WANTED: Hand lettered ointment pots

[deepbluedigger]

I'm looking for hand lettered British ointment pots in a similar style to the ones in this picture. They are very different from the transfer printed types such as Holloways. Quite a few have turned up in the eastern US over the years. There are dozens of different names known, dating from before 1800 through to about the 1860s. Writing is usually dark blue, sometimes black, occasionally red/brown. They mostly have a thick tin glaze which chips very easily, so chips etc are acceptable.

Thanks

Jerry

 

[botlguy]

The first two look to be metal. Is that correct? Wish I could help but have never seen them and am unlikely to as I live in the far Northwest. They are neat, I can easily see the appeal.

 

[deepbluedigger]

Not metal. They're all made in a quite soft white / cream earthenware, with a tin glaze over the top (the glaze often looks very pale blue, sometimes slightly pink). The earthenware absorbs stain from the ground very easily when the glaze chips off.

 

[baltbottles]

I only ever seem to find French ones. I have a few of those. Never dug any of the English ones.

Chris

 

[botlguy]

ORIGINAL: deepbluedigger

Not metal. They're all made in a quite soft white / cream earthenware, with a tin glaze over the top (the glaze often looks very pale blue, sometimes slightly pink). The earthenware absorbs stain from the ground very easily when the glaze chips off.

The reason I thought they might be metal was because the shape of those two looks more delicate, especially the lip.

 

[deepbluedigger]

Those two do look as though they could be enamelled metal. Especially the second. I hadn't noticed that before.

 

[deepbluedigger]

One down ......

 

[botlguy]

Glad to see this post come up, it is a reminder of these really neat items. Congratulations, I suspect these are pretty tough to come by.

 

[deepbluedigger]

Yup, hard to find. This is the first I've had a chance at in over three years, since I first set my sights on getting one or two for the collection.

 

[cowseatmaize]

They mostly have a thick tin glaze which chips very easily, so chips etc are acceptable.

Until I looked closer I was thinking enamel ware. It reminds me of that but I do see the difference.
Nice stuff, I can see why you like it.