Circa 1876-1880: After the last pottery in Alexandria, Virginia, shut its doors in 1876, long time local merchant E.J. Miller & Son began to commission their salt glazed stoneware from the storied Greensboro, Pennsylvania pottery firm James Hamilton & Company.
For Sale: $4,950
Circa 1870s-1890s: Decorated top to bottom with five freehand stripes, a capacity mark, and rarely encountered stencil decorations for both potter and merchant, this beautiful 16" tall four gallon churn has a great gray coloration and contrasting dark blue cobalt.
For Sale: $3,950
Circa 1880s: West Virginia stoneware collectors love their local merchant jars, and this 15" tall four gallon storage jar made for "A.W. Kidd and Sons, dealers in stoves, grates and general hard ware" in Jackson C.H. (now Ripley), West Virginia, is desirable because jars from towns that no longer exist or have been renamed are scarce and fewer large pieces were manufactured.
For Sale: $3,850
Circa 1895-1925: The Arts and Crafts movement was extremely popular in America from the mid 1890s through the first quarter of the 20th century, and the nation was ablaze with a myriad of businesses selling craftsman furniture, lamps, pottery, metalwork, and other products.
For Sale: $2,895
Circa 2nd Quarter 20th Century: This snazzy double sided wooden trade sign has fantastic visual appeal with its figural cut out, black lettering on a white ground, and thin green pinstriped border that mimics the popular neon signs of the era.
For Sale: $1,995
Circa 1870: This lovely 29.75" x 7.75" C.W. Clarke Boots & Shoes wooden trade sign in original black smalt paint and gold lettering on a single thin poplar board has a simple 1/2 inch deep frame and is constructed with square nails and has a penciled 1868 dated on the reverse.
For Sale: $1,950
Circa 1875: West Virginia stoneware collectors love their local merchant jugs, and this two gallon stencil decorated jug made for "Louis P Frobe / Wines and Liquors / 1041 Market St / Wheeling W VA" is a terriffic example of the wares produced for over 100 different merchants in Wheeling in the last quarter of the 19th century.
For Sale: $1,795
Circa 1880s: Ohio stoneware collectors are always looking for something different to scratch their itch, and this bottle form half gallon tanware jug made in Southwest Pennsylvania for Pomeroy, Ohio merchant J. A. Franz is a rare find, indeed.
For Sale: $1,750
Circa 1890s: This handsome two gallon stoneware jug is an advertisement for Louis P. Frobe's liquor store at 1041 Market Street in Wheeling, West Virginia.
For Sale: $1,295
Circa 1880: This 37" x 8" 19th century double sided Steamship Agent & Foreign Money Orders trade sign in original red, black, and gray weathered paint decoration has breadboard ends attached with hand cut nails.
For Sale: $1,250
Circa 1920s: This wonderful oval double sided Shafer Insurance Agency trade sign in blue and white paint measures approximately 43"L x 21"H including its original hangers.
For Sale: $1,250
Circa Late 1940s: Porcelain liquor signs are scarce, and this 30" x 17" Castillion Cognac sign in red, white, and blue is exceptionally hard to find.
For Sale: $1150
Circa 1900-1925: Smoking was much more prevalent and socially acceptable 100 years ago than it is today, and this NO SMOKING / ALLOWED IN HERE sign (in different fonts no less) , which most probably was nailed over a shop's doorway and certainly cast its stern proclamation to all who entered, seems dryly humorous when viewing it from a 21st century perspective.
For Sale: $995
Circa 1890-1920: Because of their graphic and whimsical nature, pointing hand signs are always popular, and this petite example with original gold gilding on black smalt painted ground will look great anywhere.
For Sale: $975
Circa 1920: Measuring approximately 34"L x 21"H, this stencil decorated tin trade sign advertises a hat and shoe repair business run by two young Greek immigrants, brothers Paul and George Johnson, who found their way to St. Louis in 1909.
For Sale: $950
Circa 1890-1910: Measuring approximately 24"L x 18"H, this handsome black and gold single sided tin sign was manufactured by New York's Sentenne & Green.
For Sale: $795
Circa 1870-1890: This one gallon stencil decorated P. Cushman & Co. from Albany, New York,stands 11" in height, advertises "wines, brandies & C," and is signed by the legendary Fort Edward NY pottery firm Satterlee & Mory.
For Sale: $650
Circa 1920s: This 24"L x 9"H porcelain No Smoking sign is signed by Chicago, Illinois' Enameled Sign Company and would have hung by the pumps in an old gas station.
For Sale: $575
Circa 1880: Standing only 7.5" tall and potted in Southwestern Pennsylvania, this attractive tanware Maryland merchant jug is stenciled " S.T. Suit. / Suitland, MD. / Little Brown Jug / The whiskey in this jug / was made in 1869 / and jugged by me / 1880."
For Sale: $525
Bob Zordani and Heidi Kellner: (217) 714-5016, Lexington, Virginia: zandk@zandkantiques.com
