Reply To: Cobalt Blue China

[benjamintickell53]

Another cobalt shape that is often seen is the 3 7/8″ (base to rim) chocolate pot. This pot has the Missouri Pacific buzzsaw on one side, and the concave part of the base is glazed. The pots made by Hall have HALL incised or cut into the base, with the letters filled by the cobalt glazing. On close examination with a strong light, a circular HALL backstamp can also be seen. In the case of very dark cobalt glazing, these markings are difficult to see. On one example, Halls China has been hand painted in gold as a circular backstamp, generally over the HALL backstamp. Inasmuch as the other gold decorations on these pots (gold rim on lid and spout, gold trim on handle) were all hand painted, it seems possible that this painted backstamp was a factory version.

Note the difference in lids in the two pots. It is unknown whether the flat lid on the “gold backstamp” pot is a replacement of some sort or whether it was original, denoting that the pot was used for a different purpose.

Thanks to Jay Reed and RailroadCommissary.com for allowing use of their photos to supplement this discussion.

Bill Pollard

[attachment=5:1tna4sgw]MPCobaltpot10043.jpg[/attachment:1tna4sgw]

[attachment=4:1tna4sgw]MPCobaltpot10043b-w.jpg[/attachment:1tna4sgw]

[attachment=1:1tna4sgw]another pot.jpg[/attachment:1tna4sgw]

[attachment=0:1tna4sgw]another pot-2.jpg[/attachment:1tna4sgw]

[attachment=3:1tna4sgw]Halls-gold-backstamp-w.jpg[/attachment:1tna4sgw]

[attachment=2:1tna4sgw]Halls-gold-backstamp-top-w.jpg[/attachment:1tna4sgw]