Outstanding Giant Stoneware CARTERS INKS Bottle, Store Display Marked E. H. MERRILL / AKRON, OH

Spring 2023 Stoneware Auction

Lot #: 270

Price Realized: $1,440.00

($1,200 hammer, plus 20% buyer's premium)

PLEASE NOTE: The American ceramics market frequently changes, often dramatically. Additionally, small nuances of color, condition, shape, etc. can mean huge differences in price. If you're interested in having us sell a similar item for you, please contact us here.

Spring 2023 Auction Catalog

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Outstanding Salt-Glazed Stoneware Oversized Ink Bottle, Stamped "CARTERS INKS" and "E.H. MERRILL CO. / AKRON. O," fourth quarter 19th century, wheel-thrown, cylindrical form with tapered shoulder, rounded neck molding, and flattened rim with pinched spout. Impressed on the front with the advertising, "CARTERS INKS," and on the reverse with the maker's mark, "E.H. MERRILL CO. / AKRON. O." Salt-glazed surface. This sculptural work, dwarfing a standard-sized ink bottle by several gallons, was made to advertise the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based ink company of William Carter, founded in 1858. The extraordinary size of the vessel indicates it was likely not made to hold ink, but rather to be displayed in a storefront to catch the eye of passersby, essentially serving as a ceramic trade sign. This work, the only example of its combined form and size that we have seen in American production, appeals to a variety of collecting focuses, including pottery, folk art, advertising, trade signs, and pen and writing memorabilia. A 2 1/4" chip to side of spout. An in-the-firing, glazed-over line around upper body. H 27".