Pitcher, "Peace Plenty, and Independence"
notes: label: Description
content: This small creamware pitcher is decorated with three transfer prints, one celebrating James Madison, one titled “Peace and Plenty,” and the Arms of the United. A portrait of Madison is set in an oval, with a scroll above that reads “James Maddison [sic] President of the United States.” The portrait is surrounded by an interwoven oak and vine chain with the names of the fifteen states. The other side of the pitcher bears a design with a medallion containing the words, “PEACE, PLENTY, and INDEPENDENCE.” Above the medallion is a spread-winged eagle perched on a cannon, to the left is the allegorical figure of “Plenty” holding a cornucopia, to the right is a figure of “Peace” lighting fire to the instruments of war. The interesting thing about the Madison print is that the portrait included is one that has been used to portray Thomas Jefferson on other English-made creamware. This print has been attributed to the Herculaneum Pottery of Liverpool by David and Linda Arman their book Anglo-American Ceramics Part I: Transfer Printed Creamware and Pearlware for the American Market, 1760-1860. Robert H. McCauley purchased this jug from Dr. Arthur C. Merrit of New York, NY on October 25, 1940 for $90.00.
label: Description
content: This pitcher is part of the McCauley collection of American themed transfer print pottery. There is no mark on the pitcher to tell us who made it, but it is characteristic of wares made in large volume for the American market in both Staffordshire and Liverpool between 1790 and 1820. Pitchers of this shape, with a cream colored glaze over a pale earthenware clay, known as Liverpool type, were the most common vessels to feature transfer prints with subjects commemorating events and significant figures in the early decades of United States’ history. Notwithstanding the tense relationship between Britain and America, Liverpool and Staffordshire printers and potters seized the commercial opportunity offered them in the production of transfer printed earthenwares celebrating the heroes, the military victories, and the virtues of the young republic, and frequently all of these things at once.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United Kingdom: England, Liverpool
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Ceramics and Glass
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content: Government, Politics, and Reform
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content: Domestic Furnishings
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content: McCauley Liverpool Pottery
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Robert H. McCauley
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CE.63.163
label: catalog number
content: 63.163
label: accession number
content: 252565
label: collector/donor number
content: 394
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pitcher
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: monochrome, black (overall surface decoration color name)
label: Physical Description
content: ceramic, earthenware, refined (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: transfer printed (overall production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 in x 8 1/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 20.32 cm x 20.955 cm x 13.97 cm