Extremely Rare Four-Gallon Stoneware Water Cooler with Cobalt Reclining Deer Scene, Stamped "EDMANDS & CO.", Charlestown, MA origin, circa 1860, barrel-form cooler with tooled banding, and stepped, circular bunghole, the front decorated with a slip-trailed design of a stag with turned head and heavily-spotted body, reclining on a grassy field, flanked by trees and split-rail fences. Cobalt highlights to banding and bunghole. Impressed above deer's head with "EDMANDS & CO." maker's mark, above a four-gallon capacity mark. The finest example of signed Edmands & Co. stoneware that we have ever offered, featuring this maker's most prized design, rarely seen on this form. Very nice condition with only relatively minor flaws. An approximately 1" surface line to shoulder area. A 2 3/8" long in-the-firing line at base, continuing 2 1/4" onto underside, which is glazed-over on the interior. A 3/4" shallow chip or ping to underside at edge, including an adjacent 1 1/4" surface crack , both possibly in-the-firing. A minor 3/4" in-the-firing lime ping to bottom edge. Minor base wear on reverse. Some scattered light exfoliation to underside. Flaking to interior of bunghole and minor wear to outer edge of bunghole. A 5/8" in-the-firing stone ping to side of cooler near base, which does not extend through to interior and was partially filled. Some light staining to surface. H 13 1/2".