Exploring the History of New England Redware

Early American pottery author Justin W. Thomas will be speaking on Saturday June 1, 2024 about the museum’s red earthenware collection. These objects will be used to tell stories about red earthenware (and some stoneware) production all over New England, spanning the seventeenth through the early twentieth century. The notion of wares made by the rural country potter during the post-American Revolution period through about 1870 will be also discussed in comparison to the urbanized industries that existed in New England before and after the Revolutionary War. The impact of the Industrial Revolution on this production will also be emphasized, as well as 275 years’ worth of archaeology in New England. This talk will also relate stories about transportation and trade utilizing riverways and the Atlantic Ocean that allowed some of the area’s potters to ship their wares to other parts of the region, Canada and to the south of New England

Justin Thomas is a collector, researcher and writer about American utilitarian pottery production from the seventeenth through the early twentieth century. He studied at archaeology departments, museums and private collections across the country, publishing numerous research articles about American potteries in regional and national publications. He has been a contributor for the New England Antiques Journal, Maine Antiques Digest, Antiques and the Arts Weekly, Antiques & Auction News, and Untapped New York. He has also authored seven books, as part of his ongoing pottery book series, published by Historic Beverly in Massachusetts. Justin has worked with museums, historical societies and archaeology departments all over the East Coast including the National Museum of American History, the Rochester Museum & Science Center, the New York State Museum, Old Sturbridge Village, Historic New England and Strawbery Banke, among many others. In 2021 he organized a special redware conference hosted by Historic Beverly. He currently resides in Newburyport.

This lecture will be in-person at the Tyringham Union Church but also viewable via Zoom. In-person tickets can be purchased at the door but Zoom attendees must register in advance in order to receive the Zoom link.

This program is supported in part by grants from the Otis and Sheffield Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.