Pitcher

The mid-nineteenth century porcelain manufactory of Charles Cartlidge and Company in Greenpoint, Brooklyn produced a variety of slip-cast wares for the middle class market. The firm offered a wide array of forms which included tablewares and pitchers, along with mundane, everyday objects (inkstands, paper weights, spittoons, etc.) to highly specialized items. Among the company’s favorite designs are the relief-molded pitchers of either corn and cornstalks or oak leaves and acorns, like this example. The most significant Cartlidge pitchers are those with shields and inscribed with names, often made for tradesmen or saloon keepers. The embellishments and inscriptions on this pitcher are particularly interesting. The front of the pitcher is formed by a spread eagle surmounting a shield resting on an anchor. The banner in the eagle’s beak is inscribed "Presented by A. P. Garrett," and the shield is inscribed "Geo. H. Barnes." While the exact relationship between the two men is unknown, research has revealed that George H. Barnes and Abraham P. Garrett were both butchers in Brooklyn in the middle of the nineteenth century. Along with the inscriptions, the allover gilding and painted decoration further signify the importance of this object.