Rare Albany, NY Stoneware Jar w/ Manganese Incised Birds, early 19th century

Spring 2024 Stoneware Auction

Lot #: 181

Price Realized: $2,040.00

($1,700 hammer, plus 20% buyer's premium)

PLEASE NOTE: The American ceramics market frequently changes, often dramatically. Additionally, small nuances of color, condition, shape, etc. can mean huge differences in price. If you're interested in having us sell a similar item for you, please contact us here.

Spring 2024 Auction Catalog

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Rare Two-Gallon Manganese-Decorated Stoneware Jar with Incised Bird Decorations, Albany, NY area, early 19th century, ovoid jar with footed base, heavily-tooled shoulder, and applied lug handles, decorated on the front and reverse with an incised design of a bird perched on a stylized leaf, highlighted in purplish-black manganese slip. Birds of this style are frequently attributed to New York State potter, George Lent. Additional manganese highlights to handle terminals. This jar is unusual in its manganese (as opposed to cobalt) treatment as well its depiction of a bird on each side. Typical jars of this type depict a bird on one side and a flower on the reverse. Literature: Illustrated in Hartmann, "The Stoneware of Early Albany: A Mystery Solved," Ceramics in America 2012, fig. 3. Provenance: Warren F. Hartmann Collection. A 3" hairline from rim on decorated side. A faint 1" line descending from bird's belly on same side. A 2 3/4" inverted Y-shaped hairline from rim, descending through handle. Two other short, faint lines from rim. Rim chips. Heavy chipping to base. Some typical in-the-firing flaws to surface. Small flakes to right of bird on one side. H 10 5/8".