Outstanding and Very Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Watchspring Decoration, attributed to Abraham Mead, Greenwich, CT, or Kemple Pottery, Ringoes, NJ, circa 1790, ovoid jar with footed base, tooled shoulder, and open loop handles, decorated on the front and reverse with an undulating vine bearing four watchspring motifs and stylized leaves. Unusual stylized flower blossoms decorate the areas under each handle. Brushed cobalt highlights to handle terminals. Brushed cobalt band at base. While this jar is clearly of eighteenth-century American origin, the form and decoration of this jar relate both to examples from the Mead and Kemple potteries. This example includes wonderful color and survives in remarkable condition, particularly when considering its age. Excellent condition with a 1 1/2" hairline from rim on side of jar, a typical in-the-firing contact mark to one side, and a typical in-the-firing separation on underside, not visible on interior. H 11 3/4".