Exceptional Eight-Gallon Stoneware Crock with Profuse Flowering Basket Motif Surmounted by Crossed Birds, Stamped "J. NORTON & CO: / BENNINGTON VT." circa 1860, large-sized, cylindrical crock with heavily-tooled shoulder, semi-rounded rim, and applied lug handles, decorated with a massive slip-trailed design of a basket brimming with various flowers, leaves, and spotted trails, all surmounted by two crossed birds perched on a forked stem. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark. The extravagant decoration on this crock includes a very rare depiction of the basket from the side, with full view of the handle, atop an oval table mat. (Typical Northeastern stoneware decorations depict the basket from the front, with handles at the sides.) Spanning a monstrous 12 1/2" x 15", the design on this work features some of the heaviest coverage over the vessel's front that we have seen on a piece of Norton stoneware. Combining an oversized vessel with two iconic motifs from the pottery, the flower basket and the double bird, this work is believed to be unique. Provenance: Marlin Denlinger Auctions, Bennington, VT, 1988. Despite damaged condition, this large and painterly work brought an impressive $6,750 at that time. Large cracks to front, left side, and reverse, including two very large reglued sections to front/left side of crock. This damage includes two small, filled and colored surface chips and other minor coloring along one crack on front. Numerous chips to interior of rim. A restored 3 1/4" chip and a small, unrestored chip to rim on reverse. A minor, in-the-firing surface flake to shoulder on front. H 16 7/8".
Please Note: Due to its fragile nature and large size, this crock must either be picked up at our gallery or shipped using a third party shipping service for particularly-careful handling.
