunity to acquire an example of sgraffito-decorated redware of both exceptional decorative quality and condition, surviving in nearly the same condition in which it was made. Amazingly, the plate appears essentially unused, retaining a bright interior, lacking knife marks, staining, flakes, or the usual wear of any kind. Literature: For related examples, see Malone, "The Potters of Haycock Mountain: Conrad Mumbauer, John Monday, and Simon Singer," Americana Insights 2025, pp.126-141, closely related example on p. 141. Provenance: Richard Bourne Auctions, Hyannis, MA, 1983; The Estate of Robert A. Ellison, Jr. Remarkable, excellent condition with minor rim chips. Diam. 11 1/2".
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