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American buyers

Historic New England Pitcher and Bowl Rogers, Boston State House 1929.72.1, .2

Were the American views produced by English potters popular with American consumers? With the exception of the pitcher and bowl shown here, few pieces printed with American scenes came to museums and collectors from their original owners. Even fewer pieces are recovered from archaeological excavations, where florals and other patterns predominate.

This pitcher and bowl came to Historic New England from the original owner's granddaughter. It was most likely purchased to furnish her newly wedded grandmother's home in Massachusetts. Made by Rogers, it is decorated with one of several versions of the Boston State House.

The only other documented American views to appear in American interiors during the 1820s to 1840s is a set of Enoch Wood medium blue printed plates in the Celtic China series bought by President Quincy "for use in the commons" after he took office in 1829. The larger plates showed the Northeast view (Harvard College #1 or #2), the smaller plates showed the rear of University Hall (Harvard College #3) while large soup plates and deep bowls showed Harvard College #2. Fragments of this set appeared during excavations in Harvard Yard in 1926. These fragments are currently stored at Harvard in the archives.