Warmer, Foot

Object Name:

Warmer, Foot

Object ID:

1948.005.01

Creator:

Winslow, John T.

Place of Origin:

Portland, ME

Date:

1847-1857

Description:

Foot Warmer. Stoneware with brown Albany slip glaze. Rounded front with a raised scroll decoration surrounding the maker's stamp: "J T Winslow / obscured TO[ ]m / J. T. Winslow / Portland" also incised. The neck is in line with the front surface. The back is concave shaped to fit two feet which rest nearly vertically against the back; slightly chipped; cork stopper.

Material:

Ceramic
Stoneware

Dimensions:

H-10 W-9 D-6.9 inches

Provenance:

One of a collection of stoneware pottery pieces donated by Miss Margaret H. Jewell (1866-1970), Portland, Maine. No information provided as to previous ownership.

Donor stated that this was a sleigh foot warmer. Nearly identical foot warmers are shown in Barrett's book on Bennington Pottery and Porcelain, although in a different ware. These latter are identified as being filled either with hot water or hot sand and put under the bed covers. The Bennington examples are dated 1847-1858.
J. T. Winslow worked in Portland from 1847 to 1857. The dull dark brown color of this piece is due to the use of "Albany slip". The company made a wide variety of wares. A foot warmer described on p. 168 of Watkins may be almost a duplicate of this one.

Credit Line:

Gift of Margaret H. Jewell

People:

Winslow, John T., Jewell, Margaret H. (1866-1970)

Subjects:

Domestic appliances, Domestic life, Heat