recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Jerry Beaumont

Gerald "Jerry Beaumont (1951ish-)

The salt glaze guy. Been potting since age 10.

Started a pottery in 1979 that became Beaumont Brothers Pottery when he took on his brother Roger as a partner and moved to a factory in 1988.

Spent 3 years in Seagrove running the former Dot and Walter Auman shop.

Moved to Greensboro in the mid 90s.

Not his last stop. I believe he is in Maryland now but I think he was in Maine before that.

Signs his work with a cross, his initials and a date, since 1973.

References:

https://greensboro.com/potter-keeps-moving-molding/article\_88bfe2ea-ac16-5c3d-a33d-a38b47b40163.html

http://beaumontpottery.com/history/

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1987-09-12-0140390153-story.html

See also:

J and S Beaumont Pottery

Beaumont Brothers Pottery

G Beaumont Pottery
Byrd Mountain Pottery

Studio of Mike Sherrer & Triny Cline

Married sculptors and potters in near Canton, Georgia.

Started selling their pottery at shows and festivals in 1990. Judging by their website they seem to be working in bronze exclusively now and are known as Byrd Mountain Foundry.

https://www.gaclaycouncil.com/triny-cline-mike-sherrer
http://byrdmountain.com/
Pitting and pinholing

One of those terms that is used by pottery buyers, sellers and collectors that implies a defect, but might just be a characteristic of a glaze. Results in a bit of a crackle or peeling effect. If a potter uses this term it might be something they are trying to fix, but otherwise, I wouldn't presume to know what was intended by an artist. For example, you might consider this a defect on a Haeger, high volume American Art Pottery known for their smooth commercial vases, but on a Bybee, a piece of handmade Kentucky art pottery this is a normal characteristic. Indeed, calling this out on any piece of southern pottery as a defect is presumptuous.

External Resources: https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/How-to-Correct-Five-Common-Ceramic-Glaze-Defects#:~
Teco

Teco was an American Pottery company in the early 20th century that shared some shapes with Weller and Clewell. It might also be mistaken for Cambridge. However, reportedly, Teco is always marked, and if you use a strong enough jeweler's loupe, you should usually be able to see the crystalline structure of a Teco glaze. Also, while Teco was molded they would not have let a visible mold mark out of the factory, so using these criteria you should always be able to rule out Teco.

See also: American Pottery, Pottery Brands
Jim Brown

James Edward Brown, Jr made pottery as a teen at the Brown's Pottery, but went off to have a career in the world when he graduated high school in the late 60s. He didn't give it up, though, and still made pottery in various places here and there. It would appear as of 2014 he is back to making pottery at his own studio in Hiddenite, North Carolina.

Cousin of Jerry Brown and son of Ed Brown

He has an interesting mark, but I haven't seen enough examples of it to describe it properly, and I don't know if anyone else in his family ever used that mark. More research is needed.

See also:

Brown

References:

https://www.courier-tribune.com/article/20141105/ENTERTAINMENT/311059802

https://www.ecwid.com/store/store5995012/Tobacco-Spit-face-jug-4-p43806641

http://www.brownpotters.com/index.html
Burlon Craig

Burlon "B.B" Craig (1914-2003)

Born in Hickory, NC 1914 and died in Vale, NC 2002 (not sure which death date is the real one)

BB Craig was one of the most famous and talented artists or folk potters to come out of Catawba Valley, North Carolina.

First apprenticed with a local potter at fourteen with his neighbor (Jim Lynn), which makes him in direct line of Daniel Seagle's pottery tradition. http://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentView.asp?DID=464

Burlon Craig taught and worked with a lot of people.

Known collaborators:

Rodney Leftwich (starting and mainly 1977-1978) https://www.themarksproject.org/marks/leftwich

Charles Zug III (nicknamed Terry?) (at least helped fire the kiln in the 90s, probably more) https://endeavors.unc.edu/end1295/vita.htm

Don Craig (his son) https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/don-craig/

Kim Ellington (mentored by Burlon when fresh out of school) https://www.elpalacio.org/2015/03/pouring-what-the-vessel-holds/

Charles Lisk (apprentice) http://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentView.asp?DID=464

Floyd Hilton (employer of Craig) https://hewittpottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/stuck\_ceramrev95.pdf

Matt Jones (was he an apprentice or merely influenced by Craig?) http://jonespottery.com/face-jugs/

Mark Hewitt (relationship unclear, but definitely an associate) http://omsablog.blogspot.com/2011/01/mark-hewitt-deconstructs-tradition.html

purchased the shop, kiln and land and pug mill of Harvey Reinhardt in 1945 http://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentView.asp?DID=464

https://americanart.si.edu/artist/burlon-craig-7461https://web.archive.org/web/20170511092204/http://www.internetantiquegazette.com/pottery\_porcelain/2308\_craig\_b\_b\_burlon\_b\_craig\_north\_carolina\_pottery/
Cole Family

A (Seagrove area) North Carolina family, potting for 10 generations so far since moving from Staffordshire, England.

* Raphard (Rafe) Cole (the first Cole family potter in america, out of Steeds, NC)
* Michael Cole (the 2nd Cole family potter, Rafe's brother) who set up to make stoneware in Tennessee
* Evan Cole (one of Raphard's 7 sons, one of three potters, father of Franklin, J.B., Wren/Lorenzo, and Ruffin and also Alfred who did some potting before going into lumbering)
* Raphard Cole Jr (one of Raphard's three sons who became potters)
* Willis Cole (Raphard's third potter son)
* Arthur Ray (A.R.) Cole (1892-1974) (son of Ruffin) of Rainbow Pottery then A.R. Cole Pottery of Sanford, NC
* Ruffin Cole (A.R.'s father and Charles' father)
* Wrenn Cole (A.R.'s uncle)
* J.B. Cole (Jacon B, A.R's more famous uncle)
* Neolia Cole (A.R.'s daughter)
* Celia Cole (A.R.'s other daughter)
* Hazel Cole (A.R's other other daughter) - a pottery seller, not potter
* Winford Cole (Hazel's brother) - helped in A.R.'s studio, not a potter
* Sandy Cole (granddaughter of A.R. Cole) of North Cole Pottery in Sanford, NC
* Truman Cole (-1989) (Sandy's father)
* Kevin Brown (Sandy's husband)
* General Foister (G.F.) Cole
* Bob Armfield
* Sid Luck
* Kenneth George
* Waymon Cole (son of J.B. Cole)
* Charlie (C.C.) Cole (Charles C. Cole, a son of Ruffin)
* Dave Cole (grandson of Clelia Cole -- not sure who that is)

See also: JB Cole's Pottery Catalogue

References:

check out p51 of the remarkable potters of seagrove by charlotte vestal brown

also check out p55- of North Carolina Pottery: The Collection of the Mint Museum

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.ncpedia.org/listening-to-history/george-kenneth
2. ↑ https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/183186-a-r-cole-pottery-sanford-north-carolina
3. ↑ https://www.northcolepottery.com/Sandy-Cole.html
ML Owens

Melvin Lee Owens (~1918-2003)

Westmoore, NC potter (just outside of Seagrove) who ran The Original Owens pottery from the 1930's to the 1970's and continued to work there with his son Boyd and daughter (Nancy Owens Brewer) for decades after.

His father was James Henry Owen a potter since the late 19th century (out of the very same shop ML Owens took over).
He was father to his youngest son, Boyd Owens, as well as 6 other children. Six of his children are potters, all were taught pottery by him. Boyd Owens took over the business from his father in the 70s just as ML Owens had taken over from his father in the 30s. Melvin's son Vernon Owens took over Jugtown Pottery and works with Melvin's oldest son, Bobby.

References:
https://greensboro.com/potter-m-l-owens-dies-at-85-owens-one-of-the-oldest-potters-in-westmoore/article\_dc4c027b-106b-5024-b43f-7a3df57b1d15.html
Kiln shrinkage

It is difficult to know what a buyer, seller or collector is trying to imply when they cite kiln shrinkage. 100% of clay shrinks in the kiln during firing. The amount a piece of clay will shrink is semi-predictable, so perhaps they mean the potter should have predicted better and it shrank more than looks planned for to them. Who knows? It's probably not worth thinking about unless it also looks not to your taste.

External Resources: https://www.lakesidepottery.com/HTML%20Text/Tips/Clay%20drying%20and%20firing%20process.htm
Sand Mountain (Alabama)

from a piece by Huck Treadwell in the Sand Mountain Reporter in which he interviewed Linda White:

"...

“Once you know what you’re looking for, you can spot it from across the room,” White said.

White said Sand Mountain pottery is made from a gray clay that often gets streaks of red when the pot is fired. She said the potters used the same forms for all of their pottery, so it had a distinctive look. The potters also put their thumb print at the base of each handle. The glazes were alkaline and were green to dark brown.

Occasionally, the potters would inscribe lines near the top of the pot with wavy lines between them. Very rarely, the potter would initial a piece.

..."

References:

http://www.sandmountainreporter.com/article\_d28bd2b6-0db3-11e7-aa3a-8b2ece9764b7.html
Karan Freeman

Aka Karan Ann Freeman, Karan Ann Steinsiek, Karan Ann Elder, Karan Freeman Steinsiek

Studio potter in or near Fayetteville, Arkansas (Sang Valley) who makes stoneware pottery. Has worked in clay since the 70s.

Displayed her work at the Heartwood Gallery artist's collective gallery in Fayetteville. Heartwood had its last event in Jan 2020.

Signs her work with a K and a backwards F. If you are lucky, there is a sticker on the bottom that says "Karan's Functional Pottery," with her phone number.

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2020/jan/19/heartwood-hearts-broken-artists-plan-on/
Kit Vanderwal

Eldon Kitson Vanderwal (1943-2014)

Well known and respected Seagrove, NC potter and face jug artist. Worked out of his Lantern Hill pottery studio. Known for face jugs (which were known to be properly ugly) and Yeungling beer bottle glass infused traditional pottery.

Vanderwal was a full time potter from 1998 until his untimely death by murder in 2014.

References:

https://www.courier-tribune.com/article/20150317/NEWS/303179774

https://www.courier-tribune.com/article/20140825/NEWS/308259797

https://www.courier-tribune.com/news/two-charged-murder-potter-kit-vanderwal
Excellent External Resources

https://www.ncpedia.org/ is an excellent resource for information about North Carolina pottery and potters, unfortunately, it is about all things North Carolina, so I am not sure what landing page to send you to. This, at least, is a nice general article that links you to some others: https://www.ncpedia.org/pottery

The Mint Museum is also a great resource for North Carolina pottery: http://ncpottery.mintmuseum.org/library

The Marks Project tries, they really do, but their restrictions hurt their usefulness oftentimes. They have a restriction on years and they do not allow submissions from collectors, just artists, as such it is a very incomplete resource.

Here's a bizarre way to do it that is sometimes helpful: https://www.cajunc.com/pottery-marks but also they have some super useful information as sort of a primer: https://www.cajunc.com/art-american-pottery

The Studio Pottery Identification group on Facebook is also great, but searching the archives is difficult thanks to the limitations of the Facebook search function and their desire to show you the "best" results rather than the complete results.

http://studiopottery.com is an occasional help. They are even exhaustive on some brands.

Google search, google image search, etsy and ebay search are your friends, but information can be somewhat ephemeral, and while the internet archive archives many web pages that disappear they are really not great at archiving dynamic pages like the kinds where you'll find pottery listings.

If I thought there was a silver bullet reference site for pottery identification, I wouldn't have had to create this one. We won't be that for a long time, and not wiithout your help, so go ahead and add some information, even if it's just a link to a better site than this!
Evan Javan Brown

Evan Javan Brown

E.J. "jay" BROWN (1897-1980) (deceased, age 83) and his brother Davis founded Brown's Pottery in Arden N.C.  in 1924 or 1925.

Before that they worked for their father James Osborn Brown in Atlanta. EJ Brown also worked for many other potters in Georgia's Jugtown starting at age 13 and up into the mid 1920s, including Rufus Rogers, Daddy Bill Dorsey and WTB Gordy.

Made utilitarian stoneware early on. Gradually added artware to his output during the 3-4 years he was at the Arden shop. Javan moved back to Georgia for a time 1928 to 1948 but he focused on making items for chimneys during that period. He had his own shop in NC at Valdese in Burke County where he made table ware and art ware and developed face jugs as a specialty and after the shop closed worked at his son Evan Javan Brown Jr's shop (Evan's Pottery) in Skyland, NC until 1980.

Javan also operated Rainbow Pottery in East Point with Willy and Bobby Brown at one point, (I think in the early 20s?).

Had at least a son and a daughter Evan Javan Brown Jr and Cherry Brown Corn who runs Evan's Pottery today.

See also:

Brown

References:

https://americanart.si.edu/artist/evan-javan-brown-sr-5640

Brothers in Clay, John Burrison

North Carolina Pottery The collection of the Mint Museum

Nancy Sweezy, *Raised in Clay*, 1984
Steve Miller

Steven Allen Miller is a sixth generation Alabama potter. Son of Hendon Eric Miller Jr.

Usually signs and dates his work. Sometimes marks his work S.A.M.

See also:

Eric Miller

Allen Ham

References:

Learned about initially from a Facebook post by Rich Dee on Face Jug Collectors Facebook Group, which I highly recommend.

https://alabamanewscenter.com/2017/04/17/alabama-maker-molding-family-tradition-bibb-county/

http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1033
Ruth Bennett

One was a Midcentury artist who worked in pottery and lived in Elm Grove. Active in the mid-60's, maybe earlier and maybe later, but definitely in the sixties. She studied under Abe Cohn (who was a protege of F. Carlton Ball, kind of a big deal) , did thrown, hammered and sometimes carved pottery, and developed her own glazes out of her home studio (see the referenced newspaper article). She at least once won the Racine art fair (see the 2nd referenced newspaper article). She lived until at least 1984 (see the phone book) and was definitely a different person than the "listed artist" below.

One was a Midcentury artist who was a painter and taught woodworking to high schoolers. Ruth Minerva Bennett (1899-1960) (some ppl are spelling it Manerva, but that seems an unlikely spelling) of Momence, Illinois moved to New York to study art in the 1920s. Somehow also of California; life is long. There is no evidence from any credible source that she ever made pottery in any quantity.

It is possible both artists signed their work nearly the same way with a cursive full name, but more likely that the work of one is sometimes misattributed to the other. It's the work of the first one. Being misattributed to the second one. Almost certainly. Probably. Definitely. I think.

See also: Heated Debates - Individual Potters

References:

Waukesha Daily Freeman (Waukesha, Wisconsin), 05 Nov 1966, Sat, Page 16

Waukesha Daily Freeman (Waukesha, Wisconsin), 12 Jul 1965, Mon, Page 14

https://www.californiawatercolor.com/pages/ruth-minerva-bennett-biography

http://www.askart.com/artist/Ruth\_Manerva\_Bennett/107351/Ruth\_Manerva\_Bennett.aspx

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Studio-Pottery-Teacup-Mug-Coffee-Tea-Cup-MCM-Ceramics-Incised-1950s-Ruth-Bennett-/264407643672?ul\_noapp=true&nma=true&si=nBXSgMrvHDnNeJPsBdfUwqu%252BSBo%253D&orig\_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&\_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://charliebgallery.com/contentpage.asp?PageID=77&fbclid=IwAR0cVhvO30LatdOnGDPijHMMcn926czDvYmZhjKvYHdS8nKb-pVMGnryjfs

https://www.themarksproject.org/marks/ball
Fred Johnston

Seagrove, North Carolina potter. Worked for Ben Owen and at Dover Pottery for a while in the 1980s. Left Seagrove in 1989, attended various colleges for ceramics and returned to Seagrove in 1997 with his wife to establish their own studio. Also established a studio in Whynot. Has exhibited his work in seemingly a million places. Fun fact: Before working at famous potteries and becoming a big deal with multiple fine arts degrees, he cut wood and cleaned the wood kiln for Mark Hewitt in the 1980's.

Current Studio Website as of 2021: https://johnstonandgentithes.com/

References:

https://www.thelastdropproject.org/fred-johnston-carol-gentithes

https://johnstonandgentithes.com/fred-johnston/

https://johnstonandgentithes.com/about-us/
About Pottery Identification Wiki

Mostly, this is just one backyard blacksmith keeping track of the things he's learned at his day job as a junior pottery researcher so he doesn't have to research it again. You can help him out by clicking the "ADD NEW PAGE" or "EDIT" button at the top of any page!

I assume you're here because you're a fan of some kind of pottery. When you find a new piece of pottery either for yourself or for resale, half of the enjoyment comes from learning about it, and learning about it starts with identifying it! But where do you start? We've learned that pottery identification is a diverse topic with resources all over the Internet, and even after you've been doing it a while, the trick is knowing or remembering where you saw that shape, that mark, that code, or even that web page. We hope to fill this wiki with all the references we use as we identify our pottery and we hope that others will do the same. So where do you start? Here!

For some reason I haven't figured out, you have to be a registered Fandom user to contribute. It's free to join, so feel free and I'll approve you as an editor. I could use the help. -ThePotteryBlacksmith

back to the Pottery Identification Wiki main page
Leslie E. Glasser

Leslie Edward Glasser (1915-1971)

"The Beacon Pottery is an interesting place to visit. Stop in and pay them a visit when you have time. / The Pottery is owned by Leslie E. Glasser. Various ceramic products are manufactured at the pottery." - from the Byron Business Review at the time of the formal opening of the new building of the First National Bank on June 4, 1952

His mother was Bessie Glasser, and at the time of his draft registration in 1940 was employed at the business of Jack Glasser, his father who had recently died (different ancestry.com document I forgot to cite). He died abroad in 1971 (another ancestry.com document I couldn't figure out how to cite).

The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; *WWII Draft Registration Cards for Illinois, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947*; Record Group: *Records of the Selective Service System, 147*; Box: *620*

Ancestry.com. *U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947* [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=300627902&usePUB=true&\_phsrc=qMo3&\_phstart=successSource&nreg=1
Meaders

There is a lot of information out there about the North Georgia Meaders pottery family. Books, web pages, auction listings. One could not possibly have a comprehensive list of resources here, so in this case I suggest a quick google search. Over time more information will be added to this page, but it always be woefully incomplete.

* AG Meaders
* Anita Meaders
* Cleater Meaders
* David Meaders
* John Meaders
* Lanier Meaders
* Mary Meaders
* Mildred Meaders
* Whelchel Meaders

References and External Resources:

http://www.folkpottery.com/history/history.htm
Teague

A pioneering Seagrove family.

* Fred Teague
* Jean Teague (Fred's wife)
* Zedith Teague Garner (-1975)
* starting with James G. Teague (b. 1906).
* TJames G Teague junior
* Duck Teague (Bryan D Teague)
* Charles G Teague
* Edgar Teague

You can apparently learn more about this family in "Turners and Burners" by Charles Zug III.

See also Pottery Families
Bolick

Family of Potters in North Carolina. Branch of the Owen/Owens family of potters. Currently 5th and 6th generation.

Located in at least Blowing Rock (Traditions Pottery, Bolick and Traditions Pottery) and Lenior, North Carolina (Bolick Pottery).

References:

https://www.visitnc.com/listing/Nw6q/bolick-and-traditions-family-pottery

https://www.bolickandtraditionspottery.com/
Hyalyn Porcelain Company

The hyalyn Porcelain Company was in business from 1943 (arguably really 1946) to 1973 in Hickory, North Carolina. Note that hyalyn is not supposed to be capitalized.

Made art pottery and lamp bases. Hard pottery with a white body fired at 2700 degrees. Styles varied with influences from many countries. Glazes also varied.

There is a nice guide to identifying hyalyn in the middle of the article below. Please be forewarned the linked to article below is a transcript of a presentation and has a lot of corrections in the footnotes below the article that were made by the family.

See also: Abingdon (similar due to the involvement of the Moodys in Abingdon for years prior to founding Hyalyn)

References:
https://wisconsinpottery.org/hyalyn-porcelain-company/
Georgia

According to the Great and Noble Jar, any alkaline glazed stoneware from Georgia is from the 1810s or later as it was introduced there from the Landrum family of edgefield (The Great and Noble Jar, p57)

Regional differences and glazes pictured in black and white in Brothers in Clay page 70 and 71, fewer but in color on p111.
Cherry Brown Corn

Cherry B Corn (-)

Potter and face jug artist. Daughter of Evan Javan Brown (Sr) and Madeline Callahan Brown, and sister of the late Evan Javan Brown Jr. Operator of Evan's Pottery.

See also:

Brown (family)

References:

https://www.grocefuneralhome.com/obits/evan-javan-brown-jr/

https://www.grocefuneralhome.com/obits/joel-clyde-corn/
Rainbow Pottery

According to Stephen Compton , who would definitely know (and whose books you should buy right now), Rainbow Pottery was a business that sold pottery from multiple Seagrove , North Carolina shops, including J.B. Cole Pottery, Auman Pottery (at least some of which was Masten glazed) and A.R. Cole Pottery. Examples from potters in each of these shops have been found bearing an ink stamp marking them as Rainbow Pottery.

Rainbow Pottery was owned by a businessman named Maurice Sylvester Leverett (1872-1942) who was not a potter, before he sold it to A. R. Cole.

See also: A.R. Cole
Jeff Standridge

Jeff Standridge is a folk artist in Gillsville, Georgia who makes face jugs and utilitarian ware. Standridge began his career out cleaning the shop at Hewell's pottery, where he learned to turn pottery (also in Gillsville), and later worked for Craven pottery before moving out on his own.

References:

https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/get-out/faces-fowl-reflected-in-local-folk-pottery/

See also:

Individual Potters

Hewell

Craven

Gillsville

Georgia
Bob Owens

Robert L. "Bob" Owens (~1939-2004)

Georgia potter, sculptor and educator from Cleveland, Georgia. Former chair of the University of North Georgia Fine Arts Department (at the time North Georgia College). Not related to the Seagrove Owen/Owens family.

I have only seen one example of his mark to date. He signed simply Owens, with a long straightish tail coming off the righthand side of the O such that it looked like a mirror image of a P.

References:

https://ung.edu/visual-arts/share-your-stories/bob-owens.php

https://thelaurelofasheville.com/arts/craft-arts/southern-highland-craft-guild-works-university-north-georgia/

https://opencorporates.com/companies/us\_ga/K825860

https://www.exploregeorgia.org/dahlonega/arts-culture/galleries/bob-owens-art-gallery-ung

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/onlineathens/name/robert-owens-obituary?pid=2130113
Gail Freeman

Toni Gail Freeman (MARCH 10, 1957 – APRIL 13, 2018)

Late owner (and one of the artists) of Spring Place Pottery in Cartersville, GA. Pottery instructor at John C. Campbell folk school. Used a wheel made by her husband Kenny

https://www.facebook.com/Spring-Place-Pottery-Artists-Gallery-201542109876357/
https://vimeo.com/18070263
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/cartersville-ga/toni-freeman-7821442
D.X. Gordy

Dorris Xerxes "D.X." Gordy (1913-1994)

Son of W.T.B. Gordy.

Learned first from Charlie Kline.

According to Brothers In Clay a descendant of the Bishops, another southern pottery family (Georgia I think). In fact, great-nephew of Henry Bishop.

established Westville Pottery in Stewart County, Georgia (where Lumpkin is) in 1969, presumably that means the years he took over his fathers operation were roughly 1955-1969

https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/d-x-gordy-1913-1994

Dead Tree Reference: John A. Burrison's Brothers In Clay
Limoges

Limoges is the "correct" (French) spelling of a region in France famous for its porcelain and fine china, because the French hate the alphabet and choose to show it by ignoring half of the letters in any given word. Pronounced, and sometimes misspelled Limoge, it is the earliest porcelain capital of France, though many fine porcelain companies are based in other areas, primarily around Paris.

Almost all, but not all Limoges Porcelain has the word Limoges printed on the bottom of the dish.
JD Craven

J. D. Craven (1827-1895) or Jacob Dorris Craven, was a Randolph County, North Carolina pottery who worked in stoneware (but maybe also earthenware?).

Reportedly used, among other marks, what people call a reed mark that looks a bit like a spider in a circle to keep track of which jugs he made so that he would be paid as the turner of that jug. There may also be other explanations and there are definitely other marks. See the Just North Carolina Pottery to 1975 group on facebook for this information and discussion, as well as a lot more good information.

References:
Just North Carolina Pottery to 1975 Facebook Group

See also: Craven (family)
North Carolina

If it looks like american art pottery, some early 20th century NC pottery makers to try as search terms:

JB Cole and Sunset Mountain

AR Cole and Rainbow Pottery

CC Cole

North State

Royal Crown (Merry Oaks, Chatham County, North Carolina, 1939 - 1942)

Log Cabin

Owens / Owen

Cole

Pisgah Forest

Counties:

Buncombe County

Resources:

https://www.ncpedia.org/pottery

https://aarf.com/artpotteryw05.htm

http://www.chipstone.org/article.php/811/Ceramics-in-America-2018/In-the-Pale-Moonlight-:-Jugs-and-Alcohol-in-North-Carolina

https://ncpotterycenter.org/directory-of-potters/

See also:

Kentucky (because reasons)

Weirdly Pewabic out of Michigan had some shapes that looked like North Carolina and purchased some North Carolina clay.

Pottery Regions
Harold Ferguson

Harold Ferguson (1970-)

Sometimes potter and occasional face jug artist from the Gillsville Ferguson pottery dynasty.

According to at least one listing now archived on Worthpoint he is brother to famous potter Bobby Ferguson, but actually Harold is Bobby's nephew. Bobby Ferguson's obituary lists his brothers as William L. of Arkansas and Richard, Jerry and Jimmy of Gillsville. I believe Harold is the son of Bobby's brother Jerry.

Fun fact I learned from a comment of his on Facebook: he started making his cyclopses "mother in law jugs" for his actual mother in law

References:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/331440113657512/user/1846215804/

From Mud to Jug, John a Burrison
EA Hilton

Ernest Auburn Hilton (20 Sept. 1879–28 Sept. 1948) Second Generation North Carolina potter.

Apparently, while he turned the pieces, his wife and daughters (including his daughter Ernestine, later known as E. Sigmon) applied the glazes and decorations, which might explain why everything is so flowery (dogwoods).

The Hilton family continues to make pottery in North Carolina today.

EA Hilton https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/hilton-ernest-auburn

Other family members:

First generation: His father, John Wesley Hilton/Helton (1836-1923)

Second Generation: Curtis Roland Hilton (1875-1960)

Third Generation: Boyd Shuford Hilton (1916-1985)

Ernestine Hilton Sigmon known for her ceramic painting and dolls https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/charlotte/name/ernestine-sigmon-obituary?id=13954674

Fourth Generation: Boyd Robert (BR) "Bob" Hilton http://www.hiltonpottery.com/events.html

5th Generation: Heather M. Hilton

Decorated many pieces with raised dogwood flowers.

References:

http://www.hiltonpottery.com/about-us.html

See also:

Individual Potters
Star

1892-1945

I have seen this brand referred to as:

Star Stoneware of Crooksville, Ohio

Star Pottery Company of Crooksville, Ohio

Star Stoneware Company of Crooksville, Ohio

The mark, at least on crocks is said to be the 5 pointed star with a circle around it and a number in the center. I'm not sure if that is certain.

Note that this brand is different than North Star Stoneware Co. in Red Wing, Minn.
Anita Morgan

Anita Morgan (Dec 18, 1951-Dec 7, 2019)

Seagrove Potter. Owner and potter at Anita's Pottery and Dogwood Gallery in Seagrove, North Carolina. As far as I know, no relation to Phil Morgan, another Seagrove potter.

https://www.thepilot.com/obituaries/anita-h-morgan/article\_4781bfd2-1aa3-11ea-b3a2-fbd0c8ec9588.html
Doe Ridge Pottery

Signed with an R inside a D that can easily be mistaken for a K inside a D. If the D has a tail that sticks out and the leg of the R sticks out and especially if it is signed with an accompanying RM in marker, you have found a piece of Doe Ridge Pottery, but if it is small and tightly incised so that the K fits inside the D you have found a piece of DK Clay.

Doe Ridge is owned and operated by Bob Meier, so the RM stands for Robert Meier.
AG Meaders

Alva Gusta (A.G.) Meaders (1923-1994)

Started producing later in life. Active at least between 87 and 1993.

From what I've seen his face jugs all pretty well look the same with a few variations.

Unverified information from the face jugs group on Facebook (that seems to hold true) allows some quick dating at a glance:

90 and 91 face jugs reportedly do not have the ring around the top

92 jugs start the ring around the head maybe

93 jugs have an indentation around the temple maybe

References:

I do recommend the Face Jug Collectors group on Facebook

I also recommend the Slotin Folk Art auctions (where I got the 1991 images). Lots of good southern folk pottery.

https://www.folkpottery.com/ag/ag.htm
A.R. Cole

Arthur Ruffin (A.R.) Cole 1892-1974

Originally from Seagrove area (Steeds), moved his family to Sanford, NC. Son of Ruffin Cole.

His early works are marked Rainbow in theory but his early works from Rainbow present as not marked at all. Later works are marked A.R. Cole Pottery or something and works after he was dead are marked AR Cole's pottery or something in that vein. Rainbow Pottery was apparently supplied by several distinguished potters of the time.

His daughter was Neolia Cole

Marks:

1915-1925 When he worked in his father's shop ??

1926 - 1941 Then when he was the primary maker for Rainbow Pottery he used a non-durable ink stamp so his pieces appear unmarked. Later Rainbow Pottery stamps were durable and read “RAINBOW POTTERY/HAND/MADE/SANFORD N.C.” Apparently the owner of Rainbow Pottery also contracted with JB Cole for some pieces and also Masten (who worked for Auman) for some unmarked pieces and North State for some ink stamped pieces, so not every Rainbow Pottery piece is AR Cole. I have seen it said all over the Internet and initially believed that he opened or founded Rainbow pottery and said that here, but have since learned from more reliable sources that is not really the case.

If it has an impressed semi-circular Rainbow stamp AR definitely did not do it, per his daughter. If you read the PottersForNC article about Phil Graves (and more importantly, look at the pictures, it seems obvious the ones marked in that way probably all came from the J.B. Cole shop.

1941-1974 impressed circle at base reading: “A.R. COLE POTTERY/SANFORD, N.C.”

Well Known Glazes:

Brown Sugar (easily confused for J.B. Cole Red Eye Gravy or Waco Strawberry.

See also: Individual Potters

External Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLDtwH\_Vzbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpV5uZYtojI

Please see the references for more detail and pictures and values.

1. ↑ http://www.internetantiquegazette.com/lighting/2293\_cole\_a\_r\_arthur\_ray\_cole\_north\_carolina\_seagrove\_rainbow\_pottery/
2. ↑ http://pottersforncpc.blogspot.com/2010/01/pottery-by-phil-graves.html
3. ↑ https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/183186-a-r-cole-pottery-sanford-north-carolina
4. ↑ https://www.ncpedia.org/listening-to-history/george-kenneth
5. ↑ https://www.blueridgenow.com/news/20060125/seagrove-pottery-still-popular-after-more-than-200-years
6. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=Z95rwd1CwvsC&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=arthur+ray+cole&source=bl&ots=dTZaAqQV1f&sig=ACfU3U2uWXiVS8sE6NwlcUbqEjUVpaCoDQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixqvKyv7TkAhXtmuAKHQ47CiUQ6AEwEnoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=arthur%20ray%20cole&f=false
More References:

http://pottersforncpc.blogspot.com/2009/10/nc-art-pottery-rebecca-jugs\_8474.html
Geddes N.Y.

Geddes, NY in Onondaga County  started its pottery history with William H. Farrar  around 1845. Geddes was absorbed by Syracuse in 1886. J Shepard purchased Farrar Pottery in 1857 when Farrar moved to Kaolin, SC.

Then came:

Lyman W. Clark and Henry M. Case of Empire Pottery in 1868.

Charles W. and William D. Coykendall in 1868.

Hubble and Chesebro in 1868

D. S Chesebro in 1868

All of the above made gray stoneware crocks and jugs, and empire also made whiteware.

A lot of ware was made in Geddes and was considered excellent quality.

Nearby, in the same county but not the same town, the Darrows made Rockingham ware and gray stoneware.

References:

VAN ARSDALE GREENE, M., Davison, M., & McVean, A. (1946). NEW YORK STATE POTTERS AND POTTERIES. *New York History,* *27*(3), 365-368. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23148048
Sampson Pottery

Westminster Mass. company that made salt glazed and spongeware items including reproductions of a 2 gallon jug sold at the Norton Company store for the 100th anniversary in 1985.

References: Kevin Daughney of Norton Company posted the info about the reproductions in the Salt Glazed Stoneware group on Facebook.
Edgefield

The birthplace of Southeastern Stoneware?

Some is considered a "non-translucent porcelain" and rings when struck (see great and noblr jar ch1p3 for more detail).

Regarding handles:

"Most early Edgefield District potters used strap handles that were rounded in cross section. One exception to this rule was Edgefield potter Thomas Chandler. Chandler used a thinner, ribbed handle that is roughly rectangular in cross section." Great & Noble Jar p23

Edgefield pieces are apparently very high in kaolin which is apparently a thing you can tell by looking at a photo. Who knew?

References:

https://www.sciway.net/south-carolina/edgefield-district-pottery.html
Maple City Pottery

1987-2012 in Monmouth Illinois

From 1987 To 2012 Maple City Pottery in Monmouth Illinois was known for salt glazed ware in traditional forms and decorations. By the end they offered many shapes but only two glazes, their "Traditional Finish" and "Primitive Brown".

While these met customer demand, the artisan potters and particularly master potter/owner Robert Downs, expressed themselves in a special "Showcase Gallery" or "Stoneware Gallery" of totally unique pieces for collectors, fundraisers and auctions. These pieces enhanced their salt glazed stoneware with "custom colors, 3D textures, carvings and more". The only way to get these pieces was to participate in these fundraisers or auctions or spy them in their gallery and call for a quote.

Robert Downs passed away before his time in 2012 and so did Maple City Pottery.

Their location:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maple-City-Pottery/1017025351675698

A link to their last website on the wayback machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20120201044225/http://www.maplecitypottery.com/
Chinese Porcelain Marks

## Reign Marks

This is one area where google lens isn't entirely useless. Only next to useless. Note that copies of reign marks ("apocryphal marks") have been made for hundreds of years honoring earlier time periods, so just because one might be a copy doesn't make it worth nothing.

References:
https://www.christies.com/features/Reign-marks-on-Chinese-ceramics-An-expert-guide-8248-1.aspx#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20reign%20mark,Emperor%20or%20his%20imperial%20household.

https://antique-marks.com/qianlong-porcelain-marks-on-vases-and-other-art-from-qianlong-period.html#:~:text=Qianlong%20marks%20written%20in%20normal,or%20seal%20marks%20in%20gilt

### Six Character Marks

If it is square and tightly packed, that is a kind of mark that might mean you have something worth 3 digits and up, so long as there's no English words on the bottom. Maybe. Each distinct square mark has six chinese characters in it that denote the reign of a specific emperor. Even the reproductions can be old and worth something, at least a hundred bucks, or an original piece with one of those marks might be worth 10s of thousands. I think these might all be from the Qing Dynasty or honoring the Qing dynasty or from the Ming dynasty or honoring the Ming dynasty.

References:
https://www.igavelauctions.com/blog-posts/mark-and-period-an-introduction-to-chinese-qing-dynasty-porcelain-marks

https://www.chineseantiques.co.uk/chinese-porcelain-reign-marks-identification/

### Four Character Marks

The squares with only 4 characters in them have chinese characters you can easily distinguish.

## Peoples Republic of China Marks

https://watersilkdragon.wordpress.com/2020/02/09/a-basic-outline-of-proc-peoples-republic-of-china-base-marks-on-factory-and-other-porcelain-1949-2000/
Roger Hicks

Catawba Valley Potter Roger Hicks of Lenoir, North Carolina (Caldwell County)

1940-

Signed work RH at Bolicks Pottery (apparently an uncommon signature for him). At least one such piece is dated 1980. I do not know if all such pieces denote a certain time period.

Also signed some pieces simply "Hicks".

Trained Glenn Bolick or trained by Glenn and Lula Bolick, I have read both. The latter makes more sense as Bolick is from the Owens multi-generational pottery family. Bolick is Roger Hicks' brother-in-law.

Also has been featured at Bolick and traditions pottery kiln openings, reportedly.

Lost his sight in his late teens. Mostly blind by age 20 and totally blind by age 40.

Stopped turning pottery due to arthritis. Had retired from pottery at least by 2017. Was active at least between 1980 and 1998 based on dates on his pieces.

Also a master guitar picker and player of other musical instruments. Retired as a piano tuner in 1980.

See also:

Face Jug Artists

References:

https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/roger-hicks/

http://ncpottery.com/product/roger-hicks-pottery-face-jug-jar-lenoir-nc/

https://www.facebook.com/ncpots/posts/878759888965981

https://greensboro.com/a-touching-experience-seagrove-potters-help-a-group-of-sight-impaired-students-see-pottery/article\_32cb3288-41c8-5d67-86b0-6f00984692a7.html

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/114560384241103846/
Dave Drake

David Drake

Also known as Dave the Slave.

Early Edgefield potter. His pieces are very expensive at auction. I can't tell you how to identify it, but here are a few factoids:

Sometimes incised poetry on his work.

His pieces are often lopsided.

His pieces rarely if ever had numbers on them but sometimes had slashes.

His pieces are considered very heavy, as compared to say North Carolina pieces.

See also:

Individual Potters

Edgefield
Allen Ham

aka Allen Hamm for some reason

I believe his full name is Thomas Allen Ham. Cousin of Steve Miller.

Member of the Alabama Miller family of potters.

External Resources:

http://www.blackbelttreasures.com/store/m/20-Allen-Ham.aspx

https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2018/05/15/clay-baker/

See also:

Eric Miller

Steve Miller
H. K. Brinkman

Potter active in the late 1970s, and any more information than that is conjecture at this point.

Could be a patron to historical societies and museums in and around Grand Traverse and Traverse City Michigan if the same person. Presumably a descendant of Henry K. Brinkman (1827-1906) of Prussia. Or maybe a relative of Edward or Eloise or EC Brinkman, a potter or potters in North Carolina. Maybe someone with a newspapers.com account can find some information from the seventies and enlighten us.

External Resources:
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25043
Nancy Owens

Nancy Owens Brewer (1953-) aka Nancy Owens or Nancy Brewer is a North Carolina potter (the principal potter at Original Owens Pottery starting in roughly the early 1970s) and daughter of ML Owens. Sister to Vernon Owens, Boyd Owens, Bobby Owens and Lula Owens Bolick. Granddaughter of potter JH Owen. The Owens are said to be one of the seven founding families of the Seagrove pottery industry (see also the Chriscoe, Cole, Craven, Luck, McNeil and Teague families).

References:

https://www.heartofnorthcarolina.com/newsroom/id/166

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-07-24-9407240437-story.html

http://pottersforncpc.blogspot.com/2009/01/pottery-makers-of-owen-and-owens.html
Byrd Pottery

Byrd Pottery was founded in 1932 by J.J Byrd in Tyler, Texas. The son of A.S. Byrd, J.J. had previously co-owned Rhonsboro Pottery with his father. Byrd Pottery produced both utilitarian and decorated pieces. Byrd Pottery closed down around 1960. J.J.s wife, Maude "Mama" Byrd designed planters and vases for tourists, as well as a particularly collectible decorated line. It seems most (but not all) pieces of Byrd Pottery are unmarked and you have to recognize it by the shape, clay and glaze.

References:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Book-Byrd-Pottery-Tyler-Texas-An-Identification-Guide-By-Robert-Fleet/323915043657

https://blog.englishteastore.com/2011/04/11/collectible-byrd-teawares-and-pottery/
Cameron Covert

Cameron Covert (1946-)

Artist and scholar who wrote a sep 1985 article on crystalline glazes in ceramics monthly, taught university classes and workshops all teaching the potters of a generation ago how to do crystalline glazes.

Graduate with Masters degrees from Western Michigan University and Wayne State University in Michigan. Taught for 35 years at State University of West Georgia, subsequently retiring to Carrollton, Georgia. I believe he has since moved back to Southwest Michigan.

Taught Jim Mitchell Crystalline Glazes (among many others).

Please, don't accept my interpretation (or any wiki) as gospel, refer to other references like I did! The references below are a start, unfortunately I lost most of my references for this artist so you may have to do a bit of googling.

See also:

Boyce Covert

Crystalline Glaze

References:

https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/cameron-covert-b-1946

https://www.themarksproject.org/marks/covert

https://artsfestivalofcarrollton.com/2018-artists/

https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/entertainment/2021/10/04/five-exhibits-continue-through-oct-30-box-factory/5993023001/
Jugtown Pottery

Jugtown Ware is the mark for Jugtown Pottery, a studio in Seagrove, NC. Originally founded by Jacques and Juliana Busbee late in the first quarter of the 20th century, Jugtown Pottery has a complicated history of ownership and management but has largely been operated by Vernon Owens since 1961 (it's actually quite complicated, see The Marks Project page for details, or better, the book The Remarkable Potters of Seagrove starting on page 69 through around page 76) even up to now, when the main potters are Vernon, his wife Pam, son Travis and daughter Bayle. Currently, Bobby Owens (Vernon's brother) mixes clay and glazes the pieces. Early in its history Jugtown's master potter was Ben Owen. All work at Jugtown is based on the "aesthetic foundation laid out by the Busbees" and Vernon has received a North Carolina Heritage Award for carrying on that work.

An interesting thing about Jugtown Ware since the Busbees sold it is that even undated pieces can be dated by the subtle differences in the circular stamp.

The Marks Project actually has a pretty decent page on Jugtown Pottery's history and dating using their marks, which we will not duplicate here: https://www.themarksproject.org/marks/pottery

Jugtown Pottery's own page about their history: https://www.jugtownware.com/about-jugtown

See Also:

Pottery Brands

Pottery Studios

Pottery Marks
Glazes

Crystalline Glaze

Alkaline Glaze

Ash Glaze

Chrome Red

Salt Glaze

Albany Slip

Sometimes, its not the glazes, but the decoration I'm struggling to describe. I found this article filled in some gaps for me: https://discover.goldmarkart.com/10-types-ceramic-decoration/

Also, this page has great descriptions of 7 types of glazes used in studio pottery today; it probably won't be helpful with your art pottery, but probably will with some of your asian looking stuff:

https://discover.goldmarkart.com/buying-pots-glazes-glossary/
Chigger bite

Essentially a term for a small chip that takes away all the glaze down to the clay but takes no clay. Basically a glaze flake in a glaze that isn't prone to flaking and maybe smaller. A chip by any other name can still be seen with your eye and felt with your finger. This and glaze flake are terms largely used to minimize flaws that were introduced after firing by an impact with a hard object. If you are looking for a piece with no damage, keep looking.

External Resources:
https://community.etsy.com/t5/West-German-Pottery-Team/Flaw-Definitions-selling-pottery-online/m-p/83383830#M227
North Carolina Potters

I'm just starting to build this page, so it won't be a good list for a while. In the mean time, we may have to rely more heavily on the "See also" section.

Seagrove area potters (semi-alphabetical by last name):

Ben Owen III

Patrick Rowe

Caleb Wyatt

Itinerant Potters:
These potters or potting families may have spent some time in North Carolina, but are also associated with other states.

Gordy

Brown

Craven

See also:

Individual Potters

Face Jug Artists

North Carolina

External Resources:

These groups are the best, for information or for just looking at North Carolina pottery.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/northcarolinapotterypost1975 (newer North Carolina pottery identification and information)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/332234226947154 (older North Carolina pottery identification and information)
Buttermilk Acres

ButterMilk Acres Stoneware.

American spongeware maker, roughly 1982-2002. Ohio.

Hand cast and hand painted pieces, usually signed with incised initials BH and a two digit year. Some pieces have an ink stamp with the brand.

Catalog at : https://web.archive.org/web/20020609193220/http://www.buttermilkacres.com/patterns1.htm
Georgia Art Pottery

A W.J. Gordy endeavor.

Some online references say W.T.B. Gordy started **Georgia Art Pottery** in Alvaton and moved it to Aberdeen, but I it was actually his son W.J. Gordy who started in Cartersville. Careful reading from the end of page 174 to page 176 of Brothers in Clay will unravel this: WTB Gordy moves to Primrose in 1935 to focus on artistic wear; WJ Gordy leaves home to become a "tramp potter" once he marries starting with working for Jim Reid in Acworth, then eventually settling down in Cartersville in 1935 where he started Georgia Art Pottery; DX Gordy took over WTB Gordy's shop at Primrose in 1955 after WTB Gordy's death. You will read online that most of the pieces between 1935 and 1955 were made by W.J. Gordy when his younger brother D.X. Gordy took over, but DX took over a different operation in a different city. The awkward wording on the linked web page about Georgia Art Pottery also makes it sound as though DX was W.J.'s son but it includes a nice series of example pics: https://www.cajunc.com/pottery-marks#georgia-art I must say, apart from the occasional inaccuracy that is in no greater percentage than any pottery or other online reference site, cajunc.com is a great site with a lot of great information; it and other online references (like this one) are a good start for a lot of topics, but should never be your last.

Dead Tree References: John A Burrison's Brothers In Clay