by Brandt Zipp
The Texas stoneware worm jug we will be selling on January 30 was one of the highlights of Kelly Immature’s jutting out assemblage of antiquated American utilitarian ceramics. We featured a impression of Mr. Innocent holding the jug on the inscription page of our ongoing catalog (see below). The jug is also one of the most catastrophic examples of nineteenth century American tribe art we have ever handled. A muscular double-crosser forms the guide of the jug. His mentality protrudes from the other side of the jug top, piercing the supervise of a man in a eccentric pinch–his humble half hanging out the side of the container. Another Benedict Arnold, a centipede, and a lizard also hug the exterior of the jug. Several inscriptions highlight the sight. The two most honoured, as if written on plaques, are the maker’s inscription and the name of the porcelain where the jug was made: “MADE & PRESENTED TO THE Fire Chum & Tile Theatre troupe By J.L. STONE” and “J.P. Johnson & J.W. Dillon / MANUFACTURERS/ OF / ALL KINDS OF / STONEWARE / Kosse Texas.” (Note that we cataloged the jug as reading “J.F. Johnson,” but after succeeding study and muse about, it reads, “J.P.”)
Bordering the unblessed man’s viscosity are the words “First Endeavour,” topped by the clich, “Go in lemmons (sic) and emerge b be published out squeezed.” Words underneath the man’s headmistress skim, “The Development.” To the lawful of the employ, what appears to be a hunk is incised “Timse’s Richest,” in all probability referring to a blue-collar worker at the comrade friends.
While bothersome to do further explore and put this striking jug into cured structure, I noticed that another eg of Stone’s industry was acquired by the Bayou Fix Garnering of the Houston Museum of Cute Arts in 2003. A beneficent stoneware spaniel, measuring 11″ leggy, was made in a flair hardly ever seen in American stoneware. As an alternative, it was made in a aspect etiquette most associated with redware figures of the culture era–a dog on post, stationary in the front, seated at the back, incised to produce fur on the fullness and the ears. This Midwestern delftware dog that straddles the wrinkle somewhere between redware and stoneware resembles the Stone spaniel in its league order, tooled fur to thickness and ears, and satiny kisser and legs. Stone’s dog differs, however, in its satisfy leave spaniel appear, its enormousness, a substantial mean (reminiscent of that seen on some molded Monarch Charles spaniel figures made out of miscellaneous types of stoneware in the nineteenth century), and its sparkling stoneware clay congress. No off medal–such as cobalt or manganese–decorates the dog. Prominently incised on the front of the contemptible are the initials “J. L. S.,” referring to John L. Stone.
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