Description:
For Sale I have a rather hard to find piece of Art Pottery made by The Hampshire Pottery Company of Keene, NH. The item is called a "Embossed Leaves" Pitcher and it is done in the most desirable Cucumber Green Glaze.The Pitcher has one of the nicest Cucumber Green Glazes I have seen on a Hampshire Pottery piece in quite awhile. The Pitcher displays wonderfully embossed Elephant Leaves that wrap around the top half of the vessel. One of the leaves actually folds back along the top opening and it is attached to the Handle. The Handle is also quite interesting. It attached to the body just under the top. It bows out like most Pitcher handles and attaches at the bottom and branches off into 2 sections to form the appearance of Vine. The longer Vine has what looks like a Flower Bud on the end. What a Splendid Realistic Organic Design.
The pitcher is considered to be in excellent condition as there are no cracks, nicks, chips or dings. There are a few pin pops in the Glaze and the inside Water Proofing Glaze shows crazing which is very common with these pictures as they were used more often than the Vases. There are a few areas on the Handle that is a little weaker in the Green Glaze as is the edges near and and around the tip of the spout. The piece is unsigned but it displays that renown Hampshire Pottery bottom White Clay with the nicely ground smooth Green Edge.
Hampshire Pottery started producing Matte Glazes in 1891. This was 7 years earlier than their main Competitor Grueby Faience of Boston, Mass. Hampshire Pottery resembles the style of Grueby but were much more affordable as they were mold made pieces as opposed to hand thrown.
This is an Early Piece made by Hampshire Pottery as there isn't even a Shape number in the 1916 Catalog Reprint by George Morton who bought Hampshire Pottery in that same year. George Morton was formerly from Grueby Pottery of Boston Mass. I have had this piece before and it had a shape number 34 incised into the bottom.
I would guess this piece was made Circa 1895-1903 as it pre-dates the M in a Circle Mark. That Mark was used from 1904-1914 during Cadmon Robertson's tenure. There was no pottery produced from his death in 1914 till 1916, A period of almost 2 years. This will make a wonderful addition to any Matte Green collection of Art Pottery and would look great on that Stickley Mission Arts and Crafts Bookcase.
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