November 23, 2018 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — 1

QA&
Justin Thomas
Those who bemoan the lack of “young blood”
in the antiques field will be pleased to know
Justin Thomas, whose energetic interest in early
American pottery puts to shame all but the most
seasoned academician. Thomas’ parents had a
passion for restoring and decorating homes with
period-appropriate furnishings, and he first fell in
love with American ceramics in 1999, when his
Justin Thomas at Colonial Williamsburg, summer 2018.
father brought home a black glazed Essex County
redware jug found at a local flea market. The morning editor for CBS Boston’s weekday morning show,
Thomas spends his off hours poking around auctions, antiques shows and flea markets, often with his niece,
Alexis, looking for examples of underappreciated or misidentified American ceramics. He also writes a blog —
www.earlyamericanceramics — that tracks his research and where he posts field photographs of finds. Antiques
and The Arts Weekly went on the trail with this inveterate ceramics historian and “sherd whisperer” to learn more
about one of his current obsessions, the Moses Paige Pottery.

When did Paige Pottery begin
and when was its heyday?
Moses Paige (1847/48–1941) purchased the old
Osborn pottery company in Peabody, Mass., from
Joseph Reed in 1876. The company continued
to manufacture household red earthenware as the
previous owners had managed it; however, pro-
duction clearly began to change in the 1880s and
1890s. Throughout this period, Paige was expand-
ing the pottery’s facilities to maximize production.
The heyday of this business must have taken place
during the circa 1876–1930 period, when Paige
continued to build upon the company’s reputation
and increased production.
Who were some of Paige Pottery’s
primary competitors?
The primary competitors would have been other
local manufacturers, including Charles A. Law-
rence’s pottery, in nearby Beverly, Mass., which
existed from the 1860s until about 1906. There was
probably also some competition from the Robert-
son family of potters in Chelsea, Mass. Essentially
though, Paige created somewhat of a monopoly
in the Twentieth Century, keeping
with traditional production, and
also adapting the business to meet
modern demands.
How did Paige Pottery
measure up against these
contemporaries, both
in terms of quality of
product and price?
Surviving production from the
Paige Pottery is often misinterpreted
for production dating back to the
early 1800s. From the pots I have
handled, the wares were manufac-
tured the same way, as the Osborn
family, the Reed Pottery and many
other companies throughout New
England, would have made them. Late Nineteenth or early Twentieth Century red earthenware mug and pitcher
Prices must have been competitive attributed to John Donovan’s production at the Paige Pottery in
as well.
What are some identifying
characteristics of Paige Pottery?
In terms of the Paige Pottery, it’s still a learning
process since production was so broad, and a lot has
not been documented. First and foremost, it’s all
about the form and the way it was made; the glaze
is completely secondary. I look for matching forms
from known styles, but not necessarily the same glaze
color. Another characteristic I have noticed about
some of the wares made at the Paige Pottery is that a
fluid or thick glaze sometimes accumulates into drips
on the base, forcing the object to stand uneven after
it has been fired in the kiln. The Paige Pottery often
ground this base glaze, so the object would stand
even, a characteristic regularly found with art pottery
made in Massachusetts. It’s really unusual to see this
with more traditional red earthenware potters.
What were its most popular forms?
Their most popular forms of Paige Pottery’s produc-
tion, for at least an extended period, pertained to
flowerpots, simple pots and crocks, animal feeders
and drainpipes. As the business grew, the company
began to produce some more decorative styles like
Peabody, Mass. Photo courtesy Justin Thomas.
vases. During the 1895–1900 period, a potter named
James Porter made large vases with heavily applied
decorations, like flowers.
Are there institutions or collections of Paige Pottery
that readers or collectors can look to for additional
information?
The National Museum of American History in
Washington, DC, the MFA Boston and Old Stur-
bridge Village have excellent examples. However,
the best resource is the Peabody Historical Society,
which is really a time capsule since they established
a working relationship with Paige Pottery when the
organization was founded in 1896. It owns some
wonderful examples acquired brand new from Paige
Pottery, like a brilliant green glazed vase, cups and
saucers and flowerpots. They own actual ingredients
used in the glazing process given to the museum in
1909 by Paige, as well as a large original painted sign.
But in my opinion, the most important aspect in the
collection, related to the Paige Pottery, is a remarkable
selection of archival photos, which puts actual faces
to the names and demonstrates the life of the pottery.
What is it about early American
ceramics that excites you?
I’ve always enjoyed writing and the
combination of the history of American
ceramics seemed like the perfect mar-
riage. My excitement revolves around
the hunt for tangible and intangible in-
formation, and the fact that the current
history about some pottery production
in America is regularly rewritten today.
It’s a fascinating search trying to find
objects, artifacts and information, and
how this is all put together in the big
picture today. I think Paige Pottery is an
exciting company, and it really provides
an opportunity to find wares today from
a skilled business that is not currently
widely known, which I hope in time
will grow to be a regular name in the
field of American pottery and antiques.
I’ve recently posted a lot more informa-
tion and photos about Paige Pottery on
my blog — check it out!
—Madelia Hickman Ring