Item 8533
 
Coming to you from Doc's Crocks is this monumental 8 Gallon Barrel Water Cooler made and stamped by "A. E. Smith & Sons, Manufacturers, 38 Peck Slip, N.Y."
 
This is the mark of Asa Smith, his son Asa, and Howard Hobart who worked in Norwalk, Connecticut from about 1849 to the early 1860's, and in the latter part of that period sold stoneware with this mark in their retail store in New York City (William Ketchum, Jr., American Stoneware, pp. 58-60).
 
This beauty features a Large 8 Gallon Size, Barrel Form, Pottery Stamp, and Ten Embossed Hoopes with Cobalt Accent.  The lovely cream color glaze and blue accents make a visually pleasing combination.  Measures 17 1/2" tall and 10 1/2" wide across the top.
 
Excellent Condition.  Six minor chips along the base (3/8" to 1/6") and some light stain runs, two of which appear to be slip that ran from inside in the making.   That's it!  No top rim chips, hairlines, cracks, or restoration. 
 
Ships double-boxed, insured, and FREE