Rare Issac E. Gay Stoneware Jug

(b. 1835, Kershaw County, South Carolina, d. 1904, Union County, North Carolina) circa 1880's, runny and mottled greenish and celadon alkaline glaze, superb ovoid form, applied ridged strap handles from shoulder to neck of spout, tooled rim, "IEG" stamp to shoulder, "3" inscribed on other shoulder, 16 in.Note: Isaac E. Gay was born in 1835 in Kershaw County, South Carolina. In 1861 he was listed in the Census for Beaufort Township, North Carolina, now Monroe. In June of the same year he enlisted in the Confederate Army in Union County, North Carolina.ÿ He was later wounded at the Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia.ÿ He was discharged and received pension in December 1864.ÿ In 1870 and 1880 he was listed in the Union County census as a potter.ÿ Examples of his work exist stamped with an alkaline glaze, while some are signed in script with salt glaze. - Provenance: Collection of Dr. Joseph T. and Gaile E. Wingard, Jacksonville, Florida
Condition Report: glaze voids and anomalies as made, kiln debris, 3/4 in. clay body chip below one handle at side, 3 in. firing separation around lower body as made, small chip on base with four stabilized hairlines emanating out to base edge, three of the hairlines headed up sides of jug approximately 1-1/2 in., 5 in., and 6-1/2 in., the other terminating at base edge, 3/4 in. base edge chip and two other base edge chips, 2 in. firing crack under base edge, 1 in. abrasion loss to edge of one handle with firing hairline, small chip and hairline to other, fine example of the maker's work