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Pitcher with Masonic Symbols
1902-1929
Thomas Maddock's Son's Company
USA: New Jersey, Trenton
Transfer-print graniteware
Overall: 12"h x 6"dia of base
Special Acquisitions Fund
84.84.2

Masonic pitcher has silver lustre rim, handle, and base. Transfer-printed scene shows man wearing blue shirt and red pants riding a brown goat. Above him is a sun, moon, and stars with lettering, "Taking His First Degree." There are other transfer-printed scenes of houses and trees below. The opposite side shows a transfer-print of a radiant sun, candlesticks, altar, Bible, and square and compasses. Marked on the bottom, "Tho's Maddock's Son's Co./ Trenton, N.J."


The Maddock pottery company progressed from the manufacture of vitreous sanitary china to a specialty of producing ceramics for hotel use, souvenir purposes, and fraternal organizations. The company had the "in-house" ability to produce their own decals and transfer engravings in order to customize a standard line of souvenir ceramic forms that included pitchers, tankards, and plates. The overglaze enameling process permitted Maddock to copy the fine line detail designs from steel engravings. For further information, see Hamilton, John D., "Material Culture of the American Freemasons," 1994, p. 235-236.