Exceedingly Rare Two-Gallon Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware Jar with Incised Native American Decoration, Southern U.S., possibly Jefferson S. Nash Pottery or Milligan Frazier, Marion County, TX, second half 19th century, ovoid jar with tooled shoulder, squared rim, and arched lug handles, decorated with a stylized, incised design of a Native American's torso with mohawk, earring, and necklace. Surface and underside covered in a streaky brown alkaline glaze. Mysterious in its form, the glaze on this jar most closely resembles that found on pieces made at the pottery of Jefferson S. Nash in Marion County, TX, circa 1850-1860. The African-American potter, Milligan Frazier (ca. 1848-after 1910), was an associate of Nash, who established his own pottery in Marion County during the late 19th century, using a similar brown alkaline glaze produced, in part, from locally-sourced glass bottles. Appealing in form and glaze, this work is significant in its incised depiction of the human form. While incised decoration was frequent among early Northeastern salt-glazed stoneware potters, such treatment is highly unusual in the alkaline-glazed tradition. Very nice condition with a few base chips and two faint hairlines from rim on reverse, measuring 5" and 3". H 11 5/8".
