Image of Pitcher from the collections of the St. Augustine Historical Society.
To celebrate the Fourth of July, the St. Augustine Historical Society is highlighting one of its special collections pieces: a pitcher featuring quintessential American imagery. Created by James and Ralph Clews in Staffordshire, England in the 1820s or 1830s, this pitcher displays a list of U.S. states on both the inside and outside of the rim. Also pictured are George Washington, a personified Justice, and a personified Liberty holding a liberty cap. The three characters surround a peaceful nature scene, with two boats calmly floating along a river. This pitcher is a fine example of English pottery produced after the War of 1812 for the American market. It also illuminates the aspirational cultural values of early 19th century Americans through its imagery, such as the liberty cap and pole, as well as the square and compass.
This pitcher’s presence in St. Augustine ties the city to both nineteenth century international trade networks and the booming pottery industry in Staffordshire. After the War of 1812, with the English market saturated with mass-produced earthenware, British potters turned to courting American consumers instead. English pottery of all forms meant for breaking into the U.S. market was emblazoned with patriotic scenes, symbolism, states, and U.S. celebrities. This strategy worked, and up until the Civil War, Americans consistently purchased around 40% of the pottery that was being produced in Staffordshire.
This specific pitcher was likely part of a larger series by the Clews brothers. Known as the State Border series, this transfer printing pattern from the 1820s featuring George Washington, Justice, and Independence was reprinted on a variety of earthenware. There is one major difference between the pitcher and various other pieces included in the series; there are seventeen individual states listed on this pitcher, and only fifteen listed on other wares. This pitcher includes Tennessee and Ohio on the inside rim. This could be a later variation of the design, but it does make this piece distinctive within the State Border series.
The pitcher includes the same patriotic symbolism as the plates created with the same (or an extremely similar) transfer printing pattern. The cap and pole, being held by Liberty, were common symbols in the late 18th century and into the early 1800s. These items’ association with the concept of liberty comes originally from ancient Rome. When slaves were freed, they were given their freedom with the touch of a rod whilst donning a pileum— a hat worn by citizens. Americans adopted these symbols during the Revolution as a visual shorthand for their claim to freedom. Their presence on a patriotic pitcher evokes pride in the American commitment to liberty and pride in the history of the United States: a country less than fifty years old at the time this pitcher was created. With the first president enshrined alongside these embodied concepts, it is clear the Staffordshire pottery industry was catering to American nostalgia.
The square and compass on Justice’s dress is a direct reference to the ideals of the Freemasons. Men like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were members of this secretive society for upstanding, hardworking, virtuous citizens. Many of these members believed in the goodness of Whig ideals, like freedom from governments trampling the rights of citizens. The values and imagery of the Freemasons and republican ideology often blended in the minds of the American public. Decades after these events, Americans still associated the Freemasons with the good and virtuous citizens who protected their unalienable rights, especially George Washington— Freemason and commander of the Continental Army.
This pitcher is a fascinating object that tells numerous stories about American history. Its existence demonstrates Florida’s place in the world economy during the nineteenth century. It also illustrates how American culture and symbols traveled to England, and then how these symbols were marketed towards American consumers. The symbols printed onto the pitcher communicate early American values, and commemorate America’s foundation. Ultimately, our patriotic pitcher is a wonderful piece of American material culture, and a great reminder of why we celebrate the Fourth of July 249 years later.
Written by: Sydney Livingston, Assistant Collections Manager
Edited by: Robert Covert, Collections Manager & Editor-in-Chief
Works Cited:
Korshak, Yvonne. “The Liberty Cap as a Revolutionary Symbol in America and France.”
Smithsonian Studies in American Art 1, no. 2 (1987): 53–69.
Miller, George. “Marketing Ceramics in North America: An Introduction.” Winterthur Portfolio
19, no. 1 (1984): 1-5.
“Platter.” The Met Collection. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed December 16th,
“Ralph and James Clews Dinner Plate.” The MFAH Collections. Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
Accessed December 16th, 2024. https://emuseum.mfah.org/objects/7604/dinner-plate.
“Ralph and James Clews Pitcher.” The MFAH Collections. Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
Accessed December 16th, 2024. https://emuseum.mfah.org/objects/46822/pitcher.
Tabbert, Mark. “Freemasonry.” The George Washington Presidential Library. Mount Vernon.
Accessed December 16th, 2024. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/freemasonry#:~:text=The%20earliest%20records%20of%20American,throughout%20Europe%20and%20the%20Americas.
York, Neil. “Freemasons and the American Revolution.” The Historian 55, no 2 (1993):
315-330.