Preserve Jar with Bilateral Lug Handles

John McLuhan, Preserve Jar with Bilateral Lug Handles, 20th century, glazed stoneware, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.41
Copied John McLuhan, Preserve Jar with Bilateral Lug Handles, 20th century, glazed stoneware, 10 5⁄8 x 8 3⁄8 in. (27.1 x 21.3 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.41

Artwork Details

Title
Preserve Jar with Bilateral Lug Handles
Artist
Date
20th century
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
10 5⁄8 x 8 3⁄8 in. (27.1 x 21.3 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
glazed stoneware
Classifications
Object Number
1986.65.41
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.41

Artwork Description

Potteries flourished in the southern states of Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas during the late nineteenth century. Craftsmen farmed during the warmer months, then spent the winter making storage containers to use and sell. Large preserve jars were used to store fruit, vegetables, meat, and lard, and were made from stoneware to keep the contents cool. Potters applied lug handles to the side of pots so they could be easily lifted or suspended, and a cork stopped up the mouth of the jar to preserve the food inside.