I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service... Queen Elizabeth II

{HISTORY}

The above quote is from a speech that Queen Elizabeth II gave on her 21st birthday in 1947 when she was touring South Africa, but it's also very applicable to the helpful nature of an antique wash pitcher too.

Made by the East Palestine Pottery Co. in East Palestine, Ohio, this steadfast worker of home and health features the Queen shape, a pretty design of embossed flourishes and dots, striping and scallops.

The East Palestine Pottery Company was founded in 1890 and operated independently for over a decade before it was purchased by fellow area potter, W.S. George in the early 1900s. With its slim window of production, East Palestine Pottery Company (also known as E.P.P.Co) pieces are fun finds for antique dishware collectors. The factory burned down under W.S. George's management in 1912, and although W.S. George was using both E.P.P.Co's production facility and dish patterns and shapes upon acquisition, they marked all pieces with their own stamp beginning in 1904. So finding a piece with just an E.P.P.Co backstamp is both a treat and a treasure. This pitcher features the original E.P.P. Co mark, but the shape itself was still in production in 1915 under W.S. George's tenure, making it possible to find Queen chamber set pieces stamped with two different manufacturing marks made in two different centuries.

That detail aside, this E.P.P.Co wash pitcher is a true beauty full of interesting details and a lovely aged aesthetic.  Classic, in its gold and white color palette, embossed dots line the handle, rim, neck, and base of the pitcher. A thin gold stripe encircles the belly, a thick gold stripe wraps its way around the rim and handle. A wave-like flourish decoarte the top of the handle and a scalloped edge adds an elegant petal shape at the base.

Aesthetically pleasing, this pitcher hints at long life and treasured use. The aged crazing marks are made more pronounced by light staining on the interior and exterior of the spout, two stress cracks near the base of the handle and the pedestal add web-like character and a 1/2 inch chip at the base denotes an adventure or two. 

Originally, this pitcher would have come with a uniquely shaped wash basin that contained a drooping edge, giving the appearance of a draped towel placed over a traditionally-shaped basin bowl. The nice thing about the Queen shape, though, is that each piece in the chamber set is just as pretty on its own as it is when grouped together. 

Despite some age signs, this pitcher is still water-tight, making it a lovely vase for fresh cut flowers and branch bouquets. Here in the Vintage Kitchen, that's one of our favorite ways to utilize antique pitchers like this. There's something very complementary in pairing a bit of nature, newly grown and fresh-cut, alongside a vessel that has been exposed to a century's worth of time and travel.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Marked on the bottom with the E.P.P.Co laurel wreath mark and the Queen shape name

- Gold and white color palette

{CONDITION}

In lovely antique condition, please see notes above on the crazing, staining, and stress cracks. In addition to the small chip on the base, there is a 1/4"inch crack on the scalloped edge. The interior also contains staining and crazing marks. The gold striping is wearing lightly in some spots. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Measures 12.5" inches (height ) x 9" inches (diameter at widest part) and weighs 4.7 lbs