I agree with Carl.  I've seen this as a part of a design motif, in blue, on pearlware from time to time, but have never seen it used as a dominant decorative motif, as on this piece.  My impression is that the occasional blue "asterisk" was more common on sherds from the mid-Atlantic than on sherds from the Northeast or South, but I have no data to back up this possibility.

D. Babson.


-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carl Steen
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 4:09 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Star-Patterned Pearlware

 I've seen numerous examples of these asterisk/stars as elements of polychrome hand painted designs, but not as a stand alone dec. like this.

 

Carl Steen
 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica Costello <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, Aug 10, 2010 3:51 pm
Subject: Re: Star-Patterned Pearlware


Thanks for the replies!  Visit this flickr link for photos...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52908546@N06/4879614947/

We'd love more input, thanks again in advance!

Jessica Costello
Museum Specialist/Archeology
Northeast Museum Services Center
(617) 242-5613, ext. 226


                                                                           
             Daniel Martin                                                 
             <Daniel.Martin@CH                                             
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             <[log in to unmask]                                     Subject 
             >                         Re: Star-Patterned Pearlware        
                                                                           
                                                                           
             08/10/2010 03:35                                              
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             Please respond to                                             
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I would love to see a photo. Is it hard to do, or too big to include? In
the NW Pearlware is pretty rare.
Dan Martin

________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jessica
Costello [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 12:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Star-Patterned Pearlware

Hello all,

I am wondering if anyone has ever come across pearlware with a star
pattern.  We at Northeast Museum Services Center have seen sherds from
Minute Man National Historical Park and Salem Maritime National Historical
Park.  Pattern consists of mostly haphazardly-placed stars (asterisk type)
in brown monochrome handpainting, and shell-edge type, scalloped rim in
same brown color.  We are looking for other contexts/information.

Please contact me for photo!

Jessica Costello
Museum Specialist/Archeology
Northeast Museum Services Center
(617) 242-5613, ext. 226