# Stoneware With Black Glass Lid



## surfaceone (Apr 21, 2010)

Hello Jar People,

 I dug this guy at my late lamented dump last fall. I've not seen another like it, but I don't know diddly about jars.










 It's quite heavy, I'd guess between 3 & 4 pounds. Is the lid a Wier type? On the inside of the lid near the rim is the backarsewars "PAT APL FOR." I believge this is the only piece I have with backwards embossing.











 Is this guy in the Redbooks? I'd appreciate your thoughts and wisdom.


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## Baydog51 (Apr 21, 2010)

I believe that might be a Sherwood Bros. Pottery jar from New Brighton Pa. If it's unmarked, it might be RB 2622 worth about $20-30.


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## surfaceone (Apr 21, 2010)

Hello Gary,

 Thanks for your reply. The jar, itself, has no markings. The backwards "PAT APL FOR," on the lid is the only embossing. I'm wondering what firm may have made the glass lid. With New Brighton's proximity to Pittsburgh, might it have been a Pittsburgh Glass House?

 I just went back and looked again for marks; no such luck. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




"Sherwood Brothers, (1879-1948),
 New Brighton, PA, United States, occurs on 2 bottle,
 Manufactured beer bottles.  Although building started in 1878 at Block House Run, this pottery was not completed until 1879.  George W. & William D. Sherwood made up Sherwood Brothers.  Initially they started with one kiln and small building and steadily expanded using Kittanney clay found on their property to manufacture a wide variety of wares.  By 1898, the firm became Sherwood Bros. Company, but still is referred to as Sherwood Bros.  The company closed shop in 1948. The impression is near the base of the bottle." From Sodas and Beers.









 "With about 7,000 population New Brighton is nestled in the western Appalachian mountains not far from Pittsburgh. Founded in 1815 and shown here in an 1883 sketch, the town is situated on a bluff on the west bank of the Beaver River. Because of good clay sources in the region, the town spawned a number of ceramic manufacturers. About 1879, the Sherwood brothers, G.W. and W.D., founded their pottery. By 1895 they were employing as many as 140 workers and had the capacity to produce two railroad carloads of pottery per day. Their success extended into the 20th Century.

 For most of its existence Sherwood Brothers had a highly skilled force of pottery workers and artisans. Unlike other American potteries of the time, this firm had mastered the art of the underglaze transfer. This process requires great skill and precision. Sherwood Brothers boasted of its â€œSherwood Wareâ€ as a â€œdecidedly superior line, made up in a decidedly superior way.â€ Its transfer work, the company said, was accomplished â€œfrom fine designs cut in copper, bringing out patterns than cannot possibly be reproduced by a rubber stamp.â€ Stamping was a more commonly used, and cruder, method of inking a design or label on pottery. The firm bragged about its workforce: â€œSherwood artists, experts who devote all their time to this work, are constantly producing some strikingly beautiful results.â€ From an excellent short article by Jack Sullivan.


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## Baydog51 (Apr 21, 2010)

What a great article. It's amazing how much detail and artistist work went into products back then. The regular Sherwood Bros. jar listed in the red book shows to be a paneled jar around the sides. The unmarked variation listed just shows white stoneware jar so I don't know for sure if your un-paneled jar is from them also, but the backwards Pat. Apld For lid sure makes me believe it is Sherwood. Your guess on the lid manufactor is probably better than anything I could guess. Thanks for the article.-Gary


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## surfaceone (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey Gary,

 You got some splaining to do, if you will. Never cracked a Redbook, nor seen one to crack, cept those sold on e-bay, and being the troglodyte type, I don't do fleabay. Anyhow, could you give us a typical Redbook description, say on Sherwood Bros.? Are they illustrated? Line drawings and/or photos? Please give me a flavor of this oft quoted resource. Thanks for the effort.


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## Baydog51 (Apr 21, 2010)

Even though I collect bottles and other odds and ends, I tend to like the old jars the best. I find that the red book 9 that I have is a very good source for basic jar info and values. Most of the different jar types are represented with drawings. They are not picture like, but give you a real good ideal of the shape and markings found on jars so you idenify them pretty easy. The item descriptions do not provide any history on the jar maker, but just basic description and value. Keep in mind that the values given are for pristine retail jars and not always reflective of Ebay prices. Sometimes they are very accurate, but many jars I've watched have sold for prices under and sometimes over. 
  Below is a listing for the regular Sherwood jar:
 RB 2621 Sherwood Bros. Pottery New Brighton Pa. (in oval on heel)            Stoneware $35-50
                White stoneware jar with Glass lid Weir style seal
                Clear glass lid: Sherwood Patent Applied for
                 Black glass lid: Pat'd Apld For
                 Wire and metal clamp
                 Closure value 50%


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## surfaceone (Apr 21, 2010)

Thank you, Gary!


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