Image From “Rookwood and the American Indian” Gallery
Ohio University Press / Swallow Press

< previous   Vase, 1899   next >

Big Mouth Hawk or Big Mouth (Indian name Bi-Nan-Set)

Matthew Andrew Daly, decorator
Joseph Bailey St., shape designer

Standard glaze line; thrown; white body (stoneware).
H. 14", w. (w/ handles) 7½", d. 7½"
35.6 × 19 × 19 cm.

The two lug handles opposite each other on the shoulder are not in the shape book, and are not original to the shape design.

The painted marks underglaze suggest that Daly signed it after the first firing, in the biscuit stage. He simply forgot to sign it before it was fired, and did so after the first firing. Not only would he want to have been given credit for such a fine piece, it was policy at Rookwood that the decorators had to sign their pieces so that sales of their work could be tracked.