Capital City Decorated Stoneware Batter Pail Brings $54,000

04/23/23, MORGANTON, SUNDAYAT6:30 PM, Online Only Auction featuring the estate of Joseph Simasek. Includes large collection of antiques, vintage & newer items - household goods, collectibles, Ethan Allen & Amish shaker furniture, framed prints, woodworking tools and more., Online Only: https// redsuitrealty.hibid.com, Red Suit Realty & Auction

04/24-29/23, KEENE, SAT., AT 12:00 NOON, Spring Country

Americana Auction - Online Only! Includes 350+ lots of 18th & 19th Century Country Furnishings & Accessories, art, stoneware, clocks, and more. Previews April 24-28, 10 am - 5 pm and day of sale 9-11 am. online bidding at www.liveauctioneers.com and www.invaluable.com., online only, Keene Auctions

04/29/23, PHILLIPSBURG, SAT. AT10AM, NJ glass/ antq. collector- Qty. 18th/19th cen. Amer./Euro. blown glass, bottles, flasks, decanters, stemware, stg. jars, apoth., Boston & Sandwich Glass, Pittsburgh Glass, candlesticks, lamps, inkwells, 30+ blue dec. stonewr. crocks, jugs, pitchers, redware, Wagner Pottery flower pots, quilts, carved birds, paintings/ watercolors, & more!, 2481 Belvidere Rd., Hartzell's Auction Gallery, Inc.

04/22/23, OWEGO, SATURDAY AT11 AM, Public Auction for First United Methodist Church of Endicott. Once in a lifetime auction for churches, schools, daycare, home school! Includes furniture, religious items, antiques, commercial kitchen items, childcare items and institutional equipment. Preview & registration at 10 am day of sale. , 43-45 Lake St, Mead & Sons Auctioneers

04/24/23, DUNDEE, MON.: SES.1 AT9AM; SES.2 AT5PM, Sess.1: Country Store items, ptd. furn., Coleman lantern collec., 50+ quilts, sugar buckets, pantry boxes, coffee grinders, cast iron collec., etc. Sess. 2: Lester Byler sign collec. from Middlefield, OH + case toy collec., 5 gas pumps, etc., Live & Online: 17020 Dover Rd.; AuctionZip, LiveAuctioneers & BidSpirit.com, Atlee Raber Auctions

By Karl Pass

Crocker Farm, a stoneware and redware speciality auction house, concluded its first sale of the calendar year on March 31. The auction grossed

$1,849,230 (including a 20-percent buyer’s premium), making it the firm’s second highest gross total. An item of regional interest here in southcentral Pennsylvania was a oneand-a-half-gallon stoneware batter pail with three cobalt man-in-the-moon motifs, stamped “COWDEN & WILCOX / HARRISBURG, PA.” The ca. 1865 batter pail realized $54,000 (est. 15,000-$25,000), selling to a local private collector.

Its over-the-top application of the famous man-inthe-moon motif three times on the same vessel melds rarity with extreme visual appeal, according to the Zipps, the family who owns and operates Crocker Farm. The front and sides are decorated with three brushed renderings of a longnosed face in profile, emanating from a crescent-shaped foliate motif. Interestingly, the three man-in-the-moon motifs present three different facial expressions; the face to the left of the spout appears angry or disappointed, the face to the right of the spout happily displays a smile; and the larger face on the reverse appears satisfied or content.

The pail included a tin lid and spout cover.

Next week, we will highlight another item from this sale.

To learn more, visit the online catalog with prices realized at www.crockerfarm.com.