A wonderful salt glaze, slip decorated jug by Rowe Pottery. It measures approximately 14" tall and 9" diameter. The jug is in wonderful condition, free of any chips, cracks, or crazing! Please read the description below from Rowe Pottery:
The Albany Slip Two-Handled Jug (2003)
Rowe Pottery Works, famous for creating museum-quality reproductions of early American pottery, now offers a limited production jug with authentic Albany Slip glazing.
Albany
Slip glaze was made from a natural glacial clay discovered in Albany, New York
in the early 1800s. "Slip Glaze" is the potter's term for a
glaze made from clay mixed with water.
Albany
Slip glaze is characterized by its deep-brown color. It was common on
earthenware, stoneware and salt-glaze pottery throughout the 1800s. It is
the natural brown often associated with bean pots. It can be altered to produce
a wide range of earth tones.
Durable
and decorative, Albany Slip was often used as an interior glaze on salt-glaze
pottery. It melted smoothly to form an impermeable glass coating, perfect
for storing liquids and for ease of cleaning. Its popularity spread among
potters throughout North America with the expansion of the railroad system.
Once
common, Albany Slip is now a rare substance. Much other clay was
mined in the Midwest during this time and also became known as Albany Slip,
however, it is not true Albany Slip clay. The original
Albany mine closed in 1986 due to difficulties in extracting the clay.
Since then, commercial supplies have been exhausted. Only small stocks
remain in private hands of potters who treasured the colors of true Albany
Slip.
Rowe
Pottery Works is using its own remaining inventory of true Albany Slip clay,
one of the last known stock, in making of this special historical Two Handled
Jug. In order to reserve our stock, we are introducing only one Albany
Slip collectible per year.
This
jug truly represents a bygone era of American pottery. It is an expression of
the quality and craftsmanship of Albany Slip pottery of the 1800s. It is
grand in size, holding approximately two gallons and weighing more than 10
pounds. It is decorated with a primitive bird sprig, a hand-combed
pattern, two pulled handles and glazed with true Albany Slip clay on the
outside.
Each Jug will have a variation of the "orange-peel" effect due to the salt glazing process. This variation enhances the uniqueness of each pitcher - no two will be exactly alike!