Exceedingly Rare and Important Cobalt-Decorated Stoneware Pitcher with Hand-Modeled Decoration of a Railroad Conductor, Incised "Here,s to Paps Heath," and Signed "Anna Pottery / Anna Ill / Aug 1884," Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick, Anna, IL, 1884, wheel-thrown, ovoid pitcher with flared, semi-squared rim, broad pouring spout, and applied strap handle, the front decorated with a hand-modeled and sculpted figure of a portly gentleman surrounded by profuse crosshatched incising, accented throughout in cobalt slip. Characteristic of the Kirkpatricks' best work, the design is rendered with a remarkable level of artistry and detail uncommon to 19th century American stoneware. The figure's well-sculpted face includes a goatee, bulging eyes, and various incised accents throughout, and his conductor's uniform features a buttoned and lapeled coat, striped shirt with raised collar, a distinctive cap, tucked pocket watch chain, and shoes with incised and carved heels extending onto pitcher's underside. The attitude of the subject is leisurely, with both hands tucked casually into his raised pants pockets, one exposing its thumb on the pocket's exterior. Various incised and cobalt-highlighted wrinkles and crosshatching throughout the clothing add depth and three-dimensionality to the sculpture. Potting knife marks visible on the figure's pants and shoes reveal the amount of handwork involved in sculpting this creation. The profuse cobalt-highlighted crosshatching, a trait found on some of the Kirkpatricks' finest works, forms a striking background around the man, setting him apart from the simply-thrown pitcher behind him. A heavy, lustrous salt glaze finishes the exterior and brown Albany slip glaze coats the interior.
The design's inclusion of the pocket watch is a major clue as to the man's occupation, as railroad conductors relied on pocket watches of exceptional quality to keep their trains running on good time. The Kirkpatricks' great interest in the Midwestern railroad system, also seen in the incised maps on their famous pig bottles, is evidenced by this pitcher. The slogan at the top, "Here,s to Paps Heath," clearly refers to Marvin M. Heath (1841-1918), a railroad conductor from nearby Pana, Illinois, active in the region for several decades of the late 19th century. Heath evidently had a reputation of high regard. He was praised in the Monday, May 22, 1871 edition of the Springfield Daily Illinois State Journal with the following passage: "M. M Heath of the S I & S E railroad [Springfield & Illinois Southeastern Railroad], is the prince of good fellows. He numbers his friends along the line by hundreds, and is truly worth their friendship and esteem." A second passage from the July 6, 1874 of the Springfield Daily Illinois State Register states, "M. M. Heath, one of the popular conductors on the S I & S E Railroad, has gone east for a few weeks, and will rusticate among the secluded shades of Cincinnati during that period." Clearly Marvin Heath was a well-known and well-loved figure in the state of Illinois. "Paps" is his presumed nickname. The underside of the pitcher is incised with the signature "Anna Pottery / Anna Ill / Aug 1884." Relatively few Anna Pottery pitchers are known and examples of this decorative quality are exceptionally rare. (Only a few pitchers exhibiting this painstakingly applied figural technique have been documented. One, likely made for conductor, Daniel Patch, of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, was sold in Crocker Farm, Inc.'s March 24, 2018 auction, lot 1. Another particularly elaborate example depicting President Grover Cleveland was sold in Crocker Farm, Inc.'s Summer 2022 auction, lot 1.) Marvin Heath's pitcher aptly showcases the Kirkpatricks' proficiency at throwing, hand-modeling, and incising, as well as their ability to bring life and personality to their clay creations. Such a piece exemplifies why many consider the Kirkpatricks to be the finest American utilitarian potters of their day. Provenance: A prominent New England collection; Crocker Farm, Inc., October 25, 2014, lot 117. Excellent condition with one chip to shoe. H 9 3/4".
