Bidspirit auction | Swan Hill Pottery (South Amboy,

Swan Hill Pottery (South Amboy, NJ) Molded Rockingham-Glazed Presentation Toby Mug with Frog - Swan Hill Pottery (South Amboy, NJ) Molded Rockingham-Glazed Presentation Toby Mug with Frog Excellent blue-and-brown mottled ”flint enamel” style Rockingham glaze over buff-colored yellowware body, cylindrical molded form decorated in relief with images of a portly Toby seemingly holding a razor and brush on either side, foliage embossed to hide the mold seam (under handle), thinly lead-glazed interior with a molded frog in the bottom, applied molded branch handle. Presentation lettering applied to front which reads ”S. CROCKETT / BROMFIELD / HOUSE”. Circa 1858-1869. Dimensions: 3 7/8” H, 4 1/8” D base. Condition: Undamaged. Provenance: The Stradling Study Collection. Sotheby Parke Bernet Sale 3594, 1/22/1974, lot 22. Ex-collection of Jacqueline D. Hodgson. Ex-George S. McKearin Collection of American Pottery, no. 1378 (retains sticker). Catalogue Note: Bromfield House was a hotel in Boston located on Bromfield Street, known by many names during its long lifespan, but known specifically as ”Bromfield House” from around 1816 until its closure in 1869. This exceptional mug was presented to one of its proprietors, either Seldon Crockett or perhaps his son, S. Frank Crockett (Crawford 1910, pg. 333-335). It is attributed to the Swan Hill Pottery on the basis of form and glaze, as well as the style of applied lettering. The mold came to Swan Hill via its modeller Charles Coxon, who had previously made similar mugs at the pottery of E. & W. Bennett in Baltimore. The two styles can be distinguished by their glazing but they can perhaps be told apart most easily by their handles - the Bennett examples have a smoothly curved branch handle, while the NJ versions seem to have the doubly-angled style seen on the present example (Goldberg 1994, pg. 59-60). This example could have been made under Coxon's tenure, but since it lacks the raised molded rectangle seen on other Coxon pieces, it is perhaps more likely a product of Coxon's successor at Swan Hill, J.L. Rue & Co. A price list from the later firm shows ”Toby Mugs” offered in two sizes and ”Pressed Shaving Mugs” offered in one size (Leibowitz 2002, p. 35). This seems to be the larger of the two mug sizes; a smaller version, stamped with Coxon's mark inside a rectangle, is part of lot 72 in this sale. 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.