This object was once part of the folk art collection of Elie Nadelman (1882-1946), the avant-garde sculptor. From 1924 to 1934, Nadelman's collection was displayed in his Museum of Folk Arts, located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. The Historical Society purchased Nadelman's entire collection in 1937.

Sometimes a maker's mark is the only decoration on utilitarian stoneware. Clarkson Crolius, Jr. impressed his name with this stamp on thousands of vessels made in his pottery. A Crolius bottle in the collections (1937.805) has the same mark as the lettering on this stamp.

During the second half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, stoneware manufacturers commonly supplied local businesses with vessels designed for their products and marked with the retailer's name. Druggists, grocers, brewers, and ink suppliers ordered containers simply marked with their name, location, and sometimes a word describing the contents. Rowland Hussey Macy, Sr. moved to New York City in 1858 and established "R.H. Macy Dry Goods" located at 204-206 Sixth Avenue on the corner of 14th Street, significantly north of other dry goods stores of the time. As the business grew it expanded to include other nearby buildings.

During the second half of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, stoneware manufacturers commonly supplied local businesses with vessels designed for their products and marked with the retailer's name. Druggists, grocers, brewers, and ink suppliers ordered containers simply marked with their name, location, and sometimes a word describing the contents. Daniel M. Robinson was a crockery dealer at 523 8th Avenue, New York, between 1876 and 1888.

During the second half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, stoneware manufacturers commonly supplied local businesses with vessels designed for their products and marked with the retailer's name. Druggists, grocers, brewers, and ink suppliers ordered containers simply marked with their name, location, and sometimes a word describing the contents. Messrs. William Partridge & Son were importers of dye-stuffs, including "samples of woad, teazles, Bengal indigo, German weld, a small broomy plant, making a very valuable yellow die [sic]. Terra japonica, a powerful tannin, formed by boiling child of the heart of the tree Acacia Cateehu, until the juice is inspissated and then coagulated." In 1824, some few tons of it were imported here from New South Wales, for tanners' use.

This object was once part of the folk art collection of Elie Nadelman (1882-1946), the avant-garde sculptor. From 1924 to 1934, Nadelman's collection was displayed in his Museum of Folk Arts, located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. The Historical Society purchased Nadelman's entire collection in 1937.

In the 1890s, the pottery of German immigrant Jacob Fisher was the largest stoneware business in the state. Fisher took advantage of his location on the canal by loading stoneware onto his two canal boats and transporting it throughout the state's interior. Butter churns came with a wooden dasher that fit through a hole in the churn's lid.