Extremely Rare Glazed Redware Pig Flask with Incised Railroad Map, attributed to Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick, Anna or Mound City, IL, circa 1857-1875, molded flask in the form of a pig with spout in rear, impressed eyes with pierced pupils, incised snout and hooves, and anatomically-correct underside. Body incised with a railroad map of the Midwestern U.S., including a wide, incised image of the Mississippi River across the animal's back, inscribed "miss River," as well as a crosshatched landmark below, reading "St Louis." Various railroad lines are incised across the pig's body, inscribed "P.C. R R, I.M.R R, I.C. R R, m.c. R R, and O.M. R R." This pig's snout is incised "Chicago" and his genitals bear the words, "mount," on the testicles and "Cincinati" (sic) beside the penis. The word, "mount," is exchanged for the Illinois town name, "Mound City," typically found on Anna stoneware pig flasks. This misspelling is presumably a pun, as the Kirkpatricks' work was rife with innuendo. The inscription, "a litel(sic) good old Rye," is incised at the midsection, leading towards the pig's rear end. The surface is coated in a clear lead glaze, creating a brilliant, medium-orange color to the flask. Noteworthy alone as a piece of high-styled Midwestern redware, this pig is important as a Kirkpatrick work produced in a highly-unusual clay medium. It is only the second Anna redware example of the form that we have ever offered, and the more elaborately inscribed of the two. A study of the penmanship confirms its origin as a Kirkpatrick piece, and not the work of another pottery in the family's style. The relative simplicity of the map, as well as the atypical shape of the ears, impressed eyes, and genitals, suggest it may be an earlier example, made before the Kirkpatricks were producing this form with any frequency. It is possible that it was made at the Kirkpatricks' Mound City, IL pottery, circa 1857-1859, where redware (earthenware) was commonly produced, shortly before the establishment of their long-standing Anna Pottery. Relatively few Midwestern redware objects of this quality are known, this example being made by one of the region's most esteemed 19th century ceramic manufacturers. Provenance: A recently surfaced example, which descended in the family of the consignor. Some old, varnished chips/small flakes to applied features. Glazed surface survives in remarkable condition. L 7 1/4".
