Antique Redware Apple Butter Crock Southeastern Pennsylvania
Description: An antique redware apple butter crock from Southeastern Pennsylvania. The crock, which has a round flat base has rounded sides ending in a shaped rim with a flat top, which extends outwards. The crock is glazed on the inside with a dark brown colored background but it is not glazed on the outside. The outside has a darker appearance than usual unglazed redware would be (possibly due to soiling or just age patina). The base is also unglazed and has the usual red coloring of unglazed redware. This primitive crock has a very nice exterior patina with various shades of unglazed redware coloring and blackish coloring from the firing. Also areas of residual glaze blotches. The interior has a nice brown coloring showing lines resulting from shaping the piece over a wheel. This primitive piece is obviously off round and the top looks more oval than circular. Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Uncertain, but most likely early to mid 1800s.
Origin: Southeastern Pennsylvania Size: The crock measures ~3 1/4" in diameter at the base and measures ~5 1/8" by ~4 1/2" while the piece is ~5 1/2" tall. The crock weighs over one pound and 4 ounces.
Maker: Unknown.
Marks: No markings. Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: This is a true primitive antique and very nice apple butter crock, which seldom comes in such great condition after almost 200 years of being around and after seeing what one would expect to be extensive use. The piece has very nice appearance and would display nicely in any collection of old primitive redware home implements.
Condition: Crock is in very good condition given its age and its utilitarian function. It has no hairlines, breaks, cracks, or repairs. It does have general crazing to the glaze and minor losses to the glaze on the interior. It has small flakes or chips on the inside edge of the rim. It does have one chip to the outside edge of the rim and a few smaller ones all of which can be seen in the photos. The piece is a bit mis-shapen and is off round on the top. The exterior is also a bit mis-shapen on one side which confirms that the piece is a true primitive piece. There are spots of glaze on the outside suggesting sloppiness in the making. After examining the piece very carefully, we only see a few minor flakes here and there, all of which can be seen in the photo and are old and very much difficult to observe. Finally as is the case with all these primitive old redware pieces, the crock has very few of the usual defects you would expect such as pops, slubs, unglazed areas and uneven areas. Please view the photos for additional condition information.
