Scarce and Fine One-and-a-Half-Gallon Stoneware Jar with Exuberant Cobalt Floral Decoration, Stamped "S. BELL," Samuel Bell, Winchester or Strasburg, VA, circa 1840, ovoid jar with tall collar and applied lug handles, brush-decorated on the front and reverse with large triple-blossomed tulip plants featuring unusual dashed treatment bordering each blossom. Cobalt highlights to handle terminals. Impressed below one handle with Samuel Bell maker's mark along with a one-and-a-half-gallon capacity mark. The finest example of Samuel Bell's early work to come to auction in years. Rim chips. A 1 1/4" flake and two smaller chips to one handle. A minor chip, tiny nick, and a small surface flake to opposing handle. A tight network of lines below maker's mark, extending partway onto one decorated side, all of which is not visible on the interior and appears to be surface-level only. (**This lot includes the following condition update: An additional, long tight surface line to same decorated side, not visible on interior, and a faint X-shaped surface line below opposing handle, extending onto reverse.) A small in-the-firing surface flake and minor ping to other decorated side. A small base chip. This lot includes as update to its condition: An additional, long tight surface line below other handle, not visible on interior, and a faint Y-shaped line to same decorated side, H 11".
