Irish-born potter John Cranston came to Denton County, Texas, from Missouri, purchasing land for his pottery there in 1854. Cranston died in about 1867 and his widow, Nancy Cranston, continued the firm’s operation. Some of Cranston’s pots feature cobalt slip decoration, common on wares from Northeastern and Midwestern potteries, but rare in Texas.

James Roark was Cranston’s son-in-law. After working for his in-laws, he established his own shop not long after John Cranston’s death. Like Cranston, he sometimes used cobalt slip to decorate his pots. His products can be difficult to distinguish from Cranston’s.

This churn features a large six-gallon capacity mark in cobalt slip above a large, elaborate and boldly drawn calligraphic flourish.