Object Number 1959.1751

Object Name

Jar

Category

Ceramics

Credit Line/Donor

Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

Thomas H Commeraw (Potter)

Place of Origin

New York, Manhattan, New York, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Date

1797-1798

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Mark; Shoulder, side 1; Impressed "COMMERAW.S" The "S" is impressed backwards
2. Mark; Shoulder, side 2; Impressed "STONEWARE/ N*YORK"

Subjects

African American maker

Materials

Stoneware (salt-glazed); Salt glaze

Techniques

Thrown, Incised, Painted, Stamped (impressed)

Dimensions (inches)

9.921 (H) , 10.02 (L) , 7.598 (Diam)

Dimensions (centimeters)

25.2 (H) , 25.45 (L) , 19.3 (Diam)

Measurement Notes

7" diameter mouth, slightly oval; 4 3/4" base (flat) Condition: large chip @ foot & below "W.2" & near rim; chip @ inside side.

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Webster, Donald Blake. 1971 Decorated Stoneware Pottery of North America.
• Published: p. 160, no. 203, Thomas Commeraw, NYC, late 18th-early 19th C.
[Book] Ketchum, William C. 1987 Potters & Potteries of New York State, 1650-1900.
• Maker discussed: pp. 53-4, 483, 524.
[Book] Webster, Donald Blake. 1971 Decorated Stoneware Pottery of North America.
• Other Commeraw jars: p. 63, no. 39, stamped "COERLEARS HOOK"; no. 40, stamped N. YORK"; p. 64, no. 41, unmarked.
[Book] Skerry, Janine E. & Hood, Suzanne Findlen. 2009 Salt-Glazed Stoneware in Early America.
• Storage jar with swags marked "COMMERAW[S]/ STONEWARE": pp. 194-5, fig. 11 and detail, Thomas Commeraw, Manhattan, NY, 1797-98
[Catalogue] Crocker Farm, Inc. Crocker Farm Auction Catalogue.
• Stoneware jar with very similar swagged decoration and blue brushwork under the handles: March 5, 2011 sale, lot 192 and a jug attributed to Commeraw or Warne and Letts (lot 191).
[Catalogue] Crocker Farm, Inc. Crocker Farm Auction Catalogue.
• Marked Commeraw jar of a similar form with similar swag decoration (but differently-oriented handles): July 16, 2011 sale, lot 11. (See also November 2, 2013 sale, lot 13, for another example.)
[Article] Kahn, Eve M. 08/13/2011 From Manhattan to Sierra Leone. New York Times.
• Announcement of Zipp's work on Commeraw as an African-american potter.
[Web Site] The Thomas Commeraw Project. 2014 www.commeraw.com
• Brandt Zipp's website for his research and book on Commeraw