Tiny Oyster Jar Swasey Stoneware Portland Maine

This is a wonderful little oyster jar made by the E. Swasey Company of Portland, Maine. It is in fantastic undamaged condition, and is complete with a VERY old --I have to say almost certainly original -- wooden stopper lid. This piece dates from the later 1800s - very early 1900s.

This adorable little piece is only 5 inches tall; the body is approximately 4 inches in diameter. It has a large, clear front design showing the company information. Color is the Swasey trademark natural crockery off-white with a dark brown top. (I believe this is "Albany Slip" glaze, which was extremely popular at the time it was made.)

PLEASE SEE OUR PICTURES - I have shown it in bright sunlight especially so you can see details of the chocolate brown areas where there are a number of glaze runs that do not show up and aren't noticeable in ordinary light.

CONDITION: Fabulous, inside and outside, with no visible cracks, chips, flakes or repairs. Someone took very good care of this in the past. There are some surface impressions caused when it was molded, but everything is completely under the glaze.

The wooden stopper appears to be original; it is perfectly cut and fits snugly into the top. The wood is very old and actually has a wonderful, homey "old library" type of aroma. The top is darker than the bottom, from its being on the jar for a long period of time.

BACKGROUND: A fantastic find for Swasey collectors in particular. E. Swasey & Co. was in business from 1890 until the Great Depression in the 1930s. The company was founded by Eban Swasey, an apprentice potter living in Exeter, New Hampshire in the mid-1800s. He moved to Portland, Maine in 1875, establishing the Portland Earthen Ware Manufactory with a partner named Rufus Lamson. This company was best known for producing redware. Lamson left the company after a few years, and in 1890, Swasey opened E. Swasey & Co. at 273 Commercial Street in Portland. Swasey's son Perley joined the company in 1897, after which the business expanded and by the turn of the century had earned a reputation for being one of the most productive pottery works in New England. Although Eban died in 1906, E. Swasey & Co. continued on, doing well until the economic downturn of the Great Depression in the 1930s finally drove them out of business.