1859
Storage Jar
David Drake (Dave the Potter)American, 1800 - c. 1870
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Inscribed: Good for lard or holding fresh meat,/blest we were when peter saw the folded sheet; (on reverse) LM [Lewis Miles] May 3d 1859/Dave
Dave, an enslaved African American, worked at the Lewis J. Miles Pottery in South Carolina. After emancipation, he adopted the surname of Drake. His exceptional skill as a potter is demonstrated by his ability to create unusually large storage vessels such as the one seen here. He often adorned his utilitarian forms with inscriptions that refer to the Bible.
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