WHAT IS ANTIQUE AMERICAN STONEWARE?

STONEWARE IN AMERICA BEGAN BEING MADE IN THE EARLY 1700'S AND BEGAN LOOKING QUITE PLAIN. SOME STONEWARE BEGAN BEING STAMPED BY THE MAKERS IN THE 1790'S. THIS HELPS US TODAY TRACE WHO MADE THE STONEWARE AND WHEN!

STONEWARE CLAY WHEN FIRED IN A KILN IS REALLY HARD  (LIKE STONE!) AND HELD LIQUIDS BETTER THAN REDWARE CLAY. STONEWARE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR EARLY SETTLERS IN AMERICA BEING ABLE TO STORE FOOD OVER THE WINTER, IMPROVING EARLY LIFE.

REDWARE IS POTTERY MADE FROM RED CLAY AND WAS USED IN AMERICA BEFORE STONEWARE CLAY WAS DISCOVERED. EASY TO FIND RED CLAY ALLOWS SOME MAKERS TO STILL MAKE REDWARE POTTERY TO THIS DAY. STONEWARE CLAY IS GENERALLY GREY WHILE REDWARE CLAY IS REDDISH IN COLOR.

WHEN STONEWARE WAS IN THE KILN, THE PROCESS TOOK A FEW DAYS. IN THE LAST HOURS, THE POTTER WOULD TOSS SALT INTO THE TOP OF THE KILN. THE SALT WOULD TURN TO LIQUIFIED GAS IN THE 2200 DEGREE HEAT AND SETTLE ON THE STONEWARE. WHEN COOLED, THE SALT WOULD LEAVE THIS GLASSLIKE SURFACE OF SHINE.

STONEWARE WITH VALUE USUALLY LOOKS LIKE THE STONEWARE IN THE PICTURE ABOVE. SOMETIMES VALUED STONEWARE MIGHT LOOK VERY OLD AND PRIMITIVE WITHOUT BLUE DECORATION. THOSE CAN BE REALLY VALUED! LOOK FOR THE POTTERS THROW MARKS ON THE BODY FROM BEING ON THE WHEEL. IF IT'S PERFECTLY SMOOTH ITS MOLDED, NEWER AND NOT VALUED.

IF YOU ARE COLLECTOR WISHING TO DOWNSIZE YOUR COLLECTION, OR HAVE ESTATE STONEWARE YOU WISH TO SELL, OR EVEN IF YOU FIND STONEWARE YOU THINK WE MIGHT BUY.

SEND IN A PICTURE! IT'S FREE!

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