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  LARGE AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE GAME BIRD FIGURE IN YELLOWWARE WITH ROCKINGHAM GLAZE, PRODUCED BY THE MORTON POTTERY IN ILLINOIS, BUT NEVER DISTRIBUTED, HANDED DOWN THROUGH THE FAMILY OF AN EMPLOYEE, circa 1880-1890
Dimensions (inches): 11.75" t x 5" l x 3.5" d
Description:
This highly unusual piece of Rockingham glazed, figural yellowware, in the form of a game bird, was produced by the well-known Illinois pottery company, Morton, sometime between 1880 and 1890. Very large in scale, at approximately 12 inches, and with a very unusual feature in the narrow, applied leg, separate from the decorative base and pillar that supports the body, on which the other leg is included, this rare form has some known history, handed down through the family of a long-time Morton employee. The figure was produced sometime between 1880 – 1890, as part of a test, to see if it was viable for sale. Experiments in shipping proved that it could not be distributed, because the leg was too fragile to survive shipping, so it never went into regular production. This example survived in the family of the employee. Either one or possibly two others are known to survive.

Probably intended to be a Bobwhite Quail, Illinois’ only native quail, game birds are extremely unusual in pottery of this nature. I don’t know of any other forms. The bold scale of this exceptional example is tremendous in first person. The glaze and condition are excellent, and the fact that it posses some known history is wonderful.

Condition: Excellent.
   
Primary Color: yellow, brown
Earliest Date: 1880
Latest Date: 1890
For Sale Status: Sold
Price SOLD
E-mail: info@jeffbridgman.com
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