One Jug, A Lifelong Journey Begins

Price’ s deep dive into Alabama folk pottery was ignited in the late 1980s when his mother left him an average piece of alkaline glaze pottery –“ just a jug, you know, just the average piece,” said Price.

This seemingly simple inheritance piqued his interest, leading him to frequent estate auctions where he observed a mysterious buyer, a“ picker” from Georgia, according to Price, systematically acquiring every piece of primitive pottery, furniture and quilts available. This realization that local historical items were leaving the area spurred Price’ s initial curiosity into action, kindling his interest in hunting down the pottery shops themselves.

“ I thought to myself,‘ he’ s buying primitive furniture, he’ s buying primitive quilts. He was carrying it back into Georgia and selling it,” said Price.

Following Clues on Forgotten Roads

The quest to locate these long-lost pottery shops was no small feat.

Price and his wife, Martha, embarked on extensive explorations, often facing“ roads [ that ] didn’ t even exist anymore” and relying on fragmented information that“ might take days just to get … to where it might be.” Their dedication sometimes meant navigating“ railroad tracks for about 15 minutes and then back into the woods for another 10 minutes,” relying on subtle clues like family cemetery plots to pinpoint the proximity of historical shops.

Through persistent digging and exploring, the couple unearthed the physical evidence of these pottery operations, including“ sherds” – fragments of pottery that were discarded as imperfect during the firing process.

These physical findings were crucial for identifying pots. As Price notes, if they [ Price and his wife ] had“ never done this, Georgia would have claimed that work was done over there,” underscoring the importance of the couples’ work in maintaining authenticity.

A jar made by John Lehman in early 1870’ s at Jacob Eichelberger’ s shop near Oxford, Alabama. Decorated with U. S. seal, winged angel and tassels.

One side of the vase has a portrait of George Washington and a banner held by eagle. The banner reads,“ Hurrah for Washington”. The other side has a portrait of Thomas Jefferson with a banner held by eagle, reading“ Hurrah for Jefferson”.

Price’ s own book, authored in 2022 and his contribution to the 2006“ Alabama Folk Pottery Book,” further solidified his expertise and the understanding of this regional art.

The Entrepreneur Behind the Clay

Central to the story of these remarkable pottery pieces are two key figures: Jacob Eichelberger and John Lehman.

Eichelberger, an entrepreneur, arrived around 1850 from Hanover, Pennsylvania, in the Bacon Level community of Randolph County, Alabama. He owned a grist mill, a pottery shop and“ a few slaves,” said Price.

After the Civil War, Eichelberger faced public disapproval due to his status as a former slave owner.

In an effort to rehabilitate his image and reestablish himself as a legitimate businessman, he navigated considerable bureaucratic red tape. This push for public redemption became the driving force behind the creation of his highly decorated pottery pieces— an attempt to present himself in a more favorable light and align with Union sympathies.

In 1869, he moved 50 miles north of Bacon Level to Oxford, where he established another pottery shop.

The Craftsman Behind the Vision

Lehman, a German-trained potter, also arrived in the Bacon Level community at roughly the same time as Eichelberger. Lehman was already a skilled potter when he came to the area and was the artisan responsible for crafting the elaborate pieces commissioned by Eichelberger.