Irish-born potter John Cranston came to Denton County, Texas, from Missouri, purchasing land for his pottery there in 1854. Cranston died 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.

This jar features a boldly curving ovoid form and a finely articulated rim, along with an impressed maker’s mark and a six-gallon capacity mark.