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Large West Tennessee stoneware jar, four handles

Monumental West Tennessee with four handles and medial flange joining both halves of the jar. Faint circular decorations are visible around the circumference and other regions of the jar. Attributed to the Craven family of potters, Henderson County, TN. Condition - one chip to underside of rim, otherwise excellent. 22" height. The Cravens were important potters in the Piedmont area of NC and are best known for their salt-glazed stoneware (See Smith and Rogers’ Survey of Historic Pottery Making in Tennessee and Turners and Burners by Charles Zug.) Around 1829, Thomas Craven b. 1775 NC and his family moved out of NC. He and three of his sons, Balaam, John M. ,and Solomon moved to Clarke Co. GA. His other two sons, William R. and Tinsley W., along with his brother-in-law, John Fesmire moved to TN. They can be found in the 1830 Henderson Co. census. By 1840 Thomas and sons had joined the others in Henderson County. The 1850 census shows Balaam, Tinsley, John M., and Malcolm as potters. Malcolm is one of Tinsley’s sons. John W. Hughes is a potter living in John M.’s household. The 1860 census lists B. F., T. W., M. M., and T. E. as potters. (These are respectively: Balaam F., Tinsley W., Malcolm M. and Thomas E.) Thomas E. is another of Tinsley’s sons. In the 1870 census only Thomas E., Malcolm, and Alex W. Fesmire, a cousin, are found working together. These distinctive, large West Tennessee Craven vessels, turned in sections, are found with both two handles and four handles. Two handles are most common. Handles are generally of the lug type, as seen in this example, but occasionally strap handles are found. The area where the sections are joined is covered with a band of clay. The most commonly found form for this band is rope-like. Plain, flat bands in combination with the rope-like bands are also known. This rounded band has not been recorded previously. Occasionally these big jars are found with one of Tinsley’s stamps, T W:CRAVEN or T.W. CRAVEN & CO. The two best known of these large Craven vessels are water coolers. The first to surface was made by Tinsley W. and is dated 1855. It has two strap handles and one rope-like band. It is stamped T.W. CRAVEN & CO. The second has four handles, two lug and two strap. It has two rope-like bands, the upper going through the strap handles. This piece is incised in script Maid by W. R. Craven and Co., July 10th, 1847 Warrantes to be Stone Ware. At the time this piece of pottery was discovered it was not known that William R. had been a potter, as all census records indicated that he was a farmer. Tinsley W. died in Henderson Co. in 1860 and William R. moved to Texas between 1850 and 1860. Research courtesy of Carole Wahler.

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