In extraordinarily good condition and packed with symbolism.
The identification of these characters in the main image is from a plate with the same design that included a key:
The main image shows Washington escorted by "Liberty," a woman carrying a pole with a Liberty cap. She's pointing to a map of the East Coast that stretches from the islands below Florida to Quebec and James Bay in Canada. Above them, "Fame," an angel carrying a laurel wreath and banner that reads "Washington" blows a trumpet.
On the other side of the map sits Franklin, inscribing "4 July 1776" into the book the book in his lap. It appears that the text above it may be, "America's Independence." Behind him are two figures. Minerva is leaning over him.
According to Wikipedia, "Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. She is also a goddess of warfare, though with a focus on strategic warfare, rather than the violence of gods such as Mars."
The other, blindfolded, is identified as "Fortune." (I thought it was a figure representing justice because of the blindfold and the scales in her left hand.)
See the Historical Background below for the explanation of the same design on a pitcher sold at Sotheby's.
On the other side, the memorial for George Washington and the text, "Washington in Glory" at the top and "America in Tears" at the bottom. A weeping figure is next to a monument with a profile of Washington the dates of his birth and death.
See the Historical Background below for the explanation of the same design on a pitcher in the collection of the Smithsonian.
In June of last year we offered a similar pitcher, though not in as good condition as this one, that had the same image, with the weeping figure and text. (That pitcher sold quickly.)
This text is under the handle:
"A MAN without example
A PATRIOT without reproach."
Note: There is no mark of any kind on the bottom.
Size: 11.75" x 6.5"
Shipping: $45. Please allow one week for shipping.
Also available:
Historical background on the design with Washington and Liberty
Sotheby's sold a pitcher with the same main design in 2021 for $3,780. Their listing included this explanation:
Following the signing of the Preliminary Articles of Peace in January 1783, English map makers rushed to issue depictions of the new United States. The most famous of these—and by far the rarest—was by John Wallis: published on 3 April 1783, it was the earliest separately engraved map of the United States.
The chief feature of this scarce map is its celebrated cartouche, elegantly crafted with portraits of the most famous of American patriots "joined by symbolic figures who pay tribute to America's newly won status as an independent nation" (Deak). On the left, George Washington stands in full uniform walking beside Lady Liberty, her cap perched atop her staff; above their heads the Angel of Fame blows her trumpet, with a laurel wreath clutched in her left hand; to the right of the title sits Benjamin Franklin, inscribing a large book, headed American Independence, with the Greek Goddess of Wisdom Athena (or Minerva, the Roman counterpart) pointing to his words, with an owl perched on her helmet, symbolizing the ability to see even in the dark; behind the pair stands a blindfolded Justice with sword in hand standing amongst tall pine trees, perhaps a reference to the American "Appeal to Heaven" flags of the war. Above the cartouche on the Wallis map is a 13-star American flag, the earliest depiction of the flag of the United States on an English map. Interestingly, the Abel Buell map, published in America subsequent to Wallis, included similar symbolic figures (i.e. Fame, Liberty and the U.S. flag).
Transfer printing onto creamware began in England in the mid-18th century to fulfill the desires of the public seeking inexpensive yet decorative wares. It is a process by which a pattern or design is etched onto a copper plate; the plate is then inked and the pattern is transferred to a thin tissue; the inked tissue is then laid onto the already bisque fired ceramic, glazed, and fired again.
Historical background on the design with "Washington in Glory"
The Smithsonian has a pitcher with this same design. They include this explanation:
This large creamware pitcher features a transfer-print commemorating George Washington. One side of the pitcher features a memorial obelisk to Washington, capped with an urn and adorned with a profile image of Washington in his military regalia in the center of the obelisk. At the base of the monument is a female figure weeping and an eagle with its head down and wings extended. Banners around the print read “WASHINGTON IN GLORY / AMERICA IN TEARS.” . . .
George Washington is the most common figure depicted on English creamware pitchers of this period. His death in 1799 led to an outpouring of commemorative products celebrating his life and mourning his death. The transfer-print on this pitcher is based on an engraving by Philadelphians James Akin and William Harrison Jr. titled “America lamenting her loss at the Tomb of GENERAL WASHINGTON." . . .
There is no mark on the pitcher to tell us who made it, but it is characteristic of wares made in large volume for the American market in both Staffordshire and Liverpool between 1790 and 1820. Pitchers of this shape, with a cream colored glaze over a pale earthenware clay, known as Liverpool type, were the most common vessels to feature transfer prints with subjects commemorating events and significant figures in the early decades of United States’ history. Notwithstanding the tense relationship between Britain and America, Liverpool and Staffordshire printers and potters seized the commercial opportunity offered them in the production of transfer printed earthenwares celebrating the heroes, the military victories, and the virtues of the young republic, and frequently all of these things at once.
