17th Anniversary Preview

18 www.antiquesandfineart.com 17th Anniversary Discoveries Important Porcelain Bowl American, probably Philadelphia Hard paste porcelain with a matt finish Diam.: 5½ in. Courtesy of the Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, PA At first glance, it may seem unassuming, but a small, white bowl has thrilled the ceramics world. The bowl, probably used for drinking punch, may be the first physical proof of American-made true, hardpaste porcelain. This “Holy Grail” of American ceramics was discovered during the archeological excavation for the new Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, which opens in April 2017 and where the bowl will be on display. Hardpaste porcelain, first produced by Chinese potters around the 7th century A.D., is notable for its desirable degree of translucency. Attempts to replicate the process were ongoing throughout the Western world in the 18th century. “One of the most intriguing stories in the world of ceramic history is the search for the secrets of making hard-paste porcelain,” says Robert Hunter, editor of Ceramics in America and an author and archaeologist. “The search, however, for physical evidence of making true porcelain in 18th-century America has been frustratingly unsuccessful—until now. The findings and reasons for the bowl’s association with American manufacture are presented in the January issue of Ceramics in America . noteworthy sales Needlework Sampler Harriet F. Hayden Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, dated 1817 Silk on linen gauze, with watercolor on paper, 15½ x 16¼ inches Courtesy of M. Finkel & Daughter, Philadelphia, PA www.samplings.com This is one of several known samplers that form a small, highly significant group considered to rank within the finest of New Hampshire folk art. The samplers were made in the town of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, located at the border with Massachusetts, between 1817 and 1821. The most highly developed of the group, including Miss Hayden’s, include sheep made of pin-pricked paper, delicate metallic elements stitched onto the lady’s gown, and a splendid central pot of flowers. While the identity of the schoolteacher remains unknown, it is very clear that she was a highly talented needleworker. Harriet Flint Hayden (1804–1853) was the oldest of seven children born to Joel Hayden (1780–1856) and Rebecca (Tower) Hayden (1784–1855), residents of Fitzwilliam. Joel Hayden operated a tannery for many years and was Town Selectman from 1820 to 1823. In 1812, when she was eight years old, Harriet is known to have made another sampler, illustrated in Ethel Stanwood Bolton and Eva Johnston Coe, American Samplers (1921). Photo by Robert Hunter.