Ceramic or stoneware cup

[garyc]

I found this in the Brazos river in SE Texas. I have no idea how old it is. Looking for any info y’all can provide. Thanks!

 

[Len]

Hi garyc,

Welcome to our bottle community. I'll take the first shot in the dark. Your first clue is, of course, the initials. However, if there isn't a local town with a prominent family/potter that had a member(s) with those initials. (Ex. Dr. Charles Francis Hardtofind) the detective work/guessing begins. The shape reminds me of an instruments glass used by traveling dentists/docs/etc. to keep things a little cleaner. Maybe a late 1800s-1930s piece? ...Now, that's if you're lucky. There is an equal chance a tourist got it from the souvenir shop of vacation steamboat and tossed it when he finished his bottle back in the 1970s.
Its body seems well made and there are small blueish vertical lines on the exterior. I don't believe its cobalt. I'm leaning toward it being more toward a modern piece. The interior base pic looks like it has a possible label remnant or something to help absorb the shock of repeated insertion. Too tall for a pen/pencil cup. A flower vase, an early thermos, maybe/not?? --Could be your new mucho grande sized mid-century modern coffee cup.

 

[garyc]

Thanks for the response, Len! I have found other vintage glassware, stoneware etc at the Brazos; some dating back to the mid 1800’s. I was hoping this might be that old as well. As for the area inside that you suggested may be the remnants of a label, that was just a shadow. Also, the inside has some serious imperfections, almost bubble like or bumpy areas. Leads me to believe it was not machine made???

 

[Len]

HI Gary,

I think we need a potter here (Not Harry) for the inside scoop. --Yup. If the piece has those imperfections then its either a newbie with clay, a piece that is too cumbersome to carry by an earlier traveler, or both. I would suggest bringing it to a pottery and getting a seasoned artist's impressions. Keep us posted.

 

[Len]

Hey Gary, et al,

I just caught a link to a ceramic piece that kind of has the same blue "speckling" pattern as yours; 1stdibs.com Gunnar Nylund Vase Sweden 1950s. See what you think. --L (Ref. LU 32228123181972)