Antique Rockingham Large Bowls - Prices Vary!

A wonderfully substantial collection of 19th-century American Rockingham ware, these Antique Rockingham Bowls combine simple, deeply rounded forms with the spectacular mottled glazes characteristic of these early utilitarian wares. Each bowl is slightly different in size, shape and coloration, with rich chocolate brown mingling with streaks and splashes of warm caramel and ochre to create wonderfully irregular surfaces in which no two are quite alike. With their generous proportions and sturdy forms, the bowls have the pleasingly practical presence of pieces made to be used every day.

Originally intended as hardworking kitchen bowls, today these handsome pieces remain wonderfully versatile. Offered individually, each can be put back to work holding fruit on the kitchen table, enlisted for serving, or simply left on display where its rich, almost tortoiseshell-like glaze can be appreciated. Choose a favorite—or gather several together for a beautifully mismatched collection.

Rockingham ware became popular on both sides of the Atlantic during the 19th century. First produced in England, these handsome utilitarian wares began appearing in North America by the 1830s, as Staffordshire potters brought their skills and traditions to a growing American pottery industry. By the 1840s, the distinctive brown-and-yellow mottled finishes now closely associated with Rockingham were being produced in earnest, with popularity increasing through the 1850s and 1860s.

Despite its name, Rockingham was not the product of a single pottery or even a single region. Numerous American manufacturers—from Baltimore and New Jersey to Ohio, Illinois and beyond—produced Rockingham-glazed wares, ranging from practical kitchen and table pieces to elaborately relief-molded vessels. The deep brown glaze often obscured makers' marks, leaving many surviving examples unsigned and their precise origins something of a mystery. Sometimes mistakenly referred to as "Bennington ware," Rockingham ware encompasses a much broader tradition of 19th-century pottery.

Strictly limited and subject to prior sale. In good to very good antique condition; some bowls have small antique manufacturing flaws. A: 7 1/2"D x 2 1/8"H; B and C: 9 3/4"D x approx. 2 3/4"H; D: 11"D x 3 5/8"H.