Description:
Drape molded yellowware dish, circular form with steep sides and circular flat well, covered with sponged and splattered decoration in a brown Rockingham glaze, impressed mark on base reads “BOSTON EARTHEN/WARE/MANUF’G CO.” and in red paint, “168” in a circle. Formerly part of the Burton N. Gates Collection. The original Gates notecard reads, " Rockingham Baking dish. 9 1/2" x 2 1/2" deep/ Mottled glaze very closely resembles Bennington in color./ "spreading?" and mottling. / Marked BOSTON EARTHEN WARE MANUF'G CO. Impressed 1 1/4" x 3/4"/ Col. S. Falls, Mass. 1912. B.N.G./ see article in "Antiques" by B.N.G." According to Lura Woodside Watkins, in Early New England Potters, the Boston Earthen Ware Manufacturing Company was erected to compete with British pottery production. Started in East Boston in 1854 by Frederick Mear, an Englishman, he had previously engaged in the manufacture of yellow and Rockingham wares in partnership with James Salt and John Hancock at East Liverpool, Ohio, in a works founded by them in 1841. Mear superintended the Boston factory which was owned by William F. Homer, a Boston merchant. William F. Homer first advertised in the Boston Directory as the Boston Earthen Ware Manufacturing Company in 1854/55. During the first year 29 men were employed and $29,000 worth of ware was manufactured. Marked examples of "pudding dishes" (like this example) and cuspidors are known. In June 1857 Mear left his position and the pottery was leased by J. H. Lord and Company - who were still managing it in 1869. The name was changed to the East Boston Crockery Manufactory.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2014.4.159 |
