Scarce and Fine Anna Pottery Stoneware Pig Flask, Signed "Anna Ill / 1889," Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick, Anna, IL, molded, salt-glazed stoneware flask in the form of a reclining pig with spout at rear, anatomically correct underside, and incised details to face and hooves. One side incised with the inscription "St Louis the Future Great / With a Little good / Old Rye in a Pig's". Incised below with the rare Anna Pottery signature and date "Anna ill / 1889". Remainder of pig incised with a railroad map of the Midwestern U.S, including the following landmarks: Rock I, Miss River, C & A, O & M, Chester, Purcy, Springfield, Colins, Bloomington, G. Tower, Cairo, Anna, Carbondale, Duquoin, Tamaroa, Centralia, Odin, IC, Alma, Champaigne, Kankakee, Pullman, Vincennes, CV & C, Chicago the Corn City, Cincinnati the Pork Packing City, Mound City, and Chicago The Corn City. Dark cobalt highlights throughout incising. Unusual Albany slip highlights to eyes. Salt-glazed pig flasks produced by the Kirkpatricks are significantly rarer than their Albany-slip-glazed counterparts. This particular pig features deep, crisp incising and a rare Anna signature variant at the base. Certainly one of the finest Anna Pottery pigs we have offered in recent years. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, which descended to the consignor from his grandfather. A first-time offering at public auction. Strong condition with a small chip to front elbow on pig, minor chips to spout, minor roughness to pig's mouth. L 7".
