English Tam o' Shanter Stoneware Pitcher
"Tam o' Shanter" is a narrative poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Published in 1791, it describes the habits of Tam, a farmer who often gets drunk with his friend Souter Johnie (a souter is a cobbler) in a public house in the Scottish town of Ayr. This wonderfully detailed stoneware jug by William Ridgway and Co. (1830-1854) of Hanley, Staffordshire, England, depicts scenes in relief from the poem. The bottom of the pitcher has a mark stamped into the clay that reads "Published by W. RIDGWAY & CO. Hanley, October 1, 1835." The jug is in the buff color called "drabware;" it's been heavily reproduced without the proper marks in just about every color you can imagine.
In the scene on one side of the jug, Tam is getting a pour of ale from the landlady of the pub. On the other side, Tam is on his "grey mare Meg," fleeing the witches flying after him, one with her hand on Meg's tail (meg is also called Maggie in the poem). The high, arched handle shows a witch's hand clutching the mare's tail; she "left poor Maggie scarce a stump."
This handsome jug has endured a knock on the spout's rim in the past. The chip was repaired and the repairer did a good job of matching the color of the clay. The largest part of the chip was on the inner part of the spout and it's a bit lumpy there. There are tiny hairlines near the base of the handle, one above the garland that runs under the mouth and one on the bottom. These are surface tears, done in the kiln and glazed over afterwards. All of this is shown in our photos (double click on each image to see it at its largest). None of it affects the sturdiness of the pitcher but we mention them for accuracy---it's otherwise in excellent condition. There is an inner lip that could support a pewter lid, but the jug was not drilled with holes for attaching it, so it was never done.
This is the large size of this jug, measuring 10 inches tall to the top of the spout, 9 inches from spout to handle and 24 inches in circumference where it bellies out near the bottom. The flared foot is 6 inches in diameter and the piece weighs a sturdy 4 pounds. The relief molding is particularly crisp on this example. It's a beautiful display piece and, since it's fully glazed inside, can hold fresh flowers as well.
PYH 5487
Named the "Cavalier in a Window," this spectacular and rare yellow ware lidded ale pitcher is glazed in the streaked, mottled brown glaze known as Rockingham. It's attributed to the Baltimore, Maryland pottery of Edwin Bennett and his brother William, founded in 1850 as the E. and W. Bennett Pottery, making molded yellow and Rockingham wares. Edwin and William were potters at their brother's James Bennett and Brothers Pottery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before settling in Baltimore. Exhibited at the Maryland Institute, their pottery won silver and gold medals for quality and style. This pitcher dates from the mid-1800's; unmarked, it's been attributed to E. and W. Bennett by comparison to their documented pieces. Experts have stated that the Baltimore Bennett company produced some of America's finest Rockingham glazed pottery.
Cavalier is a British political term that came to mean a swashbuckler in elaborate clothing. This cavalier is holding a mug of ale and smoking his clay pipe; he's framed by an arch of bricks that in turn is framed by branches of ivy. To carry the ale theme further, there are sheaves of hops tied with a bow above each cavalier (the decorations are identical on each side). Molded hops are also on the lid, on the knop of the lid and on the branch handle. The elongated, perforated spout is supported by an animal head, which has been identified as both a goat and a bull. The bellied form of the pitcher has a recessed foot. The lid is an item so rarely found that it is a cause for celebration when one has survived.
This pitcher is monumental in size; its weight of 7 pounds alone would make us sorry for the barmaid who had to heft it full of ale--or even empty. It stands 10 1/2" high including the lid; about 10 inches across the belly from spout to handle and about 8 1/2 inches front to back. It's In outstanding condition, with the glossy surface intact. There are a few small, old chips on the inner rim of the lid and a small chip on the edge of the upper rim of the lid (all shown in our photos). Since the lid sits down into the mouth of pitcher, the chip on the outer rim of the lid is not visible when the lid is on the body. There are no other chips, cracks or repairs. This is a masterpiece of early American pottery that will be the focal point of any collection.
>>>As always, white spots are the reflections of our studio lighting.
>>>Our research sources include the book, "Baltimore: Biography," published in 1912 by the Lewis Historical Publishing Company.
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PYH 4730