Pottery Shoe Inkwell

Rockingham brown glazed inkwell in the shape of a shoe. There are two holes in the top – one is for ink and the other is for a quill or pen.

11/29/25 – Pictures of four additional shoe inkwells added.

These shoe-shaped inkwells are classic examples of American or English ornamental brown-glazed earthenware. They are distinctive because of the unique mottled brown glaze.

Figural Shoe Inkwells: Rockingham & Bennington Glaze

1. Description and Features

• Material and Form: The inkwells are molded in the form of a shoe popular in the mid-19th century. They are made of earthenware or common stoneware (a less refined clay body).
• Glaze: They are covered in a rich, multi-toned brown glaze with distinctive mottling, streaks, and often a golden-brown or yellowish color break. This glaze is known broadly as Rockingham glaze.
• Functionality: The interior is a single, shared cavity designed to hold the ink. The top of the shoe contains multiple holes (two or three). These holes were a common feature in mid-19th-century inkwells.
• Style: They fall into the category of novelty wares—functional objects molded into amusing or unexpected shapes, highly popular during the Victorian period (c. 1840–1880).

1. Rockingham vs. Bennington Glaze: Origin and Age

The term Rockingham and Bennington refer to the same type of glaze but help define the piece’s origin.

How to Tell the Difference (England vs. America)

Distinguishing the origin without a mark is extremely difficult, as American potters intentionally mimicked the English style. However, here are the general guidelines:

1. Markings: The clearest way is by an impressed mark. Pieces marked “Bennington” or “U.S. Pottery Co.” (the official company name) are American. English pieces may bear an incised English maker’s mark (e.g., from Staffordshire).
2. Clay Body: American pieces (particularly Bennington) often use a yellowish-buff clay body that shows through in spots, while English Rockingham pieces are sometimes made from a slightly redder clay.
3. Form/Modeling: The Bennington factory was particularly famous for these novelty shoe and boot forms, making a strong case for an American origin if the modeling is very sharp and refined. Many American factories (like those in Ohio) also produced similar, often simpler, forms.
4. Glaze Consistency: Bennington’s version is frequently characterized by a slightly more golden or butterscotch-yellow cast in the thinner areas, contrasting strongly with the dark brown pool, making the mottling more dramatic.

III. Estimated Age

The production of these shoe-shaped inkwells peaked when this shoe style was fashionable and when the Rockingham/Bennington glaze was most popular.

• Manufacturing Period: Most of these figural inkwells date to the mid-Victorian period, specifically between 1840 and 1880.