Caribbean shipwreck pottery jar

[Daveman]

I received this pottery jar from my uncle who found it on the beach in the US Virgin Islands after a storm in the 1950s. He collected seashells, net floats and anything that washed up while he lived there. I don' know what it is or what it is worth. On the "What is it" forum, someone suggested it is between 1400-1700's. Another suggested I post it here and wondered if it was a reproduction. I am pretty positive it is very old because my uncle collected it after it washed up from a storm in the Virgin Islands a long time ago, and it has lots of crusty stuff that forms underwater. I am wondering what it is and what it is worth?
(I don't know why the pictures come up upside down and can't figure out how to correct, but if you click and open and click on the picture again, it comes up right side up)

 

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[whydahdiver]

According to Mitch Marken's great book on Spanish pottery from shipwrecks, on page 209 he has a photo of the exact same thing and it is called a Bizocho pitcher and was found on the ATOCHA, 1622.


Good luck,


WHYDAHDIVER

 

[Daveman]

Wow! Thanks, we will get that book. Do you have any idea how much this is worth?

 

[surf]

According to Mitch Marken's great book on Spanish pottery from shipwrecks, on page 209 he has a photo of the exact same thing and it is called a Bizocho pitcher and was found on the ATOCHA, 1622.


Good luck,


WHYDAHDIVER

Brilliant ID, wydah!

It is well described on page 207, but page 209 is amongst the missing, in this electronic "preview": Pottery from Spanish Shipwrecks, 1500-1800 - Mitchell W. Marken - Google Books

"...unglazed bizcocho wares…" http://www.melfisher.org/pdf/St_Johns_Wreck_Lessons_Being_Learned.pdf

~~~~~~~

Sorry, posted too quickly.

"This ceramic type, called Bizcocho, saw its greatest popularity from 1500 to 1550 in the New World (Deagan, 1987) although early 17th-century examples were found on the wrecksite of Nuestra Señora de Atocha (Marken, 1994)." http://www.melfisher.org/pdf/St_Johns_Wreck_Interim_Report_1.pdf

 

[whydahdiver]

I have the actual book, so obviously there is nothing missing. You should also check Kathleen Deagan's 2 volumes: Artifacts of the Spanish Colonies of Florida and the Caribbean, 1500-1800

 

[Daveman]

Thanks, this is very interesting. In the description in the link to Pottery from Spanish Shipwrecks, it said it was creamy colored. Are there variations? Mine is clearly, orangey colored. Do you have an idea of whether this would be worth under a 100, or hundreds? I am currently thinking about what I want to do with it.

 

[tamrock]

often hard to ascertain value on items like yours, as you'll be best to find a sales record of a comparable piece. I would think your artifact would maybe be worth some considerable amount and well worth doing some leg work and research to get the best possible appraisal. I came by this site of Tortuga Trading, he's that dude that showed up on the show pawn stars. He lists a couple pottery jars of what he calls Spanish New World Artifacts and none are under two thousand bucks.
Treasure Artifacts - Tortuga Trading Inc.

 

[Daveman]

This is getting really interesting. I am wondering how I could determine the exact location he was at. I wouldn't think it could have moved too far from its wreck and still be in pretty good shape. That site was very helpful. Most of those were in bad shape. Thank you for the suggestion and help.

 

[whydahdiver]

It was common for the same style ceramic vessel to have different glaze color

 

[Daveman]

I didn't think it had a glaze, but on closer inspection, it looks like it maybe does in spots and the rest was just washed away. Does that sound possible. I thought the whitish stuff was just from being under water, is that the glaze?

 

[huntsman53]

I didn't think it had a glaze, but on closer inspection, it looks like it maybe does in spots and the rest was just washed away. Does that sound possible. I thought the whitish stuff was just from being under water, is that the glaze?

I would imagine that when your uncle found the pitcher, he did not properly conserve the item (I am sure the thought never entered his' mind) and left over salt may explain the whitish stuff on the piece. You might want to submerge the piece in fresh water (not salt water) for several days at a time, changing the water each time. It may take a month or more but the left over salt should be leached out of the pottery and may reveal some of the original glazing.


Frank

 

[Daveman]

Thank you for your reply. I would imagine that he didn't do anything to it. I am also a little nervous about submerging it in water, worried that something horrible would happen. If the whitish stuff isn't glaze, it doesn't appear there is any on it. In the picture of the top, it is chipped and so the cross section is revealed showing the same material completely through the thickness of the jar, looks like raw pottery.