Bidspirit auction | American Black-Glazed Relief-Molded Redware Oval

American Black-Glazed Relief-Molded Redware Oval Coffee Pot (Probably Philadelphia, PA) - American Black-Glazed Relief-Molded Redware Oval Coffee Pot (Probably Philadelphia, PA) Lustrous metallic black/dark-brown glaze over red earthenware body, exaggeratedly high-styled oval form with heavy band of gadrooning around body, bladed shoulder, tall oval collar, applied molded handle attached flush with the body at the top with squared medial ridge along the length and feathering on either side, slightly flaring oval foot with recessed underside mostly wiped of glaze and with no visible signs of stilts/kiln furniture. Matching cover with ribbing and flower-shaped finial. First half 19th century. Dimensions: 10” H, 4 7/8” x 3 3/4” base. Condition: Coffee pot: Good condition with flakes to handle, broken and glued loss to end of spout, chipping to top edge of rim, and glaze loss to inner rim where cover rests. Heavy glaze crazing which can be felt with a fingernail. Cover: Excellent condition with very minor wear/glaze loss to edge of flange and to finial. Provenance: The Stradling Study Collection. From the private collection of Dr. Jane Perkins Claney (Bryn Mawr, PA). Catalogue Note: Lots 24 through 34 in this sale are primarily from the collection of ceramics scholar and author Jane Perkins Claney (1931-2018). It is believed that these pieces were generally acquired at flea markets and antique shows in the suburban Philadelphia area. Claney assembled the group in hopes of making the pieces available for in-depth study by future researchers - an earnest hope which is shared by Diana, who became the group's caretaker a number of years ago. Scholarship of the past decade has already vastly increased our knowledge of the previously-overlooked American-made ”black-glazed” refined redwares of the early 19th century - the diversity within Claney's thoughtfully-curated group shows that this area is indeed quite ripe for study by those interested in the early 19th century Philadelphia ceramics industry. This coffee pot is related to a teapot at Colonial Williamsburg (object no. ”2022-54,a&b”) which was formerly in the collection of Susan H. Myers (former Smithsonian Curator of Ceramics and Glass and author of Philadelphia ceramics bible ”Handcraft to Industry”), and a coffee pot sold in Crocker Farm's Spring 2022 auction as lot 327 (also ex-Myers collection). Both pieces should be compared to another example (illustrated in Miller 2019, fig. 30) and also lot 30 in the present sale. The pieces differ mainly in minor details including handle forms and the occasional incorporation of decorative bands of beading or ribbing. Listings for ”oval teapots” and ”round coffee pots” appear in inventories associated with Thomas Haig Sr.'s pottery in 1825 (Myers 1980, p. 64) and ”Oval coffee pots” appear in two sizes in an 1834 advertisement by his sons James and Thomas Jr. under a heading for their ”Black and Red China Ware” (info courtesy of Crocker Farm, reproduced in their Summer 2020 auction, lot 219). Despite this, for reasons outlined in previous lots in this sale, it may be difficult to definitively attribute any such pieces to a particular maker, at least not without deeper investigation. But still, this fascinating and alluring ware, an important staple of the Philadelphia pottery industry which ”remained in regular production at least until midcentury”, stands on its own merit, and the myriad forms do a nice job illustrating its ”adaptability to changing market demands” as the century progressed (ibid, p. 13). Auctioneer's Note: We are thrilled to bring the Stradling Study Collection to market in partnership with Connor Rush of SFR Antiques, whose help and scholarship enabled the completion of this session's catalogue. A bibliography for the sale can be found here: ( https://bit.ly/3RYodeh ). For questions about lots 1 through 111 in this sale, or for help accessing the bibliography, please reach out to connor@nyeandcompany.com. Condition: Condition reports are not provided in catalog descriptions. The absence of a condition report does not guarantee that the lot is in good condition or free from damage and wear. We encourage you to request a condition report and/or additional photos prior to bidding on any lot. We also recommend asking for a shipping quote before bidding. CASH, CASHIER CHECK, MONEY ORDER, AND WIRE TRANSFER ARE THE ONLY METHODS OF PAYMENT ACCEPTED FOR JEWELRY.