TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
A STEWARD’S ILLUSTRATED KEY
TO
HISTORIC CERAMICS
REVISED EDITION, 2006*
*This guide is a revision of “A Steward’s Key to Historic Ceramics,” prepared by Dan Potter, Roland Pantermuehl
and Anne Fox, in support of the 1997 Texas Archeological Stewardship Network workshop training segment entitled
“Understanding Historic Period Artifact Assemblages,” conducted by Anne Fox, Center for Archaeological Research,
The University of Texas at San Antonio
MAJOLICA TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Unnamed Early 19th century Majolicas Guanajuato Polychrome Age Range: 1830+
(Mexico/New Spain origin) Age Range: 1790 - 1830 The colors are the key, especially the orange
San Augustine Blue-on-white
Age Range: 1700 - 1730
Has pale blue loops on the reverse side.
Tumacacori II Polychrome Age Range: 1810 - 1840
Monterey Polychrome
Age Range: 1790 - 1830
Occurs late at the
San Antonio missions
Tumacacori III Polychrome Age Range: 1830 - 1860
MAJOLICA (cont.) TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Faience Ware (French origin) Puebla Blue-on-White (Mexico/New Spain origin)
Age Range: 18th century Age Range: 1675 - 1800;
Most common Spanish
Colonial type in Texas.
Puebla
Blue-on-White
Early 18th
century
San Elizario (Mexico/New Spain origin)
Age Range: 1750 - 1800 Huejotzingo
Brown/black accents on Puebla Blue-on-White 18th century
Puebla Blue
White-cup
Early
18th century
Puebla Blue-on-White II
Late 18th century
San Luis
Polychrome Puebla Blue-on-White
Age Range: Early 18th century
1666 - 1720 (possible Mexico
City origin)
Puebla Blue-on-White
Early 18th century
Puebla
Polychrome
Age Range:
1675 - 1725
PLAIN WARE AND BURNISHED PLAIN WARE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Red Pattern-Burnished Ware Unglazed Wheel-thrown Ware
Age Range: 18th century Age Range: 18th century
Also occasionally in black
Large water jars,
painted design
Goliad Ware Age Range: 18th century
Bone-tempered, 18th century equivalent of Leon Plain
Guadalajara/Tonalá Burnished Age Range: 1650 - present (still made today)
Plain red slip or red, yellow, and black painted designs
LEAD GLAZE WARE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Lead Glaze Ware (Spanish/Mexican origin)
Age Range: 18th century - present
Guadalajara Lead/clear glaze
with Red body brown/yellow
body
(possibly El Morro type)
Galera Polychrome
Age Range: 1722+
Clear glaze on orange body; brown, green, cream decoration
Olive Jar (Spanish origin)
Age Range: 15th - 19th century
Green glaze on the interior, white slip on the exterior
PORCELAIN AND WHITE WARE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Asian Porcelain Sponge Ware
Age Range: 1600s to 18th century Age Range: 1800 - 1860
Imported to Acapulco via Manila galleons
Hand-painted Whiteware (Decorated Overglaze)
English origin
Age Range: East Texas, 1820+; South Texas, 1830+
Sponge stamped
ware, post-Civil War
Edged Ware
Age Range: 1780 - 1850
Sprig ware
“Flow Blue” Decal Ware or “Decalcomania”
Age Range: 1835 - 1900 Age Range: 1900+ in Texas
Decorated over glaze.
“Solid Color”/Fiesta Ware
Age Range: 1920s
Same color on
both sides;
multiple colors
WHITE WARE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Transfer Print Banded Slip Ware
Age Range: English origin, early 19th century to ca. 1850; Age Range: 1800 - 1850
English/U. S. origin, 1850s to present
Rouletted rim
Undecorated White Ware/Ironstone (English/ U. S. origin)
Age Range: 19th century
Sites containing only white ware (predominantly ironstone) are
post-Civil War Mocha decoration
This pattern continues to appear
Thinner sherds are usually “white ware,” thicker sherds are into the late 19th century
probably “ironstone” and date to 1840s - 1930s (still made today)
Maker's mark sometimes
can be identified and dated.
STONEWARE AND LUSTER WARE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Rockingham/Bennington Glaze Luster Ware
(English and U.S. origin) Age Range: 18th century Black luster
Age Range: late 19th century (England;
18th century)
hard, red
paste
Copper luster
(England;
Black luster 19th century)
(Mexico; hard, red paste
18th century)
gray/tan paste
Stoneware (European and U.S. origin, including Texas)
Age Range: 1850 to present
Albany slip
Salt glaze 1850 to 1900
1850 to 1900
Albany slip Alkaline glaze
“Ginger beer”
1850 to 1870
(European origin,
possibly Scotland)
1850 to 1900
Storage jar Storage jar Stoneware bottle
(U. S., East Coast) (Texas origin) (German origin)
SPECIAL CERAMIC FORMS TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Pipes (European/U.S. origin) Children’s Ceramic Assemblage
Age Range: 17th-19th century Age Range: 19th century
Same patterns made throughout the U.S.
Clay Clay
Bennington Brown glaze on Stoneware
“Cobalt” Bennington Stoneware
Blue on stoneware,
unglazed
Household Items
Age Range: Late 19th century into 20th century
Doll parts (arms and legs attached to
cloth or leather body)
Insulator
Slate pencil
Door knob
Writing slate-used by all ages from school
children to merchants
Door knob Insulator
P.O. BOX 12276 • AUSTIN, TX 78711-2276
PHONE 512/463-6100 • FAX 512/475-4872
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