Extremely Rare and Important Shenandoah Valley Multi-Glazed Redware Lamb Doorstop, attributed to J. Eberly & Co., Strasburg, VA, circa 1890, molded figure of a sleeping lamb with well-detailed fleece coat, pierced nostrils, and incised mouth, the body dipped in cream-colored slip, heavily-decorated with streaks of copper and manganese, and covered in a clear lead glaze. Noteworthy for their charming figural form and substantial size, the Eberly lamb has become an iconic image among collectors and scholars of Southern folk pottery. An 1888 J. Eberly & Co. price list, illustrated on p. 260 of H.E. Comstock's The Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley lists "Lambs for Door Stops, per dozen, 3.00". (This price most likely refers to the pottery's standardly-produced, slip-coated lambs, as the word "fancy", used to denote the Eberlys multi-glazed redware, is not mentioned.) This particular lamb doorstop gained legendary status in 2002 when it set an auction record for an example of Shenandoah Valley multi-glazed redware at Green Valley Auctions in Mt. Crawford, Virginia. To date, this doorstop belongs to a small, coveted group of documented examples of this form and glaze, this example being among the best in terms of color and condition. As most Shenandoah Valley pottery pieces of this quality are held in museum or long-term private collections, our March 24 auction offers a rare opportunity at acquiring an example of both high decorative appeal and extreme rarity, as well as a piece that has played a significant role in the history of the Shenandoah Valley pottery market. Provenance: From a Virginia estate; Green Valley Auctions, November 2002. Literature: For related examples, see H.E. Comstock, The Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley Region, p. 280, fig. 5.221, and William E. Wiltshire, III, Folk Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley, p. 69. Very nice condition with strong luster to surface and some typical wear to glaze. L 11 3/4".
