Pitcher

Object/Artifact

Saco Museum

Name/Title

Pitcher

Entry/Object ID

1888.1.1

Description

Creamware pitcher, probably made by the Herculaneum Pottery having an ear-shaped handle, sharp spout, and flared foot. A simple black enameled band outlines the rim and spout. The pitcher is printed in black with a bust-length portrait of George Washington derived from an original engraving by Joseph Wright published about 1790 on one side. The portrait of Washington is encircled by laurel leaves with the legend above "HE IN GLORY + AMERICA IN TEARS." On the other side is an engraved image of a funerary urn with the initials "G W" and black swags and a medallion. This image is encircled by two bands of text (see object file for example from Winterthur with same text). Under the spout is an oval containing words from Thomas Paine's eulogy "A MAN/ without example/ A PATRIOT/ without reproach." The interior of the flattened round foot is beveled.

Context

Funeral medallions were struck by Jacob Perkins in Newburyport, Massachusetts immediately after the news of Washington's death. Subsequently, a medallion and a copy of Thomas Paine's published eulogy, the source of the quote "A MAN without example A PATRIOT without reproach" were brought to Liverpool by Samuel Swett (1772-1819) on the ship Industry where several pitchers were produced for Captain Swett’s father, Edmund.

Made/Created

Date made

1800

Dimensions

Height

8-1/2 in

Width

8 in

Diameter

4-3/8 in

Dimension Notes

Overall width (spout to handle) is 8 in.; side to side is 5-1/2 in.

Material

earthenware, creamware

Web Links and URLs

https://chipstone.org/article.php/895/Ceramics-in-America-2021/%E2%80%9CHe-in-Glory,-America-in-Tears%E2%80%9D:-Jacob-Perkins,-Washington-Funeral-Medal,-and-Liverpool-Jugs, https://chipstone.org/article.php/264/Ceramics-in-America-2006/Commemorative-Wares-in-George-Washington%E2%80%99s-Hometown

Interpretative Labels

Label

Pitcher, circa 1800 Probably Herculanaeum Pottery, Liverpool, England Creamware printed in black Gift of Lyman B. Milliken This creamware pitcher is printed in black with a bust-length portrait of George Washington derived from an original engraving by Joseph Wright published about 1790. The portrait is encircled by laurel leaves with the legend "HE IN GLORY + AMERICA IN TEARS." On the other side is an image of a funerary urn with the initials "G W" and black swags and a medallion, surrounded by two bands of text. Under the lip are the words "A MAN/ without example/ A PATRIOT/ without reproach." Funeral medallions were struck by Jacob Perkins in Newburyport, Massachusetts immediately after the news of Washington's death. Subsequently, a medallion and a copy of Thomas Paine's published eulogy, the source of the quote "A MAN without example A PATRIOT without reproach" were brought to Liverpool by Samuel Swett (1772-1819) on the ship Industry where several pitchers were produced for Captain Swett’s father, Edmund. Lyman Beecher Milliken (1834-1918) had a variety of occupations over his long life: printer, bookbinder, hardware merchant, and jeweler, first in Keene, New Hampshire and, for most of his adult life, in Saco.