Let's Talk About Pottery & Collectables

Pottery => What's my Pottery? => Topic started by: fstws6 on December 01, 2008, 02:51:56 PM

Title: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 01, 2008, 02:51:56 PM
I have a collection of old pottery bowls. Some are decorated with wavy lines and stripes. Would anyone here like to see some pictures . I was thinking some might be Moravian/German potters made. They look very old and well used some of them.
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 01, 2008, 04:12:55 PM
I finally found a piece like mine here. Looks like it is Moravian now. How rare is it to find this type of pottery ? I never see it for sale and I have a pretty good collection of all different types and designs.http://www.prices4antiques.com/pottery-porcelain/redware/Redware-Moravian-Bowl-Squiggle-Decoration-9-inch-D9849003.asp
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: Anne E.B. on December 01, 2008, 10:26:46 PM
Hi - and welcome :)

Your bowls are really interesting and look to be quite old.  I don't know anything about Moravian/German pottery I'm afraid.  The only thing I know about Moravians, is that in Manchester, where I originate from, there is a Moravian settlement.  Its a lovely old place and an oasis of calm in what has become a very built up area surrounding it.

I'll be very interested to see if your bowls can be identified, or to find out more about Moravian pottery.
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 01, 2008, 11:13:08 PM
Info is hard to come by for sure and not many people know much about this subject. All the pieces I see are usually in museums or  at reproduction makers and do not have much info or value on authentic pieces. I bought most of them at a auction and did not pay a lot for them . Some I only paid 20 .00 for because they had a small crack or chips. I did not care about that because that just told me they were real and actually got used. See if this picture works.(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/1fstws6/100_1912.jpg)
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 01, 2008, 11:27:12 PM
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/1fstws6/100_1913.jpg)
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: Anne E.B. on December 02, 2008, 10:09:12 AM
They look really well loved and to have been used in equal measure :)  I'm sure you've already seen this, but just in case:-

LINK (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iKV2F_AJQ9MC&pg=RA1-PA197&lpg=RA1-PA197&dq=mennonite+pottery&source=web&ots=JIRiXaVtaS&sig=M_wZlhergnqdF45hImpCO4V_cQs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PRA1-PA197,M1)

Bottom of p.197 to 198.  It says that pottery was a well developed craft amongst the Moravian community of North Carolina, which was rich in natural clay...
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: Anne E.B. on December 02, 2008, 10:13:40 AM
Whoops, I think I've got the link a little wrong, although it seems to be working :notme: ;D. 
Anne - if you're looking in, can it be corrected please?
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 02, 2008, 02:25:39 PM
Thanks for the link. Some of these bowls could just be from various potters from the german/european area. Maybe I should just call them PA/German redware bowls and leave it at that but untill I find solid evidence it still makes me wonder.I  still have only found one picture which is the one I have linked above and it was listed as Moravian. I suppose the other bowls I have could be moravian also. There must not be many left around or you would see more for sale you would think. Here is one with some decoration and well used also.This is more like a large platter or shallow bowl.(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/1fstws6/100_1922.jpg)
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: Anne on December 02, 2008, 03:02:42 PM
Whoops, I think I've got the link a little wrong, although it seems to be working :notme: ;D. 
Anne - if you're looking in, can it be corrected please?

Sorted Anne,  :pst: one of your square brackets had gone AWOL.  ;D

Re the bowls, I wonder if these might be useful?
http://www.tiles.org/pages/mptw/mercer.htm - webpage with background info on the Moravian Pottery
http://www.mercermuseum.org/cms/files/Fonthill_Collection_Highlights_Mercer__s_Art_Pottery_ID3667.pdf - pdf file download showing some of the Moravian Pottery output

It might also be worth emailing the pictures to the Museum mentioned and asking if they think yours are Moravian Pottery as well?
http://www.buckscounty.org/government/departments/tileworks/contactus.aspx

Good luck! (and welcome to the board fstws6 . :))

Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 03, 2008, 10:21:34 PM
I just talked to a dealer who sells a lot of French and German pottery. I know what some of my bowls are now. French  Alsace Dough Bowls. Some are German.I have at least 10 of these type maybe more. Paid 15-40 each for them.

http://www.rubylane.com/shops/wildmeems/item/AK02?gbase=1
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/wildmeems/item/AK01?gbase=1
Title: Re: Help identify my pottery !!!
Post by: fstws6 on December 03, 2008, 10:27:04 PM
Now the old ones at the top post pictured I was told German 1860 made. Which still could be Moravian also. Moravian German I only have two of those pictured. Most of them are probably broke and long gone.