Very Rare and Important Open-Handled Presentation Water Cooler with Incised Bird Decorations, Incised "S. Keyes," Stamped Twice "JULIUS NORTON / BENNINGTON, VT.," circa 1840, very large, highly ovoid jug with open handles and circular bung hole at base, decorated on one side with a finely incised bird perched in a tree. Incised design painted with cobalt, with spots applied to the bird"s body and a stripe painted at the bird"s neck. A stamped circle represents the bird"s eye and the body is further detailed with numerous short incised strokes serving as the bird"s feathers. Depth is created to the scene as the artist has incised smaller trees below the bird and painted them lightly with cobalt, to represent a forest in the distance. The cooler is incised below the neck "S. Keyes" within a cartouche of impressed circles. Reverse decorated with a second incised bird perched in the crook of tree, also brushed over with cobalt blue. Impressed twice below the rim, (one impression inverted), with the cobalt-highlighted maker"s mark "JULIUS NORTON / BENNINGTON, VT". Highly-decorated stoneware of this period in Norton family stoneware production is considered very rare. The grandness of this example is made clear by its large size, form, and lavish incised decorations on both the front and back. Probably made for a member of the family of Joseph Keyes, a blacksmith and neighbor to several Bennington potters. Loss to bung hole. In-the-making chips at base. H 20".
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