Exceedingly Rare and Important Two-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Impressed Drape and Tassel Decoration, Stamped "D. MORGAN / N. YORK," Corlears Hook, Manhattan, NY origin, circa 1800, squat-shaped, ovoid jar with tooled shoulder and applied loop handles, featuring the extremely rare impressed and cobalt-highlighted maker's mark of Manhattan potter, David Morgan. Little is known of Morgan's operation in Corlears Hook, located on the lower east side of Manhattan, New York, and few signed examples of his work have surfaced. Any signed product of Morgan's shop is considered a prized example of early New York City stoneware, valuable to our understanding of this short-lived pottery's output. This jar is particularly fine, as it features an earlier and even rarer variation of David Morgan's maker's mark, which reads "D. MORGAN / N. YORK" in large, slightly-crooked letters. A very small number of Morgan pieces bearing this particular mark are known, and, to our knowledge, only one other such example has come to auction in the last ten or more years. Another attribute of the jar, which adds to its significance, is its clamshell-shaped drape-and-tassel motif, which adorns the shoulder on both sides. This distinctive decoration is related to designs used by potter, Thomas Commeraw, also of Corlears Hook, and is presumably based upon Commeraw's work. Among Morgan's products, this motif is only found on examples bearing his early variant mark, such as the jar offered here. (Signed Morgan pieces bearing his very rare, but more well-known, "DAVID . MORGAN / NEW YORK." mark, typically have a graduated swag-and-heart motif.) This jar ranks among the most elusive and desirable examples of signed Manhattan stoneware to come to auction in many years. Coupled with its rarity and strong impressed decoration is a striking light-gray clay and brilliant cobalt slip, which is unmatched on any other signed piece of Morgan stoneware we have seen. Provenance: Found decades ago in the northeastern United States. Section of left handle restored, barely visible from front. Tight sealed 9 1/2" diagonal crack from rim, to left of maker's mark. Very tight, approximately 6" in-body vertical hairline on reverse. A tiny rim nick and a tiny base chip. H 10 1/2".
