John Bowman was a potter who lived and worked in Boonsboro, Maryland, in the latter part of the 1800s. The Bowman family had emigrated from Germany in the late 1700s and settled in Southeastern Pennsylvania. One of the sons moved down into Washington County, Maryland. It is that son's son, John, who purchased this log home in 1868 and established Boonsboro Pottery. . . .
The house is situated along the National Pike. . . .
Redware was made from common, low-firing clays containing iron oxides which fired to a red color. The body of this type of ware was somewhat fragile and porous so to seal the surface and make it easier to clean, glazes were applied by brushing or dipping. Redware was commonly turned on a wheel with a few simple wooden or brass forming tools. Also pieces were formed over molds.
A building behind the log cabin houses some of his pottery. I recently visited on a day when Dennis Warrenfeltz was doing open hearth cooking. To view the slideshow of my recent visit to Bowman House full screen click on the icon in the lower right corner. . . .
You can read more about the house HERE. More images of redware pottery can be seen HERE.
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Take Joy!
What a beautiful place to visit, such fun.
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DeleteHi Cathy, I really enjoyed reading about the history of the National Pike and about this unique pottery. I hope you are enjoying your summer. Pat xx
ReplyDeleteI am! Thank you, Pat!
DeleteI always wondered about that house when I drove by. Now I'll have to visit it!
ReplyDeleteIt's opened one Sunday a month and well worth the visit.
DeleteWhat beautiful music accompanies the video! Can you source it for me? Sounds like an old-fashioned Zither?
ReplyDeleteHi Erin, click on the YouTube link. I've listed the song there. They don't list a zither on the album cover so it must be the hammered or mountain dulcimer.
DeleteCathy, you live in the middle of History Central, no kidding. Completely surrounded by interesting places. Great video too [your son who was interested in filmmaking apparently comes by it naturally]. You know, when I was born, my maternal grandmother gave me a "kiddie place setting" of dinnerware made of melamine [or SOME kind of very hard, very firm plastic - not flexible like Tupperware at all]. It was a nice medium gray, which according to Mom was a pretty huge color in the 50s. There was a small plate, a cereal bowl and a small handled cup - and it was marked "Boon" on the back, made in New Jersey. I wonder if it could be an offshoot business of this family? I often see vintage pieces from this company on Etsy. My sibs and I all used the place setting when we were babies/toddlers, but my Mom gave it to me when I left for college. I literally toasted the plate - SO dumb - when I used it in the microwave, not thinking that MAYBE plasticware from the 50s would not be microwave-safe, and it cracked in half. I have no idea what might have happened to the cup, which I used in college as a "toothbrush" cup. All I have now is the little cereal bowl. I came across it going through boxes when moving into my current apartment. I got the idea to clean it with BonAmi, which brightened it and removed surface scratches. So now it looks nearly brand-new and has a new life, holding bar soap in my bathroom. I do wonder whether the Boon connection is there though...💛
ReplyDeleteI sorta doubt there is a connection because his business closed down in 1905 and he died in 1906. I can't take credit for the video--my Photo program put it together....I just took the photos!
DeleteLoved the video & the music. I would enjoy visiting there & seeing the house. Perhaps another visit someday!
ReplyDeleteI just checked--it will be open the Sunday you are here if you'd like to go.
DeleteGreat job on your video, Cathy. Redware is certainly eye catching and lovely. The pieces I've seen are so expensive. Original log homes seem to last forever. ♥
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha Ellen. Unfortunately, this log cabin had to be dismantled and rebuilt in order to rid it of termites.
DeleteHi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely slide show you put together. I think if we ever get up that way for a vacation I just need to pull our your archives as you tell about such good places to go.
And you need to stop in and see me!
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