Premier Auction - Session II - September 16, 2023
Sat, Sep 16, 2023 09:00AM EDT
Lot 978
Scarce and Important Dave Drake Signed and Dated Stoneware Jug
Estimate: $60,000 - $80,000
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $100 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $200 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
(Edgefield, South Carolina, b. circa 1800, d. after 1873) made by Dave Drake, Lewis Miles Stony Bluff Manufactory, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield District, S.C., ovoid form, speckled greenish brown alkaline glaze, some glaze runs to upper shoulder, evidence of fingertip in glaze at base edge, applied strap handle with impressed finger mark at terminus, tooled collared spout with rounded rim, inscribed "Lm / May 29 - 1857 / Dave" on front of shoulder, three punctates and two slash marks visible on upper side shoulder, likely three gallon capacity, 14-3/4 in. height, 38-3/4 in. circumference
Provenance: A Private Southern Collection, descended in the family of the consignor, originally owned by the consignor's grandparents who lived in Woodville Georgia which is around 90 miles west of Edgefield South Carolina. The jug turned up in a barn on a farm the family purchased 80 years ago. Given to the consignor's mother approximately 40 years ago and recently given to the consignor.
Note: Believed to be a fresh to the market example, this jug is not documented in the Arthur F. Goldberg and James P. Witkowski article "Beneath His Magic Touch: The Dated Vessels of the African American Slave Potter Dave", published by the Chipstone Foundation in Ceramics in America 2006, edited by Rob Hunter. This jug also shares a date with a jar we are offering in this sale. Signed and dated forms by Dave with the same date are very uncommon, per the aforementioned article there are only two other pairs of wares that share the same date. The time it takes and difficulty in producing wares of this quality and size likely have something to do with that. New to the market examples like this one have been turning up since the article was published and an updated listing of Dave's signed and dated wares is currently in the works.
Condition
glaze voids and anomalies as made, very thin old 4-1/2 in. hairline in exterior glaze from spout to "2" in date with small, possibly associated, less than 1/2 in. thin glaze chip, some very small glaze chips to body, small glaze chip to handle next to glaze frit, firing hairlines to terminus of handle as made, 3-1/2 in. hairline abrasion to glaze at belly, base edge wear with old chip, firing lines to base edge as made, very good condition overall, a rare surviving specimen of this form with very few apologies, a fine example of Dave's work
Purchased items will be available for pick up or shipping from our Asheville, North Carolina auction facility within ten business days of the auction will be assessed a storage fee of $5.00 per day, per item. Purchaser agrees that packing and shipping is done at the purchaser's risk and that the purchaser will pay in advance all packing expenses, materials, carrier fees and insurance charges. At our discretion, items will either be packed by an agent such as a packaging store or Brunk Auctions. Please allow two weeks for shipping after payment is received. Shipment of large items is the responsibility of the purchaser. We are happy to provide names of carriers and shippers if a purchaser so requests. Brunk Auctions will have no liability for any loss or damage to shipped items.
A Private Southern Collection, descended in the family of the consignor, originally owned by the consignor's grandparents who lived in Woodville Georgia which is around 90 miles west of Edgefield South Carolina. The jug turned up in a barn on a farm the family purchased 80 years ago. Given to the consignor's mother approximately 40 years ago and recently given to the consignor.
