John Mullowny, a sea captain turned brickmaker, who in 1810 established the Washington Pottery in Philadelphia, which produced “red, yellow, and black coffeepots, tea pots, pitchers, etc.” Although, not a potter himself, he hired British-trained potters who made English-style pots that were purportedly of equal quality to those made in Staffordshire and Liverpool. Mullowny undoubtedly employed some British production techniques and introduced a variety of forms with decorations previously unseen in the local American market. In 1815, he offered the Washington Pottery for sale, which included not only the pottery works but also its contents and the entire stock of ready-made wares. By 1817, David Seixas was operating a new pottery on the same site.

Like Mullowny, Seixas was not a potter but rather an entrepreneur whose interest in manufacturing led to the further development of refined ceramics in the city. Josiah Wedgwood and Thomas Whieldon first introduced green glaze on a refined white body in 1759. His potters partially or entirely covered their white refined wares with the green glaze. Wheel throwing and press molding were used to produce a variety of forms.

This diamond-molded pitcher is possibly made at either the Washington Pottery or the David Seixas Pottery in Philadelphia.

Related example: Museum of the City of New York.

Adapted from Deborah Miller, “The Search for the Green-Glaze Potter of Philadelphia,” in Robert Hunter. Ceramics in America 2019. Milwaukee: Chipstone Foundation, 2020.