Today’s post is inspired by nothing more than the fact that my morning coffee has not yet kicked in, and I had nothing particular planned for this week’s blog.  So here’s one of my favorite pieces, aesthetically speaking: a transferware coffee pot from the 1850s.

Why coffee and not tea?  Coffee pots are usually taller and narrower than their shorter, squatter tea companions (though not as tall and narrow as chocolate pots).  This lovely example has an octagonally shaped ironstone body; the transferred image is nicely applied, not sloppy; the pot is in good condition, other than a few stains and a missing finial on the lid.  Although it is unsigned and unmarked, the pattern has been identified as “Medina,” and it was almost certainly made in Staffordshire, England, possibly by Cotton & Barlow. 

The pot’s ownership history is similarly vague; it was donated in 1968 by Mrs. William Brooke (Vaudia Braddock) Edmonston, with no accompanying details.  Mrs. Edmonston was descended from the Braddocks, a long-time Rockville family; her husband, though I haven’t yet tracked down his history, is almost certainly one of the local Edmonstons.  In the 1930s and 1940s, W.B. and Vaudia lived in the Halpine area of Rockville.  We can guess that the coffee pot was used by the Braddocks or the Edmonstons in 19th century Montgomery County, and possibly by the donor and her husband in 20th century Rockville . . . or maybe Mrs. Edmonston, like me, loved transferware, and bought this at an antique store.