SOUTHERN STONEWARE 4-GAL BUTTER CHURN - RANDOLPH CO, AL

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First, let me admit that I know nothing about pottery except what I have read on the internet in the last month. I have tried to be as accurate as possible in my description of this item - or at least honest about what I don't know. I do know that this 4-gallon stoneware butter churn belonged to my great-grandparents. They lived in the small town of Woodland, Alabama - located in Randolph County. I found this churn (along with other pottery items) last month in an old storage shed on the property w they lived. My best guess is that this churn has been sitting in that shed for at least 40 years. I have no idea how old it is. My father recognizes the pottery from when he was a boy. That places is it at least to the 1930s-40s. My family had already been in the area for generations, so the churn could be even older. I don't know who made the butter churn or w exactly it came from. T are no maker's marks on it or any of the other pottery found with it. I'm certain it was made somew in the central area of east Alabama / west Georgia. My great-grandparents lived in Randolph County their entire lives and never traveled far from home. They surely would've acquired this churn somew close to home. Nearby Rock Mills was well-known for pottery - perhaps it came from t? My great-grandparents had close relatives in that area. But, back in those days, t were plenty of potters in the surrounding area. Perhaps someone out t with a better knowledge of pottery can identify the potter or site of origin. This butter churn is 17-inches tall, has a circumference of 33 inches at it's widest point and holds four gallons. It's dark brown with a light brown/beige lid. I'm not positive about what kind of glaze it is, but I believe it's an alkaline glaze. It weighs approximately 12 pounds and has a "4" stamped into it, identifying it as a 4-gallon churn.This is a three-handled churn but, as you can see in the photos, one of the handles broke off and is missing. Also visible in the photos is a large chip to the top of the lid and a crack on the inside of the churn that extends from the lip down about 4 inches. This crack is only visible on the inside of the churn - t is no sign of the crack on the outside of this piece. I filled the churn with 3 gallons of water and let it sit for half an hour. It did not leak or seep. Because of the crack, I didn't want to press my luck by adding a fourth gallon. T is wear to the pottery that you'd expect to find on a piece that saw years of use. You can see all of this and more in the photos. If you have any other questions regarding this butter churn, do not hesitate to contact me. I'm only accepting PayPal on this auction. Shipping depends on w you want it sent and what shipping method you prefer. I put the shipping calcuIator on this auction page so you can figure out how much it will cost to ship to your address. If you would like to use another shipper, use additional services (ie. Insurance, delivery confirmation, etc...), ship internationally or use another USPS service - please contact me for a quote. If you're willing to meet locally and pick up the item, I will accept cash and you won't have to pay shipping. I am in the east Alabama/west Georgia area - about 90 minutes west of Atlanta. Either way, I must have payment within 7 days of the auction's close.Thanks for looking and happy bidding! read more

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