516 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899. 



began to be made. This ware was rudely decorated with bhie on the 

 paste, slipped in the interior with "Albany clay,"^ and glazed in the 

 kiln with salt. 



The method of glazing by salt was introduced into Staffordshire in 

 1690 by two Germans from Nuremburg, named Elers. It was experi- 

 mented with by Wedgewood, but proved unavailable, and fell to use 

 for common ware. It is probable that the first salt glaze made in 

 this countiy was at Marcus Hook, New Jersey. 



On the close of the first period of the Morgantown pottery and the 

 death of the aged potter, John W. Thompson, following a few years 

 after, his son Greenland Thompson took charge of the work. 



Greenland Thompson was a singularly retiring but well-informed 

 man. Under better material conditions and surroundings he might 

 have advanced to the manufacture of finer wares under the demands 

 of modern taste. Within his limitations his temperament was artistic 

 and appreciative. 



The idea which he carried out in stoneware was the application of 

 natural forms in relief to the exterior of vessels. The specimens 

 of his work in the IT. S. National Museum consist of a small cream 

 pitcher with an ornamentation of rose stems, leaves, and buds; a 

 flower vase covered with impressions from the shell of the Brazil nut, 

 all of heavy ware, soft gray in color, and glazed with salt (Plates 6, 

 7). More pretentious pieces were made by this potter, consisting 

 of large garden-flower vases, the holder decorated with rose and other 

 floral designs, and the base representing rounded river pebbles, or 

 cylinders imitating tree trunks with vines clinging to them. 



Vases of this character were not made for sale, but may be consid- 

 ered as the pastime of the potter, and were intended as presents to 

 friends. A small trade was, however, carried on in children's banks, 

 pipes, fat- lamps, etc., but the standard product of the pottery was 

 crocks, jars, jugs, and other desiderata for the housewife. The only 

 decoration applied to the salt glaze ware consisted of rude floral orna- 

 mentations in cobalt. 



One of the most interesting specimens of early salt glaze ware 

 of Morgantown belongs to Mrs. Linnie Dille, of that place. It is a 

 jar, bearing the following brush-work inscription in cobalt blue: 

 "Home manufacture. Independence. High tarifl'. William Crih- 

 field. August, 1841. " Crihfield or Chrichfield was an employee of the 

 Thompson pottery. 



The work of Greenland Thompson was not appreciated at its value 

 and was scarcely known outside of Morgantown. In consequence, 

 there are very few specimens in existence, those pieces which have 



' Albany slip clay is a fusible silicate of aluminium mined at Albany,- New York.^ 

 It fires to a sublustrous enamel of dark purple color. 



