July 20, 2019 Auction Featured Photos
A Tour-De-Force of American Folk Art. Exceedingly Rare and Important Twenty-Gallon Salt-Glazed Stoneware Face Cooler with Applied Lizard Handles and Turtle Bunghole, Inscribed "Willi[a]m Wilbur", Ironton, OH origin, circa 1870. Featuring the large face of an African-American man with applied coleslaw eyebrows, mustache, and beard, this monumental cooler is among the most expressive and striking examples of American stoneware known. The fine construction of the cooler's central face is complemented by wonderful lizard-form handles, each with delicately-formed legs, curved, spiny tails, upswept heads, and smiling mouths. The cooler's bunghole is modeled in the form of a turtle with impressed eyes, incised mouth and long, spiny tail, positioned so that the beverage would be dispensed through its shell. The vessel's salt-glazed surface is imaginatively decorated in two colors of slip: Albany slip to the man's face, the handles, and the bunghole; cobalt slip forming a large floral motif emanating from below the figure's chin and, remarkably, adorning the eyes. Two ornate impressed X's above the face indicate the cooler's capacity.
This object was made famous from its appearance on the 1998 Louisville, Kentucky episode of the Antiques Roadshow. Unbeknownst to the owner of the cooler, it bears the incised name of its maker, William Wilbur, to the left of the face. Wilbur (1841-1917) was the grandson of Zanesville, Ohio potter, Thomas Wilbur and the son of Clark Wilbur, yet another stoneware potter. After being brought up in the craft at the family's pottery near Zanesville, Wilbur served in the Civil War, and, by 1870, had begun potting in Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio, a town located directly across the Ohio River from Russell, Kentucky and fifteen miles southeast of Huntingdon, West Virginia. (Wilbur would eventually move west to California, and more research on him is forthcoming.)
Within the highly-important genre of the American face vessel, a field that truly transcends stoneware collecting, this cooler is regarded as one of the greatest and largest works. Its size, form, two-toned slip treatment, and over-the-top figural decoration, rank it among the very best examples of American stoneware still in private hands. H 25".
American Stoneware Icon. Important and Unique Stoneware Presentation Jug with Incised Federal Eagle Decoration, Inscribed "Liberty for / Ever" and "L. Riggs / May the 5th 1819", South Amboy, NJ origin, 1819. The finest eagle-decorated example of American stoneware to come to auction in years, this jug carries an impeccable provenance and publication history. Provenance: Originally discovered in the 1930s, in a second-floor closet of the Charles Rue house near Plainfield, NJ by a teenager, who was helping his mother hang wallpaper there. He offered the owners, relatives of the "L. Riggs" on the reverse on the jug, $25 at the time, but was turned down. He later purchased the jug at the Charles Rue estate auction in 1956, ultimately selling it to the consignor's father in 1973. This jug has been off the market since that time. Included with this lot is a notarized letter from the man who owned the jug between 1956-1973, discussing the piece's history. A second letter included with this lot was written in 1984 by New Jersey stoneware authority, M. Lelyn Branin, discussing the jug's possible manufacture by the Warne family of potters of South Amboy, NJ. Exhibited: Regional Aspects of American Folk Pottery, May 12 to October 12, 1974, The Historical Society of York County, York, PA. Literature: Illustrated on the cover and figure 116 of the hardbound exhibit catalog for Regional Aspects of American Folk Pottery, May 12 to October 12, 1974, The Historical Society of York County, York, PA. Discussed and illustrated in Branin, The Early Makers of Handcrafted Earthenware and Stoneware in Central and Southern New Jersey, pp. 74, 82. Branin describes this jug in his book as "one of the most incised pieces of New Jersey stoneware on record".
Branin goes on to draw a connection between the person for whom the jug was made, Lewis Riggs, and the Warne family of potters of South Amboy, NJ. According to Branin, "about two weeks before the date on the jug, one 21 April 1819, Lewis Riggs bought from Hannah (Warne) DeWitt, a daughter of William Warne, brother of (potter) Thomas Warne, all of her rights and interest in the estate of her father and grandfather, which gave him and his wife Ida a share in both of those estates. Riggs seems to have been related in some way to the Warne family, possibly through his wife Ida, who might have been either a daughter or granddaughter of William Warne. Lewis Riggs was an executor, with David Hall, of William Warne's estate. David Hall was a brother of Joshua Warne's second wife, Patience Hall Clark." (Branin, p. 74) H 13".
Among the Earliest Dated Dave Vessels Known. Exceedingly Rare and Important Two-Gallon Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Jug, Incised "April 18th 1831", Impressed "I" at Base, Dave at Harvey and Reuben Drake's Pottersville Pottery, Edgefield District, SC, 1831. This jug survives as one of the earliest dated vessels attributed to Edgefield's famous enslaved African-American potter, Dave. Adding to its importance is the fact that it is one of a few extant pieces of Dave stoneware bearing a date verifying that it was made during the four-year-period that the Pottersville Pottery belonged to Harvey Drake and his brother, Reuben, the former being Dave's sole owner for the first thirty-two years of the slave's life. At the time of the publication of the Ceramics in America 2006 article, "Beneath His Magic Touch: The Dated Vessels of the African-American Slave Potter Dave", written by Arthur Goldberg and James Witkowski, only three dated vessels attributed to Dave and bearing an earlier date are known, two dating to 1829 and a third dating to March of 1831, the year this jug was manufactured.
This work utilizes a classic Dave treatment, the incised punctate, as an elaborate decorative embellishment rather than a gallonage notation, as seen on his pieces from a later time period. In all, over ninety punctates form a sinuous border around the date, possibly the most outstanding display of punctate markings found on any extant Dave vessel. The base features a rare "I" stamp found on Pottersville stoneware, and the surface displays the pottery's highly-prized two-toned glaze, in the form of a glossy green top cascading over a lighter-glazed ground. Surviving in immaculate condition and combining beauty, rarity, and historical significance, this work is easily-regarded as one of the most important examples of Southern stoneware that we have ever offered. H 13 3/8".
Decoration, Form, and Maker. Very Rare One-Gallon Stoneware Pitcher with Incised Bird on Flowering Branch Decoration, attributed to Henry Remmey, Sr., Baltimore, circa 1812-1829. This pitcher exhibits a distinctive trait found on a small number of Remmey's best Baltimore products: a combination of incised decoration with brushed cobalt floral designs. Cobalt leaves ornament the collar and a fan-shaped floral motif, closely-related to those found on stamped "H. MYERS" merchant stoneware made by Remmey, appear to the left of the bird. This pitcher was made during an important time and place in American stoneware production. Between the years 1810 and 1830, Baltimore witnessed an influx of skilled potters who produced some of the most artistically-incised works known in all of American stoneware. This lot is one of a small number of incised bird pitchers produced by Remmey, a Manhattan-trained potter, that indicate this period's superior level of craftsmanship. H 9 1/2".
Outstanding and Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Churn with Cobalt Deer Scene, Stamped "FORT EDWARD / POTTERY CO.", George Satterlee, Fort Edward, NY, circa 1859. H 13".
Extremely Rare Anna Pottery Stoneware Snake Flask, Incised "Harper's $500.00" and "Little Brown Jug / 1883," Signed and Dated "Anna Pottery 1884," Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick, Anna, IL. The slogan, "Harper's $500.00", and 1883 date refer to Illinois's Harper High License Law of 1883. Inspired by the High License Temperance Movement, Harper's Law placed a minimum annual license fee of $500 for the sale of liquors, thereby drastically reducing the presence of saloons and other liquor establishments in the state of Illinois. While consistent with the temperance-related themes associated with much of their work, this flask is the first example by the Kirkpatrick Brothers we have seen bearing this particular inscription. The rarity of this example is compounded by the unusual pinched flask form and large size. A fine and historically significant example of Anna Pottery, carrying an excellent provenance. Provenance: Previously found in the early 20th century on an Indian Reservation in Wewoka, OK. Literature: Illustrated and discussed in The Magazine Antiques, June 1933, p. 204. H 8 3/4".
Exceptional Stoneware Canning Jars with Stenciled Cobalt Decorations, Greensboro, PA origin, circa 1865-1870.
Rare and Important Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Face Jug, Edgefield District, SC origin, probably Lewis Miles' Stoney Bluff Manufactory, circa 1855-1870. This jug features applied kaolin eyes and teeth lacking incised pupils and teeth, as well as a Roman nose with pointed tip, all related to face vessel fragments excavated at Lewis Miles' Stoney Bluff Manufactory, where Dave served as an enslaved potter from 1849 until 1865. The jug's distinctive glaze, displaying light-green streaks over a dark-brown ground, also relates to those decorating a number of inscribed "Lm" pieces, attributed to Dave and made at the Lewis Miles site. Coupled with the jug's sophisticated glaze treatment is a wonderful folk art quality to the face, including a prominent chin, bulging eyes, and staggered ear placement. H 6 1/2".
African-American Ceramic Art. Extremely Rare and Important Small-Sized Stoneware Jar with Alkaline Glaze, Stamped "RICH WILLIAMS", Gowensville area, Greenville County, SC origin, late 19th or early 20th century. Richard "Rich" Williams is distinguished as one of a few African-American potters to own his own pottery or mark his ware with his own maker's mark. A picture of Williams turning a jug in his shop, illustrated on p. 89 of Baldwin, is regarded as the only period photo of an African-American potter at work. This jar is highly important in its impressed maker's mark. While a number of unsigned Williams pieces have been documented, very few examples are known bearing the potter's impressed signature. When found, the maker's mark typically reads "WILLIAMS" at the vessel's base. This jar, however, includes the potter's full name, "RICH WILLIAMS", an even rarer mark that we have seen on only one other example. T our knowledge, the "WILLIAMS" mark is the only stamp that has been documented thus far. It appears that two individual stamps, one for "RICH" and another for "WILLIAMS" were used to create this mark. The fact that other examples only bear the stamp "WILLIAMS" suggests that the "RICH" stamp may have been lost by the time they were made. According to Cinda K. Baldwin's Big Ware Turners, Williams is listed in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census as a farmer, age fifty, living in the Gowensville area of Greenville County, SC and owning a farm. Baldwin notes that Williams is possibly related to freed black Edgefield potter, Milage Williams, who is listed in the 1880 Census as living in Shaw's Creek Township, Aiken County, SC. A Rich Williams jar, illustrated on p. 161 of Baldwin and bearing a "WILLIAMS" mark, exhibits stamping closely related to the well-known "Landrum cross" from Edgefield, indicating a possible connection to that region's potting tradition (Baldwin, pp. 128, 160, 161). Featuring a desirable small size and elusive maker's mark, this jar is among the most significant discoveries in African-American ceramics of the past several years. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, which recently surfaced in the Southeastern U.S. H 7 1/4".
Big Blue. Exceptional Six-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Profuse Stenciled and Freehand Cobalt Decoration, Stenciled "Hamilton & Jones / GREENSBORO, PA", circa 1870. Among the most heavily-decorated examples of Western PA stoneware that we have ever offered, featuring rare six-pointed star stenciling. H 16 3/4".
Outstanding Small-Sized Stoneware Jar with Elaborate Freehand Tulip and Stripe Decorations, attributed to Henry K. Atchison, New Geneva, PA, circa 1860. H 8 1/8".
New Jersey Rarity. Important and Exceedingly Rare Stoneware Hunt Scene Pitcher, Inscribed "T. Locker", Thomas Locker (1823-1875), Swan Hill Pottery, South Amboy, NJ, circa 1855. Underside incised with the exceedingly rare signature, "T. Locker", for Swan Hill Pottery owner, Thomas Locker. According to Branin's The Early Makers of Handcrafted Earthenware and Stoneware in Central and Southern New Jersey, Locker was born in Longton, England in 1823 and was first employed at the American Pottery Company in Jersey City, NJ. Around 1852, Locker became a potter at the Swan Hill Pottery, then owned and operated by Staffordshire-trained potter, James Carr. Locker married his wife, Sarah Pointon, in Carr's house in South Amboy, which overlooked the pottery, on July 4, 1854. Locker was involved as a potter, partner, and superintendent of manufacturing at the Swan Hill Pottery circa 1852 until his death in 1875. His name appears on two Swan Hill Pottery billheads illustrated in Branin, p. 199-200 (Branin, pp. 198-203). The highly unusual, unglazed surface of the pitcher and potter's signature on the underside suggest that this object may have been a test or sample piece from the pottery to see the quality of the fired clay. Branin discusses Carr and Locker's attempt at finding a market for their ware in the early 1850s. Carr took samples along the boat "John Potter" to show to crockery dealers on Pearl and Water Street in New York City. His trip was largely unsuccessful; however, Thomas Locker, found customers in Philadelphia (Branin, p. 198). This pitcher is possibly one such "sample piece" taken by Locker to Philadelphia. Its lack of glaze allows for exceptional detail to the relief hunt scene, typically not visible on glazed examples. To our knowledge, this pitcher is the only hand-signed example of pottery made by this significant contributor to New Jersey's 19th century potting industry. H 7".
Southern Folk Art Masterpieces. Important and Probably Unique Pair of Glazed Redware Cat Figures, attributed to Solomon Bell, Strasburg, VA, circa 1845-1880. This pair is regarded as one of the great masterworks of legendary Shenandoah Valley potter, Solomon Bell (1817-1882). Among his hand-modeled folk sculpture, only one object is considered more important: the iconic lion figure in the collection of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Art in Winston-Salem, NC. Characteristic of Bell's best hand-modeled animals, these cats are noteworthy in their large size, distinctive Bell family decorative stamping to the base, and lustrous lead-and-manganese glaze. In American hand-modeled redware production, relatively few cat figures are known, and, to our knowledge, no other pair of hand-modeled animals have survived by this highly influential potter. Combining beauty, presence, and extreme rarity, this pair is easily regarded as the finest lot of American modeled redware to come to auction in years. Its significance as a representative example of Southern folk sculpture cannot be overstated.
Provenance: Mr. Boyd Gardiner Headley, Sr. (1898-1960); Mr. Boyd G. Headley, Jr. (1921-2003); Mrs. Glynell L. Headley (1922-2012); Burt Long Antiques (purchased at Headley's Auctions, April 11, 2013); Private Collection. Literature: Illustrated and discussed in the following: William E. Wiltshire, III, Folk Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley, pp. 64-65, pl. 25 (1975); Theodora Rezba, ed., Valley Pioneer Artists and Those Who Continue: The Decorative and Fine Arts of the Lower Shenandoah Valley 1760-1789, p. 25 and entry 115 (1986); Harold Eugene Comstock, The Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley Region, pp. 232-33 & figs. 5.90 and 5.92 (1994); Discussed in Carol Crown and Cheryl Rivers, eds., Folk Art, Volume 23 of The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, p. 223 (2013). Exhibited: "Folk Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley", Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Collection, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA, May 25, 1975 to October 4, 1975, one cat figure exhibited; "Valley Pioneer Artists and Those Who Continue: The Decorative and Fine Arts of the Lower Shenandoah Valley, 1760-1986", Shenandoah College and Conservatory, Winchester, VA, May 17-30, 1986, one cat figure exhibited; Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, VA, exhibited on loan from Mrs. Glynell L. Headley, 2005-2013, both cat figures exhibited. H (of each) 6 1/4".
Outstanding Five-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Cobalt Decoration of a Dog Chasing a Fox, Stamped "HUBBELL & CHESEBRO / GEDDES, N.Y.", circa 1870. Provenance: Recently surfaced in Pennsylvania.
Exceptional Two-Gallon Stoneware Pitcher with Profuse Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "H. MYERS", Henry Remmey or Henry Remmey, Jr. at Henry Myers' Baltimore Stoneware Manufactory, Baltimore, MD, circa 1825. The finest signed pitcher that we have ever offered from this influential Baltimore pottery, featuring an impressive large size and extravagant, enamel-like brushwork. H 14 1/4".
Exceptional Stoneware Pitcher with Profuse Cobalt Floral Decoration, attributed to Richard C. Remmey, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1865. Among the most heavily-decorated Remmey stoneware pitchers that we have seen. H 9 3/4".
Southern Folk Art Masterpiece. Exceedingly Rare and Important Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Face Cup, Edgefield District, SC origin, circa 1855-1870. Among the rarest and most expressive Edgefield face vessels that we have ever offered, this example is one of a small number of face-decorated cups known from the region. The very large, deeply-incised teeth on this example are noteworthy. Of the handful of documented Edgefield face cups, this work ranks among the very best. H 4 1/8" ; Diam. (across top) 3 1/8".
Early Dave Jar. Very Rare Six-Gallon Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Jar, Inscribed "October 13th. 1843", attributed to Dave at the Reverend John Landrum Pottery, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield District, SC, 1843. Featuring a drippy, light-olive alkaline glaze, this jar includes six incised punctates on the reverse, indicating capacity, and two incised slashes on the front, a classic Dave marking. To our knowledge, this jar is the latest dated Dave piece made prior to his 1844-1848 "Silent Period", while under the ownership of Reverend John Landrum and his son, Benjamin Franklin Landrum. Examples of Dave stoneware made prior to 1849, the year he began working at Stoney Bluff, are considered very rare, with only two examples documented from the year 1843. Exhibited: David Drake Potter and Poet, September 24 to December 18, 2016, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach, Florida. H 16".
Richmond Rarity. Extremely Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Jug, Inscribed "Dove & Isacks / Druggists / Richmond / Va / 2", attributed to Stephen B. Sweeney, Henrico County, VA, 1847-1851.
This vessel is significant in its hand-incised inscription, surviving as one of only a small number of James River Valley of Virginia stoneware pieces featuring this treatment. Other examples, produced earlier by Samuel Frayser, are inscribed with the vessel's owner and/or fruit names. To our knowledge, no other intact Sweeney stoneware pieces are known with any sort of inscription, although an excavated sherd from his site includes part of an incised name above the tail of an incised fish or bird and a partial Sweeney signature (see Russ, Hunter, Mueller-Heubach, fig. 56). Adding further import to this object is the inclusion of the city name, "Richmond / Va". While Richmond and its environs served as a major potting center for much of the 19th century, only one piece that we are aware of feature this city's name incised into the clay by hand: a jar attributed to Samuel Wilson or his associates, which is incised "Richmond" on the underside.
The name "Dove & Isacks" refers to the 1847-51 version of a long-standing Richmond business established by apothecarist Samuel E. Dove about the early 1840's. Dove & Isaacs (the correct spelling, vs. the "Isacks" seen on the jug) was formed on August 28, 1847 when Samuel E. Dove took in William B. Isaacs and the two continued trading out of Dove's "old stand" on Main Street, at the "Sign of the Black Boy and Mortar." The 1850 federal census's slave schedule shows two enslaved people under the ownership of Dove & Isaacs, two men of sixty and fifty years of age. On February 4, 1851, Dove & Isaacs was dissolved in favor of a new partnership, that of Dove, Isaacs & Co. (a third partner named Alexander Archer having been brought into the firm), giving a tight window of August 1847 - February 1851 for the manufacture of the jug. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, which recently surfaced in Michigan.
New Philadelphia Discovery. Oversized Rustic Pottery Flowerpot with Lizard-Chasing-Fly Motif, Signed "F. Gossin", Frederick Gossin, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1880. H 14 1/2" ; Diam. 15 3/4". (A very large example, one of the photos above shows it beside an approximately three-quarter-gallon Philadelphia pitcher, for the sake of scale.)
Frederick Gossin (c1828 - 1898) is a newly-discovered, completely undocumented potter who worked for many years in Philadelphia after immigrating from France, where he had clearly been brought up in the trade. The Gossin family were well-known French makers of "terra cotta ware," here used to describe less the type of clay being used than the process of molding pottery into what could be very intricate and complicated ornamental objects. Based on Frederick Gossin's newly-surfaced flowerpot, it is clear that he was extremely skilled at this, especially by American standards, and the longevity of his business attests to this.
Born in Paris, Gossin first appears in the 1867 Philadelphia city directory as a "sculptor" living on Cherry Street. By 1869, he formed a partnership with a man named Simon McMahon, and the two began selling the aformentioned molded "terra cotta," also on Cherry Street; this partnership dissolving about 1873, about 1883 Gossin moved up to North 11th Street, about two miles from his previous location, and continued to trade there until 1893, dying in 1898 after a bout with cancer.
The surfacing of this elaborate flowerpot has revealed a newly-discovered American ceramic artist in a vein similar to Texarkana Pottery's Jacob Bachley (himself a French immigrant) or, much earlier, George Ohr. And like Ohr and Bachley, Gossin seems to have been keen on exhibiting his ware and trying to show the world what he was capable of; he was one of many American exhibitors at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial International Exposition, the first true American World's Fair, alongside potters like Richard C. Remmey, John Fritz and Baltimore's Maulden Perine. A wonderful example of Philadelphia pottery in excellent condition, providing a great window into the ceramic spirit of the day.
Outstanding Small-Sized Stoneware Pitcher with Profuse Incised Floral and Impressed Bird Decorations, attributed to Richard C. Remmey, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1890. H 7 5/8".
Elusive Form. Extremely Rare and Important Cobalt-Decorated Stoneware Stoup / Holy Water Font, American, second or third quarter 19th century. Decorated with brushed cobalt cross and floral designs, this font is the first stoneware example of the form that we have ever offered and one of a very few in 19th century American pottery that we are aware of. An Anthony Bacher redware example of similar, but more elaborate, form was sold in Crocker Farm, Inc.'s Kelly Young Sale, Lot 137, Jan. 30, 2010. H 5 1/2".
Tremendous Timepiece. Very Rare Cobalt-Decorated Stoneware Presentation Sundial, Inscribed "H.C. Bailey", attributed to Richard C. Remmey, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1885. Literature: A similar example in the collection of Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library in Winterthur, DE, is incised "H.R. Mitchell / Philada" and illustrated on page 5 of Phil Schaltenbrand's Big Ware Turners. Diameter 8 1/4".
Potter's Self-Portrait. Extremely Rare Pint-Sized Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Decoration of a Man's Face, attributed to Ralph J. Grier, Mt. Jordan Pottery, Chester County, PA, circa 1875. Featuring the distinctive color and swag decoration of Grier's work, this jar also depicts a highly unusual brushed design of a man's face with hat and drooping mustache, believed to be Grier's own self-portrait. Literature: A photograph of an older R.J. Grier with hat, thick mustache, and beard, playing a violin beside his dog, is illustrated on p. 78 of Arthur E. James's The Potters and Potteries of Chester County, Pennsylvania. H 5 5/8".
African-American Ceramic History. Extremely Rare and Important Cobalt-Decorated Stoneware Oyster Jar, Stamped "T. DOWNING / PICKLED OYSTERS / NO*5 BROAD ST / NEW YORK", probably Dennis McLees or Thomas Boone and Sons, Brooklyn, NY, circa 1840.
Thomas Downing (1791-1866) was a prominent African-American oysterman and owner of the most well-known oyster house in 19th century New York City. Downing had grown up as a free black in Accomack County, VA, where he learned the trade of oysterman. His parents were slaves to a prominent land owner in that county, Captain John Downing, who freed them upon his conversion to Methodism. As a young man, Downing traveled north to serve during the War of 1812, meeting his wife in Philadelphia, and ultimately arrived in New York in 1819. Upon his arrival in New York, he purchased a boat and began oystering, eventually establishing Downing's Oyster House in 1825, a famous restaurant on the corner of Wall and Broad Streets that catered to the local elite. In 1842, Downing was responsible for providing food, including 50,000 oysters, for a well-known ball celebrating the arrival of British author, Charles Dickens. His oysters were shipped as far as London and Paris, presumably in jars of this type, and he was even gifted a gold chronometer from Queen Victoria for oysters he sent to her.
Downing was also heavily-involved in the Abolitionist Movement. He used the cellar of his oyster house as a hiding place for runaway slaves in the Underground Railroad, helped found the United Anti-Slavery Society of the City of New York in 1836, and fought for less-restrictive black voting laws in the State of New York. Upon his death in 1866, the New York Chamber of Commerce closed for the day of his funeral.
His son, George Thomas Downing (1819-1903), followed in his father's footsteps as a successful restaurateur and civil rights activist. He served in the Underground Railroad and American Anti-Slavery Society, and fought for equal education for blacks. He was an associate of Frederick Douglass, with whom he helped establish the American League of Colored Laborers in 1850. During the Civil War he was asked to support the enlistment of African-Americans in the Union army, receiving a written promise from the Governor of Massachusetts that they would be treated the same as Caucasian troops. His involvement with African-American civil rights causes continued well after the Civil War. Upon his death in 1903, George T. Downing was described in the Boston Globe as "the foremost colored man in the country."
A wonderful piece of American ceramic history. H 6 1/4".
Five Line Maker's Mark. Exceptional Three-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Impressed Decoration, Stamped "COMMERAWS / STONEWARE / CORLEARS / HOOK / N. YORK", Thomas Commeraw, Corlears Hook, Manhattan, NY, early 19th century. Among the largest Thomas Commeraw jugs that we have ever offered, featuring his most elaborate impressed signature. H 16 3/4".
Outstanding Large-Sized Redware Jar with White and Manganese Slip Decoration, Rochester-Genesee Valley Region, NY, circa 1840-1860. H 15".
Dave Discovery. Rare and Important Four-Gallon Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Jar, Inscribed "Aug 28. 1858 / Dave / Lm / X", Dave at Lewis Miles' Stoney Bluff Manufactory, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield District, SC, 1858. This inscription includes an interesting, looping flourish to the "g" in "Aug" conjoined to the "D" in "Dave". Additionally incised on the shoulder with the initials, "Lm", for Dave's owner, Lewis Miles, followed by an "X". At the time of publication of Goldberg and Witkowski's Ceramics in America 2006 article, "Beneath His Magic Touch: The Dated Vessels of the African-American Slave Potter Dave", no dated vessels signed by or attributed to Dave made during the month of August 1858 were known. This example is an exciting recent discovery, which descended to a North Carolina resident from her grandmother. Today, the emergence of such a piece, a previously-unknown signed example of Dave stoneware, is considered a rare and noteworthy occurrence. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, purchased by the consignor's grandmother in Georgia decades ago. H 13 1/4".
Morgan Masterpiece. Exceedingly Rare and Important Three-Gallon Open-Handled Stoneware Jar with Elaborate Cobalt Watch Spring and Incised Floral Motifs, attributed to the Captain James Morgan Pottery, Cheesequake, NJ, circa 1790. Among the finest examples of intact Captain James Morgan stoneware known, this jar is one of a very few surviving works from this site featuring incised decoration. H 11 1/4".
Baltimore Brushwork at its Best. Outstanding Five-Gallon Stoneware Water Cooler with Profuse Cobalt Floral Decoration, Baltimore, MD origin, circa 1840. Featuring a free-form blossoming plant stemming from a spotted bunghole, this work is among the finest floral-decorated examples of Baltimore stoneware known. H 17 1/2".
Striking Slip. Scarce Six-Gallon Double-Handled Stoneware Jug with Iron Slip Decoration, attributed to Thomas Chandler and John Trapp, Edgefield District, SC, circa 1848-1850. H 17 1/2".
Rare Bristol-Slip-Glazed Stoneware Jug with Cobalt-Decorated Snake, Inscribed "SURE CURE FOR SNAKE BITE", Midwestern origin, late 19th or early 20th century. H 5 3/8".
Pennsylvania Folk Sculpture. Exceptional Large-Sized Redware Figure of a Dog with Monkey Rider, Pennsylvania origin, circa 1850-1880. One of a small number of examples of this form known, this sculpture includes an ambitiously-decorated base with pinwheel-shaped floral motifs. The dog features fine detail including an open mouth with tongue and stamp-decorated basket holding a jug. The monkey, expressive in his raised arm stance, includes impressed buttons to the front and tail of its coat. Among the best Pennsylvania redware animal sculptures to come to auction in recent years. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, which descended in an Adams County, PA family to the current owner. Literature: For a related example, see Hollander, American Radiance: The Ralph Esmerian Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, p. 154. L 6 1/2" ; W 2 7/8" ; H 7 3/8".
Rare Bird. Outstanding Three-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Large Cobalt Bird-on-Stump Motif, Ohio River Valley origin, probably KY, circa 1840. A highly unusual design for this region, featuring a folky, abstract style to the brushwork.
Very Rare Glazed Redware Inkstand with Removeable Well and Sander, Maine origin, second quarter 19th century. L 6 1/2" ; W 4 3/8" ; H 2 5/8".
Exceptional Twelve-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Profuse Stenciled Cobalt Decoration, Stenciled "A. CONRAD / NEW GENEVA. / FAYETTE Co. / PA", circa 1875. Featuring boldly-stenciled roses and a highly unusual design of an open-handled urn at the base, this jar is among the most heavily-decorated examples of Alexander Conrad stoneware that we have ever offered. H 21 1/4".
Rare Three-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Stenciled Cobalt Star and Floral Decoration, Stenciled "ENEIX & EVANS / STONY / POINT POTTERY / NEW GENEVA, PA", circa 1875.
Rare Six-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Cobalt Woman's Bust and Floral Decorations, Ohio origin, circa 1870. H 13 1/2".
Early Meaders. Scarce Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Face Jug, Signed "Lanier Meaders", Cleveland, GA, circa 1970. Exceptional impressions to face and superb streaked glaze. H 9".
Southern Slip. Outstanding Five-Gallon Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Jar with Two-Color-Slip Floral Decoration, attributed to the Collin Rhodes Pottery, Edgefield District, SC, circa 1850. This work features two different Rhodes Pottery motifs, executed in slip-trailed kaolin and brushed iron slip, spanning most of the jar's height on the front and reverse. Provenance: Recently discovered in South Carolina. H 14 1/2".
Rare Survivor. Exceedingly Rare and Important Stoneware Mug with Profuse Slip-Trailed Floral and Wavy Line Decoration, probably Kemple Family, Ringoes, NJ, mid 18th century. One of a small number of surviving 18th century American stoneware mugs. H 6 1/4".
Outstanding B. EDMANDS & CO. / CHARLESTOWN, MA Stoneware Churn with Elaborate Incised Spouting Whale and Shorebird Decoration, Barnabas Edmands, Boston area, circa 1830's. Wonderful, detailed subject matter highlighting the maritime environment of which Edmands' shop was a part.
Boston Bird. Exceptional Two-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Elaborate Cobalt Bird and Floral Decoration, Stamped "MARTIN CRAFTS / BOSTON", MA origin, circa 1855. Among the most intricate bird designs from New England that we have ever offered. The work of this highly-skilled decorator can also be traced to the J. & E. Norton Pottery of Bennington, VT and William E. Warner Pottery of West Troy, NY.
Braun Beauty. Very Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Elaborate Cobalt Bird-on-Floral Decoration, Stamped "C.W. BRAUN / BUFFALO, NY", circa 1870.
Two-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Cobalt Pheasant-on-Stump Decoration, Stamped "J. & E. NORTON / BENNINGTON, VT", circa 1855.
Rare Five-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Large Cobalt Fish Decoration, Stamped "W. HART / OGDENSBURGH", NY State origin, circa 1860.
Fine Three-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "F. STETZENMEYER. / ROCHESTER. N.Y.", circa 1860.
Fine Three-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "F. STETZENMEYER. / ROCHESTER. N.Y.", circa 1860.
Rare Five-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Cobalt Bird-on-Flower Decoration, Stamped "J. BURGER, JR. / ROCHESTER, N.Y.", circa 1885.
Outstanding Five-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Cobalt Woodcock Decoration, Stamped "A.O. WHITTEMORE / HAVANA, N.Y.", circa 1870. Unusual depiction of a gamebird by a desirable New York State maker.
Two-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Cobalt Recumbent Deer Scene, Stamped "J. & E. NORTON / BENNINGTON, VT", circa 1855.
Rare Bear. Outstanding Glazed Redware Figure of a Standing Bear, PA origin, circa 1845-1880. This figure is depicted in an unusual standing or walking stance. The vase majority of American redware bear figures portray the animal seated on its rear with outstretched arms, often facing a hollowed stump. Provenance: Ex-John Ramsey Collection. L 5 3/4".
Virginia Slave-Made Jar. Extremely Rare and Important Half-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "HUGH SMITH & CO." at Shoulder and "T" on Underside, attributed to Thomas Valentine at Hugh Smith's Wilkes Street Pottery, Alexandria, VA origin, circa 1822-1825. The impressed "T" on the underside indicates this jar was made by enslaved African-American potter, Thomas Valentine. Other Smith-period pieces bearing the incised initial, "D", for African-American potter, David Jarbour, and "BCM", for Benedict C. Milburn, on the underside indicate Alexandria potters signed their ware in this manner. According to Eddie L. Wilder's Alexandria, Virginia Pottery, 1792-1876, Valentine was owned by Alexandria potter, John Swann, for several years and was eventually sold by him to merchant and Wilkes Street Pottery owner, Hugh Smith. Valentine was freed by Smith in 1829, as stated by a manumission document dated Nov. 12, 1829. (Wilder, p. 366). The appealing small size of this jar and early, short-lived mark, "HUGH SMITH & CO.", add to its significance. H 7 3/4".
Gorgeous Glaze. Rare Shenandoah Valley Glazed Redware Jar, Stamped "BACHER & KERN / WINCHESTER VA.", circa 1882. H 7 7/8".
Rare and Fine Shenandoah Valley Glazed Redware Cream Pitcher, Stamped "A W BACHER / WINCHESTER, VA.", circa 1880. H 5".
Southern Sculptural Form. Exceedingly Rare Salt-Glazed Stoneware Presentation Flower Jug with Iron Slip Decoration, Inscribed "Miss E Davis on 1842" and "1842", Middle Tennessee origin, 1842. A highly-decorative and time-consuming form to produce, this five-spouted flower jug was made for one "Miss E. Davis" in the year 1842. Few 19th century examples of this form have survived. This piece originally included four small loop handles, which have since been lost. Literature: For a Georgia alkaline-glazed flower jug, see John L. Burrison, "Journey of the Jug", Ceramics in American 2006, fig. 32. H 10".
Charlestown Treasure. Exceptional Small-Sized Stoneware Bottle with Profuse Impressed Decoration, attributed to Frederick Carpenter, Charlestown, MA, early 19th century. Provenance: Found in a Charlestown, MA home. H 5".
Miller Masterpiece. Exceptional Four-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Exuberant Bird and Floral Decoration, Stamped "M. & T. MILLER / NEWPORT, PA", circa 1870. Featuring a Cowden-inspired design of a bird hidden among a large spray of tulips and leaves, this jug is considered the finest example of Michael and Theophilus Miller stoneware to come to auction in years.
Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "WILLSON'S & YOUNG / HARRISBURG, PA", circa 1855.
Glaze, Maker, and Size. Exceptional Diminutive Redware Jar with Sponged Copper and Manganese Decoration, Stamped "J. BELL", John Bell, Waynesboro, PA, circa 1840. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, purchased by the consignor in the early 1980s. H 4 1/4".
Rare Half-Gallon Stoneware Pitcher with Cobalt Clover Decoration, Stamped "MILLER & DAVISON / STRASBURG, VA.," circa 1880. Pieces made at this partnership, as well as the firm of Kenner, Davidson, and Miller, used distinctive clover motifs based upon George Henry Davidson's Baltimore training. This work is noteworthy for combining a number of desirable attributes: form, maker's mark, decoration, and size. H 9 3/8".
Rare Shenandoah Valley Glazed Redware Spittoon, Stamped "BAECHER / WINCHESTER, VA", circa 1880. H 4" ; Diameter 9".
Scarce Shenandoah Valley Redware Lamb Doorstop, attributed to J. Eberly & Co., Strasburg, VA, circa 1890. L 12".
Southern Rarity. Outstanding Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Presentation Inkwell, Inscribed " J.F. Whetsel, / with / Compliments of / Fras F. Martin / 1/30/1901", Southern U.S. origin, 1901. H 4 1/4".
Fine Selection of Cobalt-Decorated Stoneware Canning Jars, New Geneva and Greensboro, PA origin, circa 1860-1870. H (of shortest) 7" ; H (of tallest) 9 7/8".
Civil War Cooler. Five-Gallon Stoneware Water Cooler with Elaborate Incised Decoration of a Bird-on-Stump with American Flag, Inscribed "Shoot the first man who pulls down this flag/ Gen Dix", Stamped "F.T. WRIGHT & SON / TAUNTON, MA", 1861. This cooler bears the quotation of Union Civil War General and current Treasury Secretary, John A. Dix, (1798-1879), taken from a telegraph sent in response to a threat that a Union ship would be seized by secessionists in New Orleans. The telegraph was intercepted in Alabama and made the newspaper headlines in both the North and South, inciting a variety of responses. Despite the Civil War's immeasurable impact on America during the early 1860s, very few examples of American stoneware are known with such a vivid reference to it. Among the most significant discoveries in early Massachusetts pottery in recent decades. Provenance: A recently-discovered example, found in a New England home. H 14 1/2".
Newville, PA Stoneware at its Finest. Possibly Unique Stoneware Water Cooler with Cobalt Wreath Motif and Elaborate Bear's Head Bunghole, Stamped "SAM'L. I. IRVINE/ NEWVILLE, PA", circa 1865. An exceedingly rare form for this prized Central PA maker, this cooler features a hand-modeled bunghole that displays as an outstanding work of American folk sculpture. H 16".
Extremely Rare Stoneware Jug with Incised Fish and Floral Decorations, Stamped "SH ADDINGTON / UTICA", New York State origin, circa 1830-1838. H 14 1/4".
Ruler of the Roost. Exceptional Six-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Oversized Chicken Decoration, NY State origin, circa 1875.
Rare One-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Cobalt Man-in-the-Moon Decoration, Stamped "COWDEN & WILCOX / HARRISBURG, PA", circa 1865. Exceptional size. H 11 1/4".
Philadelphia Rarity. Important Rockingham Hunt Scene Pitcher, Stamped "ABM MILLER", Abraham Miller, Philadelphia, PA origin, circa 1850. The underside of this pitcher is impressed with the elusive maker's mark, "ABM MILLER", for the long-tenured Philadelphia, PA potter, Abraham Miller (active 1799?-1858), a producer of various types of earthenware, including redware and Rockingham. This pitcher is the first signed example of this important potter's work that we have ever offered. Signed sherds bearing this mark have been excavated in Philadelphia; however, we can find no evidence of an intact, signed example ever being documented. Literature: A period print of "ABM. MILLER'S POTTERY AND FIREBRICK MANUFACTORY" serves as the cover image for Susan Myers, Handcraft to Industry: Philadelphia Ceramics in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century, Smithsonian Institute Press, City of Washington, 1980; For more information on Abraham Miller, see Myers, pp. 31-37, 72-75. H 8 5/8".
