Bidspirit auction | Unusual Swan Hill Pottery (South

Unusual Swan Hill Pottery (South Amboy, NJ) Rockingham-Glazed Covered Ale Pitcher - Unusual Swan Hill Pottery (South Amboy, NJ) Rockingham-Glazed Covered Ale Pitcher Deep brown Rockingham glaze over buff-colored yellowware, typical New Jersey relief-molded hunting scene featuring two mounted horsemen and three hounds chasing a stag, with leafy branch encircling both sides above the scene, morning glory vine leaves around belly and foot and scrolling border below the rim; molded and applied branch handle, factory-ordered modification/conversion to an ale pitcher by addition of an integral relief-molded cover and spout-mounted tube with hole-punched strainer to interior. Second half 19th century. Dimensions: 9 1/2” H. Condition: Excellent overall condition with a few minor flakes scattered across high points of molded decoration, plus a drying line/split along molded cover's attachment point, as made. Provenance: The Stradling Study Collection. Purchased from Richard Tomita (Paramus, NJ), 12/15/1967. Catalogue Note: In its unmodified form this ”Riders” or ”Mounted Hunters” pitcher is a typical piece of New Jersey Rockingham associated with production at the Swan Hill Pottery, where the design was supposedly originated by Charles Coxon (Goldberg 1994, p. 60). Ale-jug converted examples are uncommon, and anecdotally, NJ collectors refer to them as ”iced tea pitchers” - for one such example see Crocker Farm's July 11th 2009 auction, lot 130. The present pitcher is unusual among such examples in the bizarre molded decoration atop its cover. The decoration appears to be a hodgepodge of pieces cut from the so-called ”Greatbach type” boar hunt/stag hunt pitchers produced decades earlier than the present example, in Jersey City and elsewhere. The presser appears to have pressed slabs of clay directly into a pitcher mold and cut them up to create this strange grouping of dog pieces and half-gone motifs from elsewhere on the original boat hunt/stag hunt pitcher. It is unknown why the pitcher's creator went through the trouble of customizing the cover here, but it presents an interesting study into the potter's craft, and the apparent presence of a ”Greatbach type” pitcher's mold on the premises of the Swan Hill Pottery at some point. 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.