Carl Mehwaldt: A Pioneer German-American Potter Museum of Early Southern
Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem,
N.C.
And 19th-Century Immigrant
In Retrospect It has been published that Mehwaldt was generally a lone pot-
Redware From Western New York State
ter who received some help with digging and kneading clay and pre- paring glazes from his children and other local kids. Mehwaldt is con- By Justin W. Thomas lowed by an article in the September constructing two red earthenware sidered to have been the only pot- 1922 issue of “The Magazine wreaths in their memory. He began ter working at this business, For one reason or another, I Antiques.” Ada Walker Camehl (1866- with a round pottery frame, 16 inch- although I believe I may have consider the career and life of Carl 1939), who lived in western New York es in diameter, and meticulously observed otherwise. While studying Mehwaldt (1809-87) to be a fascinat- and authored some pottery books, decorated both wreaths with a group of handled pieces owned ing story. He was a journeyman wrote the articles. Camehlʼs articles hand-modeled flowers that grew by the Das Haus Museum, I noticed potter from Germany who traveled were also among the earliest pub- around his home; each wreath was differences in the way some of the to Russia and Lebanon to expand lished stories devoted to a single adorned in sunflowers, roses, dai- handles were made. Perhaps the knowledge of his trade. He then American potter; these stories were sies, myrtles, zinnias, water lilies Mehwaldt had different styles, but I returned to Germany and eventual- based on her firsthand accounts and buttercups, surrounded by would not be surprised to learn if ly migrated across the Atlantic with Mehwaldtʼs living daughter and leaves. The wreaths were then fired there was another person employed Ocean, landing on Long Island. He locals who remembered the in the kiln without a glaze, and with him in some capacity. made his way through New York Mehwaldt Pottery from their child- afterwards, carefully painted with Carl Mehwaldt was an incredi- City, traveling northwest along the hood. vibrant colors. bly talented potter who lived a Erie Canal on a barge, before set- Born May 25, 1809, in Bruessow, Mehwaldt hung the wreaths in tough life with many family trage- tling near Niagara Falls in western Prussia (later Germany), Carl Ludwig the Holy Ghost Church, only a few One of the wreaths that Medhwaldt made for one of his sons dies. However, he remained a potter New York. Heinrich Mehwaldt, as his birth cer- hundred yards from the site of his killed in the Civil War. This was just rediscovered in Seattle, Wash. well into his 70s. Mehwaldt may The Buffalo Historical Society tificate reads, has been the subject house and pottery, until the church Courtesy of the Das Haus Museum. have given up the potterʼs wheel at first published his story in 1921, fol- of a name dispute for decades. He was torn down in 1906. Where the an earlier age, but there was no one wreaths went next is not completely elsewhere in western New York, to succeed him in the business. This known, but apparently, Ada Walker Pennsylvania, Virginia and through- was reportedly a disappointment Camehl had come into the posses- out New England. But his skill is since he was a third generation sion of at least one of the wreaths perhaps what sets him apart from potter, and he had hoped the family based on the information she pub- some of these other potters. legacy would continue after him. lished in “The Magazine Antiques.” Mehwaldt manufactured red But his skill as a potter and an artist The whereabouts of these wreaths earthenware from the early-1850s should never be forgotten. He was have been unknown in recent years, right up until around the time he unquestionably one of western but one was just rediscovered in died in 1887. He must have also New Yorkʼs most talented potters, Seattle, Wash., and has returned exported some of his wares, seeing who produced some of the regionʼs home to the Das Haus Museum. that there was only so much most memorable wares, some of However, it has not been previ- demand from the small village in which appear to be unique to ously published that there was which he lived. He may have taken American production today. actually a third wreath manufac- advantage of the Niagara River and tured by Mehwaldt. This wreath had shipped some of his production to Sources resided in a local home, hanging Carl Mehwaldtʼs (1809-87) house with some later additions, his communities along the waterway, Camehl, Ada Walker. “The Old above a doorway, until it was acci- pottery was located behind the house. such as Buffalo, where the expand- Bergholz Pottery.” Publications of dentally knocked over many years ing population had already reached the Buffalo Historical Society: It was not known until recently ago, breaking into dozens of pieces. 81,000 people by 1850. Volume XXV The Book of the that Mehwaldt actually made a It then descended through the fam- The utilitarian wares he made Museum, 1921. third wreath. Here are remains ily to the present owner, Bob consisted of a wide variety of forms, Camehl, Ada Walker. “Mehwaldt, of that attributed wreath. Mueller, who was generous enough some decorated with colors that a Pioneer American Potter.” The Courtesy of Bob Mueller. to come to the Das Haus Museum resemble a Rockingham glaze, and Magazine Antiques (September and share the remains of this trea- others reportedly partially created 1922). is recorded as “Charles” in the sure. It is currently unknown who it using animal blood. He made lidded Lewis, Clarence O. “Mehwaldt United States Federal Census, as was made for, but it may have been jars, pitchers, candlesticks and Death Ended Bergholz Pottery Era.” well as some business directories. made for another soldier killed in drawer pulls. Other forms include Niagara Falls Gazette (May 26, 1965). He did have a son Charles. the Civil War who belonged to the jugs, strainers, handled pots, cake Ketchum, William C. Jr. Potters In a history of his life, docu- Bergholz community. molds, vases, chimney flue liners and Potteries of New York State, mented and preserved because of I also learned about a huge red and flowerpots. Camehl was also 1650-1900 Second Edition. Syracuse, Camehl: “Mehwaldt came of a line earthenware chandelier created by able to identify that he made cups N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1987. of potters; for his father and his Mehwaldt for the church; it was and saucers, bottles, mugs, teapots, described as four feet in diameter, grandfather before him had spent teakettles, dishes, platters, bowls their lives at the potterʼs wheel. illuminated with four rows of can- and coffee pots. Rarely is any of this dles, and decorated with hand-ap- After he had learned the trade, pottery marked, but Mehwaldt is young Mehwaldt, as was the custom plied objects. The chandelier was known to have inscribed the letter eventually removed when the of the country, passed several years “M” into some of his wares. Some of as a journeyman potter, in search of church was torn down, and part of it the lidded forms were also inscribed ended up in Camehlʼs collection, experience. In the early 1840s, a with a number that matched a lid to My niece and nephew outside the Das Haus Museum in what used but its whereabouts today is man of wealth, Williams by name, a vessel accordingly. to be the Village of Berkholz in western New York. unknown. gathered together several families Interestingly, I suspect that from the neighborhood of Bruessow Mehwaldt also apparently some of Mehwaldtʼs lesser-known manufactured stoves, similar to and brought the little band to the production could be mistaken for United States. They purchased a those made by some of the south- This mug likely made at the wares made in Pennsylvania and ern Moravian potters. I was sur- Mehwaldt Pottery has a glaze piece of land in western New York, other areas where there were on the Niagara frontier, cleared the prised to see the remains of this very similar to the jar inscribed German-American potters. For type of production recovered from with the number “49.” Courtesy timber and built a hamlet of log instance, Mehwaldt is known to houses. Remembering the village the site of his pottery, which of The National Museum of have produced a selection of minia- reminded me of an intact well-pub- American History at the Smith- from which they had come, they ture dinner sets, along with toy named the new home New Bergholz, lished stove in the collection of the sonian Institute. whistles in the form of pigs, owls, later dropping the “New.” roosters and birds around Fired by the glowing accounts, Christmas. He also made inkstands which came back to the Fatherland with penholders, a form common to from this transplanted colony, a Germany and Pennsylvania in the The site of the Holy Ghost Church where Mehwaldt hung two second company came together in 18th and 19th century. memorial wreaths for his sons, Charles and Herman, who died in 1851. Among this group were the However, after researching a the Civil War in 1864. A giant red earthenware chandelier made potter Mehwaldt, his wife, Albertine lot of this material, I was compelled by Mehwaldt also hung in this church, until the building was torn and their children. Their voyage to learn more about Mehwaldtʼs life. down in 1906. At right, a plaque hangs on the memorial rock, lasted seven weeks, and as seems I decided to travel to the Das Haus reading, in part, “Bergholz German Lutheran Settlement Founded to have been the not uncommon Museum, which is a part of the Oct. 12, 1843.” fate of sailing vessels during those Historical Society of North German years, the ship ran ashore upon a Settlements in western New York, sandbar off Long Island, the pas- and the site of the Mehwaldt sengers were rescued, and the party Pottery, located about 10 miles east made their way across New York of Niagara Falls. Not only did I want State by way of the Erie Canal, even- to learn more about his career, but tually arriving in Bergholz.” I was determined to hear more Sometime after Mehwaldt about two special pieces of pottery arrived, he established a pottery he made for two of his sons after business, which operated similar to they died in the Civil War. I consider other rural country potters found these objects to be national trea- sures today. This dish is attributed to the Mehwaldt Pottery. Courtesy of The The Site of the Mehwaldt Pottery New York State Museum. I arrived at the Das Haus The pitcher is attributed to the Museum with my nephew, Jason, Mehwaldt Pottery. Courtesy of This double handled vase and niece, Alexis, on Aug. 14, 2019. The New York State Museum. made by Mehwaldt missing The museum is located directly one handle descended through across the street from Mehwaldtsʼ local ownership. Courtesy of house and the site of his pottery. Bob Mueller. Mehwaldt was clearly a remarkable potter based on the wares that I have seen in the New York State Museum in Albany, N.Y., as well as private collections, and an object owned by the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. However, it is his lesser-known pro- duction that really sets him apart. Upon arriving to America, two of Mehwaldtʼs sons, Charles (d. 1864) and Herman (d. 1864), became enamored with patriotism, and enlisted in the northern army This candlestick was likely during the Civil War in 1862. Neither This lidded jar attributed to made at the Mehwaldt Pottery returned home. Charles was killed the Mehwaldt Pottery came in and closely resembles the in Cold Harbor, Va., on June 3, 1864, A lidded jar likely made at the a variety of sizes, glazes and remains of a candlestick recov- and a few weeks later, Herman died Mehwaldt Pottery is inscribed types of handles. The base on ered at the site of the pottery in Petersburg, Va. Likely over- on the side with the number this example is inscribed “80” and now at the Das Haus whelmed with emotions, Mehwaldt A black glazed lidded jar and jug attributed to the Mehwaldt Pot- ”49.” Courtesy of Gene Pratt. and “8.” Courtesy of Gene Pratt. Museum. Courtesy of Gene Pratt. decided to memorialize his sons by tery. Courtesy of The Buffalo History Museum.