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This is a very good piece of artistic stoneware made somewhere in the American Northeast, such as New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania during the second half of the nineteenth century. This is one of only a few objects known by this manufacturer today.
The blue cobalt was applied in a repeating, textured pattern that looks like fish scales or a honeycomb. By intentionally leaving part of the vase undecorated, the surrounding blue borders frame a simple, four-lobed flower or cross. This intricate decoration would have taken significantly longer to execute than the traditional designs typically found on nineteenth century stoneware. Most utilitarian jugs and crocks from this era were decorated with speed and efficiency, with the potter using a paintbrush to quickly freehand a simple blue bird, a flower, or capacity number on the front in a matter of seconds. In contrast, this jar required a slow, highly meticulous multi-step process where the artisan had to carefully dab the cobalt slip hundreds of times in neat, overlapping rows to establish the uniform fish-scale texture.
Literature: See Justin W. Thomas’ blog about this object: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/06/beyond-utility-meticulous-artistry-of.html
Item Date: Circa 1850 - 1880
Measurement: Height: 8.25"
Material: Stoneware and cobalt
Item Condition: Excellent original condition
Price: $2,850
SKU 1508-1
For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.