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1945 CASH FAMILY CLINCHFIELD POTTERY BLUE COWS PITCHER! a.imagelink {color:#ffffff;} a:hover.imagelink {color:#ffffff;} a:visited.imagelink {color:#000000;} a.imagelink img.auctionimage { border: 2px solid #ffffff; } a:visited.imagelink img.auctionimage { border: 2px solid #000000; } THIS IS AN AUCTION FOR ONE LOVELY CASH FAMILY CLINCHFIELD POTTERY PITCHER. ITS CENTRAL MOTIF IS THAT OF TWO BLUE COWS, 5 BIRDS, AND WHISPY CLOUDS WITH A BLUE HANDLE, LOVELY FOLK ART BLUE GRASS, AND A BLUE PAINTED RIM. THE INSIDE IF THIS ORIGINAL HAND PAINTED PIECE IS WHITE. THE BOTTOM IS WHITE AND UNGLAZED REVEALING THE MOLD SEAM AND THE STAMP BURNED INTO THE CLAY: MADE BY THE CASH FAMILY HAND PAINTED 1945 ERWIN, TENNESSEE SITUATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL CLINCH MOUNTAINS, THE CASH FAMILY HAD A LONG HISTORY OF PRODUCTION. AS IS EVIDENT IN THEIR OTHER PIECES, THE CRUDENESS OF THESE ARTWORKS REMINDS ME OF TRADITIONAL PORCELAIN PAINTING MIXED IN WITH A SORT OF CRUDE WHIMSY. THIS PARTICULAR PIECE; HOWEVER TRANCENDS THE ORDINARY PIECE IN THAT IT WAS MADE DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION! THE PAINTING IS ACCURATE ENOUGH AND THE COWS ARE IN RELIEF. THERE IS ONE SMALL CHIP LOCATED IN THE CLOSEUP PIX OF THE RIM. IT IS ON THE INSIDE AND IS BARELY VISIBLE. AS DELICATE AS THIS THING IS IT'S A WONDER THE PARTS ARE ALL THERE! THERE IS BEAUTIFUL SWIRLING CRACKLING ON THE BOTTOM ON THE INSIDE WHICH IS CLEAR GLAZED. THIS SWEET PITCHER MEASURES ABOUT 10 inches x10 inches. THE BODY IS LARGE AND THE COLOR BLUE IS A DREAMY PASTEL. TRULY AN ORIGINAL! BELOW IS A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLINCHFIELD POTTERY COMPANY: HistoryClinchfield pottery came about when the Clinchfield, North Carolina, and Ohio railroad company wanted to expand their rail shipping business. Noticing the success of other new up and coming pottery companies the decision was made to produce pottery. They focused their interests on a small town in Tennessee called Erwin. With it's population of 300 people, Erwin was centrally located, and from the standpoint of the railroad, it provided easy transporting of the raw materials that were needed to make pottery. BeginningsClinchfield Pottery was started in 1916. The original pottery workers were hired and imported from nearby Ohio. This is the reason the workers were labeled the Northern People by the residents of Erwin. The Ohio craftsmen were the ones to train the Erwin residents in the art of making and decorating pottery. Commercial production started in 1917, and was primarily centered around simple dinnerware. The patterns were simple, with the use of molds and decal-applied patterns. Some evidence of sponging was used at the edges to adorn, yet the work was still kept simple for the beginning apprentices. There were some handpainted items being produced by the artists from Ohio, in order to teach the art of handpainting to the new workers. The marks varied early on. The words Clinchfield, Handpainted, Erwin Tenn was one of the early marks. Later in 1920-1938 the Clinchfield Crown backstamp was more commonly used. In 1920 the official name was changed from Clinchfield to Southern Potteries, when a corporation charter was obtained and $500.000 in stock was sold to the public. Hand Painting IntroducedIn the late 1930's, Charles Foreman introduced a line of handpainted items. These pieces again were kept simple and minimal, usually displaying leaves or one or two colorful flowers. In some pieces the painting was added to an already decaled piece. This added color and interest to the piece. Many pieces were now bordered not with sponging but a more clean line border. Clinchfield Closes Its DoorsIn the 1940's and 1950's, Southern Potteries was one of the foremost producers of handpainted china in the United States. After the Second World war ended in 1945, a gradual erosion began in overall production, due to escalating labor costs, competition from Japan, and the advent of plastic dinnerware. Southern Potteries (Clinchfield Potteries) closed its doors in 1957, due to layoffs, reduced workweeks, and shareholders liquidating their stocks.While the products of the Clinchfield and Southern potteries were never sought after by the affluent, there were many wonderful pieces which were artistic in creation, and appreciated by their owners. There are not actually many of these pieces left to be had, due to the fact they were used as everyday dinnerware, and became worn and discarded. This is the kind of china you may if lucky find at garage sales or flea markets. The owner not knowing the history may find it of little value. The value is in the eye of the beholder. Yet it truly is a piece of America's history. HAPPY HUNTING!
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