Exceedingly Rare and Important Three-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Cobalt Goat Decoration, Stamped "COWDEN & WILCOX / HARRISBURG, PA," circa 1865, cylindrical jar with tooled shoulder, slightly-flared collar, and applied lug handles, decorated with a slip-trailed design of a goat with long, curving horns and striped tail, in trotting stance above a stylized ground. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark, capacity mark, and handle terminals. This jar's design of a goat with long horns and striped tail is believed to be unique in Central Pennsylvania stoneware production. While the goat is regarded as a classic image in American folk art- prized in its various depictions on forms such as weathervanes, carousel figures, and redware sculpture- few cobalt renderings of this animal in American stoneware have been documented. This design, applied with a slip cup with distinctive scalloped ground below, was executed by the same as-yet-unidentified decorator responsible for a small number of other important Cowden mammal designs, including a few deer and dogs. Arguably the most important example of Cowden & Wilcox stoneware to come to auction in the past several years. Approximately 4" restored section to rim on reverse. Chips to exterior of rim. Inner rim for lid with wear and a few very minor chips. Some fairly innocuous spots of fry to cobalt. Wear to end of one handle. H 13 1/4".
