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Antique Redware
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More than any other pottery type, Redware pottery has been in use in more varied
fashion for the longest period of time. Redware shards have been found in prehistoric
America among the ruins of Native American villages, as well as in ancient Egypt,
Greece, Italy, and England. Red clay virtually exists everywhere in the world and can
only be assumed given the ancient remains of pottery that it has been used since the
beginning. Redware is so-called since the burnished color of the clay due to imbedded
impurities is retained throughout the process of producing a piece. Brought to America
from Europe, primarily France (where it was called terre jaspe, “red earth”) and
England, it soon became the most important source of baking dishes and cookware in
Colonial America. It was somewhat easier to make than other types of pottery, and the
clay was in abundance through the Eastern Colonies just under the topsoil. There is
firm evidence that there was Redware pottery made in Jamestown, VA as early as 1625,
the form of the pottery differing from those vessels brought with the settlers from
England, which often carried the Stafford-shire pottery logo. Redware was mostly used
for baking and cooking, as it holds the heat well and uniformly. It was not without
its drawbacks, it was the somewhat porous nature of the product which made it
unsuitable for long-term storage of liquids, and it was relatively fragile due to the
low firing temperature. The inside of some bowls and crocks were often glazed to
minimize the leaching of liquids, and salt glazing was used at times to increase the
tensile strength.
The Pennsylvania Dutch and North Carolina Germans raised Redware to a fine art during
the eighteenth century (the Pennsylvania Dutch are so-called from their language, a
corruption of Deutsch meaning “German”: they, like those in North Carolina, were from
Southern Germany not Holland) and into the early part of the nineteenth. Using both
slip decoration and sgraffito (see the article on
pottery for an explanation of these
decorations) these artisans produced magnificently colorful pieces, often carrying
folk sayings around their edges. These are highly prized antiques now, particularly
those that carry a name or date or a recognizable folk scene. Some pieces from the
early nineteenth century, highly decorated with sayings, hex signs and “fraktur”
designs (stylized images of flowers and birds) survive in almost pristine condition,
leading to the belief that as the use of Redware declined it became somewhat more
decorative than utilitarian. However, for most of the Colonial period, the inexpensive
Redware became the staple supplement to other utensils in the kitchens and dining
rooms of the time.
A fascinating part of Redware production in the United States goes under the general
heading of “whimsies”: stemming from the “whim” of the potter. Often, at the end of
the workday, there was a small amount of clay left. It was not enough to make another
plate or bowl or other item. Perhaps because of the frugality of the culture (waste
not, want not), or just for fun, the potter would hand make one or more bits and
pieces with it. He made horses, sheep, cows, toys, whistles, miniature farm
implements, flutes, “piggy banks” and tops, just anything that struck his “whim”.
These were rarely decorated, sometimes glazed, but most times just put into the kiln
with the work of the day to be fired overnight. The whimsies were often given to
children to play with, being purchased from the potter for a few pennies. Some potters
intentionally made toys, seeing that there was a market for them and they required
little time and materials to produce. Very few of these whimsies have survived the
centuries and the play of the children, but when they are found they become precious
antiques often commanding a price far in excess of their original intent.
While these interesting whimsies are in rare supply, Redware jugs, bowls, jars, crocks
and bean pots are in reasonably good supply. So many of these were made, a lot of them
survive in antique dealerships and flea markets, albeit many showing the wear they
were given when used in homes. While the plain, undecorated pieces are in greater
supply and less costly than those decorated, the greatest variety of decorated pieces
are those with variegated, slip decoration in a variety of colors. Generally, the slip
decoration is lighter than the Redware color of the piece. Sgraffito decoration is much
more difficult to find and considerably more expensive than the plain pieces. Merritt’s
Antiques has an excellent stock of genuine Redware, including some exceptional
sgraffito pieces and a few whimsies.
Browse redware antiques online
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