Bottles and Extras March-April 2008 29 of the Eastern United States By Mark Zipp Introduction jugs, pitchers, butter and cake crocks vessel was thrown. Much like the different Gaining popularity in the late (shallow, cylindrical forms), milk pans schools of painting and furniture-making eighteenth century and rapidly declining in (shallow, tapering crocks with spouts), and in America, there were, in a sense, different production by 1900, salt-glazed stoneware spittoons. Salt-glazed stoneware potteries schools of potting. Some of these schools was one of America’s great containers of existed from Maine to Virginia, extending of style, which will be discussed, are New common household goods. as far west as Ohio and Minnesota. Other York and New England, Central Whether it be a pitcher for cream, a potteries operating in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, crock for lard, a jug for whiskey, or a Georgia and other Southern states, , and Strasburg, Virginia. chamberpot for the bedroom, a single produced alkaline and some salt-glazed household could require many pieces for ware. Stoneware reached its maximum and New England daily life. Today, what was once respected production among the Eastern potteries The Northern potteries of New York for its utilitarian function has now become circa 1880. state and New England produced highly admired among collectors for its decorative The early years of American stoneware, refined stoneware with a whitish clay, appeal and historical significance. circa 1750 to 1810, will not be discussed glossy salt glaze and bright cobalt blue. Stoneware is a term used to describe in this article. Though several pieces of Generally, Northern stoneware contains less pottery which has been fired in a kiln at a this period, particularly by the Crolius and imperfections and firing flaws than that high temperature, approximately 2,300 Remmey families of , represent produced in the South. The clean, light degrees Fahrenheit, and which has some of the most important examples of color of the clay and vibrant blue on hardened to a stone-like body. The resultant American folk art, this article will primarily many of these pieces makes them seem, clay color can be anywhere from nearly focus on the years when stoneware potting at least to the untrained eye, nearly white to dark brown or dark olive. was a successful enterprise throughout indistinguishable from modern Stoneware, even when fired to a reddish much of the East. The potteries referred to reproductions. This resemblance is partly hue, is not to be confused with “redware,” in this article roughly pertain to the time due to the industrialization of such which has a porous, softer body, and which period 1850 to 1880. businesses. Many of the Northern is fired at a lower temperature. stoneware operations were quite large, with Most pieces of stoneware, after being Values numerous workers and high quality clay thrown on a wheel, were stamped with a Value in stoneware is based on three and equipment, which translated into maker’s mark, as well as a capacity mark major criteria: the decoration, maker and massive outputs. They should be viewed 1 to indicate gallonage, such as 1, 1 /2, 2 or form of the vessel. As with any collectible, more as factories, which had become more 3. They were then allowed to air dry and condition also plays a major role, with standardized in their production than harden as “greenware.” After drying, each cracks, chips and broken parts decreasing potteries in the South. piece would be decorated with cobalt oxide, the value of a quality example by several Most Northern pieces, besides being a compound which, when fired with salt, hundred, perhaps several thousand, dollars. glazed on the exterior with cobalt and salt, produced a bright blue coloration. [Some Above all, decoration is the most defining were also glazed on the interior with a dark potters, such as Henry Glazier of factor in a piece of stoneware’s worth, with brown “Albany slip.” This thick coating Huntingdon, Pa., and George N. Fulton of rare decorations, like people and animals, kept food products from soaking into the Allegheny County, Va., used manganese for making a piece most desirable. The value body of the vessel. Most common among their decorations, which, when fired, of a piece also fluctuates based on whether stoneware forms thrown by Northern produced a rusty brown color. Most or not it is signed. Signatures always potters are semi-ovoid cream jars, straight- manganese-decorated stoneware is increase the value of a piece. Even sided jugs with thick, round spouts and considered rare.] Brushes or occasionally attributing an unsigned piece to a given straight-sided crocks, of similarly slip cups, funnel-like instruments that maker based on its style can make it worth proportioned heights and widths. poured the cobalt in fine, raised trails, were more. The form of the vessel also plays a Northern potters, particularly those used to decorate the exterior of the vessels. role in value and desirability, with less from Upstate New York, produced Decorating through the use of a slip cup is commonly produced items, like banks, stoneware with perhaps the greatest variety known as slip-trailing. The load of ware water coolers and inkwells being some of of decorations among all makers operating would then be stacked in a kiln to be fired, the most sought after. in nineteenth century America. Besides with each piece separated by crude or standard flower and bird decorations, they molded kiln furniture. When the kiln Areas of Collecting also made pieces with hand-painted reached the desired temperature, a kilnman Most stoneware enthusiasts collect by animals, such as dogs, cats, fish, and would shovel salt inside. The salt would region, seeking pieces of a certain style horses, as well as people, faces, houses, vaporize and fuse to the surfaces of the made in a certain geographic region. The ships, flags, and numerous others. vessels, resulting in an impenetrable, glass- vast number of potteries of the Eastern U.S. Northern makers utilized slip-trailing like coating over a blue decoration. can be divided into various subgroups based techniques on many of their pieces, which Commonly produced stoneware forms of on their stylistic differences, such as clay allowed for greater detail, and an overall the nineteenth century include jars, crocks, color, and decoration used, and how the more artistic rendering. 30 March-April 2008 Bottles and Extras

Although nearly all New York potters Central Pennsylvania a long-nosed face, flanked on the edge by from about 1850 to 1890 produced To the east, potteries in Central leaves. Currently, among the Central stoneware with similar cobalt motifs, many Pennsylvania, such as Cowden & Wilcox Pennsylvania marks, pieces marked makers are known for certain unique of Harrisburg, M & T Miller of Newport, “COWDEN & WILCOX” remain the most decorations that they solely developed and Evan R. Jones of Pittston, and Sipe and Son collectible. This is probably due to the sheer which they are now known for among of Williamsport, produced light-colored, variety and high quality of the decorations collectors. Potter Thompson Harrington of brightly-decorated ware similar to that of of this partnership’s ware. Some superior Lyons is admired for his “star face” potters in the North. Makers of this region examples of Cowden and Wilcox stoneware decoration, which consists of a small, slip- most often produced jug and cream jar include those decorated with a Union trailed face surrounded by several jagged forms, usually in the one to three gallon soldier’s bust, a cow, a horse head, as well rays of cobalt. Havana potter A.O. size. In addition, Central Pennsylvania as a variety of bird decorations. Whittemore, perhaps more than any potters produced a form known as the batter American maker, produced crocks pail, an ovoid vessel with a tubular spout Western Pennsylvania decorated with slip-trailed houses, in the front and a wire handle over the top. Potters in Western Pennsylvania underlined with waves, and occasionally This form is also found, on occasion, in typically made vessels in the form of small flanked by palm trees. John Burger of the work of Northern potters with sparse canning jars up to lug-handled, twenty- Rochester made pieces decorated with game cobalt decoration. Those from Central gallon crocks. The clay they used, when birds, detailed on the breast, head and back, Pennsylvania are usually heavily decorated, fired, was usually darker and denser than with numerous dots of cobalt. Noah White attractive examples of stoneware and are that of the Northern factories, ranging from of Utica commonly decorated his pots with very desirable. a medium gray to a dark brown. Unlike “paddle-tailed birds,” song birds with long, Most common among Central makers in surrounding areas, Western rounded tails heavily filled with cobalt. Pennsylvania stoneware motifs are brush- Pennsylvania potters used metal stencils, In such cases, the decorations are so decorated representations of flowers and punched with the name of their company distinctive an expert can identify the maker leaves, though local potters occasionally and town of origin, to decorate the front of of a piece without reading the maker’s decorated pieces with grapes, birds, animals their ware. Their companies’ names would mark. In other cases, decorations are more and people. Central Pennsylvania potters be accented with brush-decorated flourishes characteristic of the style of the region, rarely slip-trailed the cobalt onto their and other stenciled designs, from simple rather than a specific maker. The vessels. Pieces with such a treatment are swags and geometric patterns to detailed similarities between stoneware pieces considered rare and desirable. One motif fruit, eagles, and, in very rare cases, tavern produced in various towns, extending from prized by collectors is the so-called “man- scenes. Pottery names found on examples to Portland, Maine, suggest in-the-moon,” which depicts the profile of from this region include “HAMILTON & that many potters traveled from company to company throughout the states of the Northeast. There were several major potteries active in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont during the nineteenth century. These include F.T. Wright of Taunton, Mass., F.B. Norton of Worcester, Mass., J.S. Taft of Keene, New Hampshire, and A.K. Ballard of Burlington, Vermont. Like examples from New York, New England stoneware is generally light-clayed, and features bright cobalt floral or bird decorations. Though nearly identical in quality to the work of many New York makers, most collectors are uninterested in New England stoneware. However, there is one exception. The Julius Norton pottery of Bennington, Vermont, which operated from 1839 until 1894, was one of the country’s major factories, producing, among florals and birds, pieces decorated with slip-trailed pheasants, dogs, lions and deer. Norton animals are often depicted in a landscape scene surrounded by pine trees, Top row, from left: Bean pot, Georgia, alkaline glaze, early 20th century; churn, Albany slip, Georgia, fences and a house; the lavish detail of such early 20th century; whiskey jug, salt-glazed, Ottman Bros., Fort Edward, N.Y., late 19th century. scenes has made them some of the most Bottom row, from left: milk or mixing bowl, alkaline glaze, Timmerman Pottery, Stockton, Ga., late beloved and sought after of all stoneware 19th century; pitcher, alkaline glaze, Washington County, Ga., late 19th century; cream riser, alkaline decorations. glaze, Crawford County, Ga., late 19th century. (Bea Baab photo) Bottles and Extras March-April 2008 31

JONES/ GREENSBORO Pa.,” “A. the only significant potter in Baltimore and of the state of Pennsylvania. Baltimore, CONRAD/ NEW GENEVA Pa.,” and the clover not the only motif used. and its neighboring pottery towns in “ISAAC HEWITT JR./ RICE’S Other stoneware producers, such as the Virginia, were more concerned with floral LANDING,” all circa 1870. Potter Parr and Perine families, contributed much designs, whether elaborate, fine and elegant Alexander P. Donaghho, who made to Baltimore’s potting heritage, but a lack or naive. freehand and stencil decorated stoneware of signed examples of their work has made in Fredericktown, Pa., circa 1870, later them virtually unknown to historians and Strasburg moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia, collectors. The Parr family, beginning circa Major potting towns in Virginia where he potted from 1874 to 1900. His 1815 with David Parr Sr., operated in included Alexandria, Richmond, Fredericktown products are considered rare Baltimore into the 1850s. Stoneware Harrisonburg in the Upper Shenandoah and desirable, while his Parkersburg produced by the Parrs represents some of Valley and Strasburg in the Middle products are very common. the most lavishly decorated examples made Shenandoah Valley. For the sake of brevity, Western Pennsylvania potters gained in nineteenth century America. Their most the most productive of Virginia’s pottery much of their success selling pottery to popular motif was a horizontal garland of towns, Strasburg, nicknamed “Pot Town,” various merchants from Ohio down to leafy stems and flowers, running the will be discussed. Potters in Strasburg used Virginia, with each piece emblazoned with circumference of a vessel below its collar. unrefined local clay to make their the name of a business across the front. Many pieces are decorated with several stoneware, resulting in dense, dark-colored Examples of these advertising pieces rows of this design. pots. Much of the stoneware produced in include “E.J. MILLER SON & CO./ The Perine family, beginning in the late Strasburg is flawed, with bloated or DEALERS IN CHINA AND eighteenth century with Peter Perine, collapsed walls, heavily burnt areas and QUEENSWARE/ ALEXANDRIA Va.,” maintained a redware and stoneware crazing, all related to poor clay or firing which were made by James Hamilton or T.F. operation in Baltimore into the 1940s. The problems. After 1850, during the town’s Reppert of Greensboro, and “CHAS. family ended its production of cobalt- glory years of pottery production, most TORSCH & CO./ BALTIMORE Md.,” decorated ware around 1900. From 1840 potters preferred to make straight-sided which were made by A.P. Donaghho during to 1885, the Perine family decorated their vessels decorated with a simple swag motif. his Parkersburg years. pottery with fan-shaped flowers or hanging This easily-applied decoration consisted of swags, applied by brush. Their early work a series of comma-like dashes hanging from Baltimore was quite attractive, with garland-like the rim of the vessel; in more elaborate To most collectors, Baltimore stoneware decorations that spread from handle to examples, the swags are accompanied by is defined by its clover decoration and local handle, bright blue against light gray. flowers. In very rare cases, potters potter, Peter Herrmann. The brush-applied Perhaps most intriguing about this family decorated with representations of people, clover decoration was undoubtedly the most was its ability to survive so long, and to birds or animals. Strasburg stoneware, popular motif used by Baltimore potters, evolve into a large-scale, industrialized though lacking in quality when compared particularly after 1850. Interestingly, operation, advancing far beyond its local to the factories of the North, is admired for clovers are rarely seen elsewhere in competitors. By 1890, the Perines had its folksy charm and the Southern heritage neighboring potting areas. patented the first stoneware drain pipe, and that bore it. Of the many Strasburg maker’s Herrmann, who potted in the third were producing pottery for a variety of marks found today, the most common quarter of the nineteenth century, is one of chemical and household needs, all fired include “W.H. LEHEW & CO.,” “J.M. the few Baltimore makers to have signed inside efficient, gas-powered kilns. In HICKERSON,” and “S.H. SONNER.” his work, incorporating his name, “P. many ways, they had become much like the Some rare, short-lived partnership marks HERRMANN,” into the capacity marks he factories of the North. exist, including “MILLER & FLEET” and stamped upon his ware. Herrmann Examples of Baltimore stoneware “KENNER, DAVIDSON, & MILLER.” produced a large amount of stoneware, signed by the partnership of Morgan and But perhaps most well-known among some decorated with clovers, others with Amoss from the 1820s reveal a past to the Strasburg potters are the Bells and Eberlys. swags, vertical claw-shaped flowers or craft in this city, which differs quite Brothers Samuel and Solomon Bell, along hanging flowers. His decorative motifs strikingly from the simple, clover jars made with Samuel’s sons, potted in the town for were some of the most varied among the by Herrmann. Morgan and Amoss over half a century, producing stoneware Baltimore potters. Besides his standard produced evenly-fired ware with light gray as well as redware. A few redware lions, production items, he made advertising bodies and exacting, slip-trailed designs, for which the Bell family has become crocks and jugs for merchants from Western unreminiscent of the later clover motifs. famous, were produced in Strasburg. Maryland to South Carolina. Many are The pair most often signed their pottery on Samuel and Solomon Bells marks include stamped with the merchant’s name as well the underside, in an elegant script, “Morgan “S. BELL,” “SOLOMON BELL/ as Herrmann’s maker’s mark. The & Amoss/ Makers/ Pitt Street/ Baltimore,” STRASBURG/ Va,” and “S. BELL & SON/ abundance of his name found on clover- followed by a date. STRASBURG.” Brothers Jacob and Joseph decorated pieces has led many to assume In a sense, Baltimore served as a Eberly, along with Jacob’s son, Daniel, also that all clover-decorated pieces were made boundary line between styles in stoneware. produced both redware and stoneware. The by Herrmann. Some even go so far as to Its gray-fired clays, vessel forms and cobalt Eberlys, like the Bells, are admired for believe that he was the only major potter motifs are more like those to the South, in having created some of the most important in Baltimore and that clovers were the only Virginia. Representations of fruit, animals redware pieces in American history, decoration. However, Herrmann was not and people are nearly non-existent south Continued on page 36. 36 March-April 2008 Bottles and Extras

Archaeologist, University of Wyoming, Pottery of the Eastern U.S. by Mark Zipp National Glass Budget Laramie, Wyoming. Continued from page 31. 1909d “In a Reminiscent Mood.” National including a log cabin commemorating the Glass Budget 25(9):11. [7-10-09] Wilson, Bill and Betty Wilson Civil War battle of Fisher’s Hill, which was 1969 Western Bitters. Old Time Bottle fought near Strasburg. The Eberlys’ marks Palmer, Arlene Publishing Co., Salem, Oregon. [Bit, Ds, include, “J. EBERLY & BRO./ 1993 Glass in Early America. W. W. H, Me,] STRASBURG VA,” within a shield and “J. Norton, New York. EBERLY & CO.” Wichmann, Jeff Both the Bells and Eberlys were unusual Peters, Roger 1999 Best of the West: Antique Western among nineteenth century potters in that they 1996 Wisconsin Soda Water Bottles, 1845- Bitters Bottles. Pacific Glass Books, produced pottery both in the form of 1910. Wild Goose Press, Madison, Sacramento, California. [Bit,] stoneware and redware. Though potters Wisconsin. elsewhere sometimes produced ware in both Footnotes: mediums, no other families made redware to Ring, Carlyn 1 John P. McMaster, Manufactures of such an extent of ornamentation. When their 1980 For Bitters Only. Nimrod Press, Pennsylvania Galaxy Publishing, fellow potters in Strasburg and elsewhere Boston. , 1875. began to fade away, these two families made 2 Although virtually all secondary “fancy ware,” which is now termed among Ring, Carlyn and W. C. Ham sources, including both grandsons agree collectors “multi-glaze,” or “polychrome.” 1998 Bitters Bottles. Privately published, with the 1866 date, the Pittsburgh city When cheaper but less decorative types of Downieville, California. directories place William Frank & Co. from containers emerged, these potteries began to produce redware much in the style that earlier Roller, Dick 1866 to 1869, and William Frank & Sons makers produced utilitarian pottery: as 1983 Standard Fruit Jar Reference. from 1870 to 1876 (Hawkins 2006). We something that was useful, but also attractive. Privately published. have not reached a satisfactory explanation for this discrepancy. Thus, they glazed their vessels with lead, 3 manganese and copper, creating colorful Toulouse, Julian Harrison Actually, this 1872 patent (No. swirled surfaces of green, cream and brown. 1969 Fruit Jars. Thomas Nelson & Sons, 134,370) was for an improvement in Using these vibrant colors on utilitarian Camden, New Jersey. furnace valves (U.S. Patent Office 1872c). 4 The article in the Crockery and Glass objects like pitchers and spittoons, as well as ornamental objects like vases and hand- 1971 Bottle Makers and Their Marks. Journal still listed the plant as William sculpted dogs, kept these businesses alive Thomas Nelson, New York. Frank & Sons, 92 First Ave. in August 1876. into the twentieth century. Spurred by the 5 success of their polychrome redware, these Umberger, Art and Jewel Umberger Some of these marks had a smaller families continued to produce wood-fired 1967. It’s A Bitters! Corker Bottle capital “M” in “WM”; some had an M M stoneware, the way they had learned to make Company, Tyler, Texas. underlined, superscript “ ” in “W ”; and one flask had two dots under the “M” in it, along with their more ornamental redware M pieces, later than any other potteries in U.S. Patent Office “W .” 6 America. Ashby Bell, the last of the Bell 1872a “Improvement in Tools for Forming Currently, we do not know how many potters, revived old styles, producing ovoid, Mouths of Bottles, &c.” No. 103,207. U.S. of these actually have the superscripted M lavishly decorated jars as late as 1915. Patent Office. “W ” instead of “WM.” 7 Although Toulouse showed this mark Conclusion 1872b “Improvement in Bottle Stoppers.” with a lower-case “m” in “Wm,” the “M” The mass production of glass and various No. 103,207. U.S. Patent Office. was probably a smaller-sized capital. 8 This is the only use of “SON” other, more efficient types of containers ultimately led to the end of salt-glazed 1872c “Improvement in Regenerative (singular) that we have encountered. This stoneware and the potteries that created it. Furnace-Valves.” No. 134,370. U.S. Patent may have been an error in the drawing or In response to a waning demand, crocks Office. an error by the engraver. 9 Another indicator is the plural of became less and less decorative and more and more utilitarian. Cobalt was used sparingly Watson, Richard “SONS.” All Franzen ads and discussions or not at all, giving rise to white, Bristol slip- 1968, Supplement to Bitters Bottles. call the company “William Franzen & Son” glazed stoneware and then brown and white Thomas Nelson & Sons, Camden, New (note singular). crocks and jugs. Today, cobalt-decorated Jersey. stoneware has gone from the storehouse shelves to the shelves of collectors’ Wedel, Dale L. and Danny N. Walker Bill Lockhart cupboards. And despite the humble purposes 1992 “Artifacts and Faunal Remains.” In 1313 14th St., Apt. 21 they were endowed with by the hands that Archaeological Survey and Test Alamogordo, NM 88310 formed them, they now sit quietly, behind Excavations at Fort Fred Steele State (575) 439-8158 glass, admired and unused. Historic Site, edited by Mark E. Miller and [email protected] Dale L. Wedel. Project Number WY-12- 90. Office of the Wyoming State