In addition to the comprehensive collection of David Drake pottery, the GCMA also owns the original art created by illustrator Bryan Collier for the 2011 Caldecott Honor book, "Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave." His first owner was Harvey Drake, who, with Dr. Abner Landrum, owned a large pottery business in Edgefield, South Carolina. [1] Drake inscribed his work with poetry, often using rhyming couplets,[2] as well as his signature. David Drake (1800–1874) was an influential African American ceramic artist, enslaved from birth under the pottery -making families of Edgefield, South Carolina. John Landrum. Value (2017) | $15,000 Auction – $20,000 Auction. Surely this jar will hold 14, Drake scholar, Jill Beute Koverman argues that Drake "made more than 40,000 pieces over his lifetime. Museum staff continue to work on site, developing educational programs and publications and planning exhibitions and events. Experience the powerful story of David Drake, one of the 19th century’s most remarkable artists. An enslaved African American, he often signed his works "Dave." In fact, the state passed a harsh anti-literacy law in 1834. [3][4][5], David Drake is thought to have been born the first half of the year 1800 on a plantation in South Carolina, owned by the Drake family. Drake's poetry at this time increased from one every few years to three in 1857, eight in 1858, and seven in 1859. [16], During Drake's lifetime, his pots were worth around 50 cents; However today, they sell for as much as $50,000. In 1846, Rev. 1-3 by David Drake Hard Cover 1st Ed. An enslaved African-American who worked as a “turner” in several pottery manufacturing facilities in South Carolina’s Edgefield District, David Drake learned to read and write, dangerous and even illegal skills for a slave to possess. Around 1835, Dave was run over by a railroad train, and one of his legs was severed. [17], In 2012, one of Drake's pieces, a butter churn with the inscription, "This is a noble churn / fill it up it will never turn," sold for $130,000 at a Charlton Hall Auction in South Carolina.[13]. David Drake [1800-1874] was an influential African-American ceramic artist, born into slavery under the pottery-making families of Edgefield, South Carolina. Copies of Carolina Clay are available for purchase in The Salon. The GCMA will continue to be closed while it completes several planned building projects. [3] During this time period it was PUNISHABLE for enslaved people to be literate, especially in South Carolina. To increase productivity, Dave was paired with another enslaved worker, Henry (Simkins), who did not have the use of either arm. He’s known today for the magnificent quality of the pots he made, the size of the pots, and he wrote poems on some of his pots—during an era when it was a crime for slaves to know how to read and write. [22], prohibited teaching enslaved Africans to read and write, "Dave the Potter – Pottersville, Edgefield County, South Carolina" (Includes Photos)", "The Ceramic Works of David Drake, aka, Dave the Po er or Dave the Slave of Edge eld, South Carolina", "Art/Architecture; In a Slave's Pottery, a Saga of Courage and Beauty", "A Slave, a Poet, a Potter: Preserving the Legacy of David Drake", "WHAT'S HOT in Collecting Southern Stoneware", "Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet", "Theaster Gates Speculates Darkly : Chicago Art Magazine", "Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter, Dave", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Drake_(potter)&oldid=1006105829, People from Edgefield County, South Carolina, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 February 2021, at 02:23. Harvey Drake owned a large pottery business with his business partner Abner Landrum. Drake's treatment under Franklin Landrum was poor. An outstanding craftsman, Drake produced massive stoneware pieces capable of holding more than 40 gallons. When the Civil War began, many Edgefield slaves were conscripted as workers by the new Confederate government, but Dave, who was sixty at the time, continued making pottery. $15.88. David Drake (c. 1800 – c. 1870s), also known as "Dave Pottery" and "Dave the Potter," was an American potter who lived in Edgefield, South Carolina. Read Appraisal Transcript . Drake's earliest recorded work is a pot dated July 12, 1834. Greenville Web Design by Your Creative People. David Drake AKA Dave the Potter Collection by Ceramics Monthly. David Drake: Potter and Poet September 24, 2016 – December 18, 2016 Vero Beach Museum of Art is organizing the first major museum exhibition of pottery by the enslaved African potter best known as “Dave,” since the influential survey exhibition mounted by McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina in 1998. Also known as Dave the Potter, Dave Pottery, Dave the Slave, or Dave of the Hive, he is known to have had several different owners during his lifetime, including Harvey Drake, Reuben Drake, Jasper Gibbs, and Lewis Miles. 1800-1874), a nineteenth-century African American slave and potter who worked in Edgefield, South Carolina. David Drake (c.1801-c.1870s), also known as Dave the Slave or Dave the Potter, may have been born in the United States. Despite this, Dave exhibited his literacy in a surprisingly open way—by inscribing original poems on his pots. Greenville County Museum of Art. The African-American potter, David Drake (circa 1801 to circa 1875), was enslaved for … South Carolina was home to a thriving pottery industry, and it was here that David Drake, or Dave the Slave, as he often signed his works, became a master potter with a poetic streak whose work is still revered today. the work of Dave the Potter, or David Drake (ca. [3], In 1849, Lewis Miles bought and enslaved Drake. $8.06. He survived, but his injury left him unable to move the foot treadle that turns the pottery wheel. when the GCMA re-opens. 1984 David Drake THE FORLORN HOPE military science fiction novel TOR BOOKS. He was an artist, poet, and potter, and created extraordinary work in spite of the adversity he faced as a slave. Drake, who was known only as “Dave” before 1865, learned to both read and write, dangerous and even illegal skills for a slave to possess. [15] Pieces by Drake frequently feature the initials "LM." John and his son, Benjamin Franklin (“B.F.”) owned a pottery factory near Edgefield at the headwaters of Horn’s Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River. It won the Coretta Scott King Award and was a Caldecott Honor book in 2011. The effort to understand the unusual relationships among Dave, his owners, and the community of Edgefield continues today. The pots in the collection of the Greenville County Museum of Art, each created at a different moment in Dave’s life, help us to piece together this story. Like all his pots, it is coated with a solution of wood ash, sand, and clay, which becomes a hard, glistening alkaline glaze upon firing. Drake lived and worked in Edgefield for almost the entirety of his life. Landrum's son, Franklin Landrum. 1852 / Dave," Made at Lewis Miles's Stony Bluff Manufactory, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield, South Carolina 08-21-2020 $70,800 "[7] It is thought that Drake died in the 1870s, as the names "David Drake" nor "Dave Drake" do not appear in the 1880 census. He is recognized as the first enslaved potter to inscribe his work, during a time when most enslaved people were illiterate, often forbidden from literacy, and anonymous. Photo by John Parnell. I propose changing the the title of this article to Dave Drake, his chosen name rather than one of his nick names. He was probably taught to make pots by his first known owner, Harvey Drake, who with his uncle, Dr. Abner Landrum, opened the area’s first commercial pottery. Dave, an enslaved African American, worked at the Lewis J. Literacy was unusual for slaves; most slaveholders in South Carolina feared the sense of independence that education could bring to those whom they owned. ), American potter and poet who, while a slave in South Carolina, produced enormous stoneware pots, many of which he signed with his first name and inscribed with original poetic verses. Drake’s poem vessels can also be found in other museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Smithsonian collection of the National Museum of American History; and the McKissick Museum of the University of South Carolina, which in 1998 presented the first exhibition devoted solely to Drake’s pottery. After emancipation, he adopted the surname of Drake. Scholars believe Drake produced a remarkable 40,000 pots in his lifetime. This stood for Lewis Miles, the man who owned the pottery workshop where Drake worked (Miles may have enslaved Dave for a time, starting in the late 1830s). The name "David Drake" is recorded in the 1870 United States Census as "David Drake, Turner. Watch . The Legions of Fire The Books of the Elements David Drake HCDJ 1st Ed 1st Print . The book gives a biography of Drake as well as his prowess for creating pottery. Drake is known for the massive size of his ware and the largest jar attributed to Drake holds 40 US gallons (150 l) and measures 29 inches (74 cm) tall, with a circumference of 85 inches (220 cm). The African-American potter, David Drake (circa 1801 to circa 1875), was enslaved for much of his life in Edgefield, South Carolina. At an unknown point in his life, one of Drake's legs were amputated, and it is speculated that Drake lost his leg after his owner severely beat Drake for inscribing his works. He was educated by his first enslaver, stoneware maker and newspaper editor Abner Landrum, and may have worked at Landrum’s newspaper, the Edgefield Hive, as a typesetter. This pottery business and the area, within which David Drake worked is known as Pottersville. "[10] The use of Drake's ware ranged from pitchers for buttermilk, jugs for molasses or whiskey, churns for butter, large jars for pickling vegetables or preserving meats such as venison and bear. His first known owner was Harvey Drake, a young man of Edgefield District, South Carolina. In 2010, the children's book Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave was written by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Bryan Collier. David Drake, also known as "Dave Pottery", Dave the Potter and Dave the Slave, was an American potter who lived in Edgefield, South Carolina. Dave produced over 100,000 alkaline-glazed stoneware jugs between the 1820s and the 1870s. 1854 Dave Drake stoneware jug. [6] "Country born" refers to an enslaved African American who was born in the United States rather than Africa. Experience the powerful story of David Drake, an enslaved African-American who worked as a “turner” in several pottery manufacturing facilities in South Carolina’s Edgefield District. The well known inscription, "I wonder where is all my relations / Friendship to all—and every nation," demonstrates Drake questioning his heritage and personal history. Among the pots in the collection of the Greenville County Museum of Art is a storage jar dated 1829, which is one of the earliest examples of Dave’s Pottersville work. 14 Pins • 2.32k Followers. [12] In contemporary auctions and sales, his work has sold for over $40,000 per piece. Drake is believed to have been born to one of eight slaves that Landrum had brought to Edgefield from North Carolina. [3] It is unclear how Drake learned to read and write. Jill Beute Koverman This study examines the extant work of a prolific potter, an African American named David Drake, who as a slave often signed his work "Dave" and incised verses he had written into his clay vessels. Apparently with his owner’s approval, Drake openly expressed his literacy and his literary skills by inscribing original poems on many of the utilitarian works he created. Dave produced over 100,000 alkaline-glazed stoneware jugs between the 1820s and the 1870s. [3] The first legal record of Drake is a description from June 13, 1818, that describes "a boy about 17 years old country born" who was "mortgaged to Eldrid Simkins by Harvey Drake". Hello fellow Wikipedians, I have just modified one external link on David Drake (potter). [8] During the period of his enslavement by Franklin Lundrum, Drake's wares were not inscribed and no poetry is thought to have been produced. Miles Pottery, Edgefield County, South Carolina, 1853, alkaline-glazed stoneware, 14 1/2 x 12 x 11 1/2", collection American Folk Art Museum, New York, gift of Sally and Paul Hawkins, 1999.18.1. $8.00. Funded through a bond issue approved by Greenville County Council in 2019, these critical updates will ensure the protection of our community's valuable art collection and enhance our visitor experience. [10] Drake's jars are bulbous in form, similar to most ware produced in antebellum Edgefield. In 2008 Leonard Todd published a cohesive biography on Drake. David Drake Double-Handled Stoneware Jug, Incised "Lm / August 31. 5:30. This documentation would allow for easy identification of Drake's pottery today; however, the lack of concrete legislation ordering reparations being made to Drake's descendants bars the possibility of any restitution. Scholars speculate he was taught by Landrum, who was known to be a religious man and may have taught Drake how to read the Bible. Most southern states in the early 1800s restricted black literacy, and in 1830s legislation was passed laws prohibiting their education. [12], One of Drake's most well known pieces, a 19-inch greenware pot, is dated back to August 16, 1857 includes the following description:[9][13], I wonder where is all my relations Edgefield Pottery David Drake " Dave " attributed Southern Stoneware Slave made: Condition:--not specified. David Drake – Freedman Following the abolition of slavery, Dave adopted the last name of Drake after his first owner and the man who had taught him to read. An enslaved African American, he often signed his works "Dave." Ceramics Monthly featured Drake's work in the September 1978 issue. An enslaved African American, he often signed his works "Dave." This remarkable jar, which bears a date, signature, and an original 4-line verse by Drake, was made a few years before the Civil War, during a time when it … [10] The poetry on this vessel reads:[10], Put every bit all between the Civil Liberties Act of 1988) should parallel the reparations that are being argued for. Jun 22, 2015 - JUG/ Dave Drake (c. 1800-c. 1870), Lewis J. David Drake, also known as "Dave Pottery", Dave the Potter and Dave the Slave, was an American potter who lived in Edgefield, South Carolina. Joja lozzo 16:15, 3 March 2011 (UTC) I agree, and will make the changes. Dave used a combination of techniques to make jars, often turning the lower half of the vessel on the wheel, then adding coils of clay round and round the unfinished walls to achieve the width and height he desired. "[11] A total twenty of Drake's jars and jugs are inscribed with original poetry and fifty additional vessels reveal his signature, maker's mark, date, and other inscriptions. The GCMA is home to the largest institutional collection of pottery vessels by David Drake, including single-handle jugs, storage jars, pitchers, a syrup jug, and a rare butter churn. [1], Drake produced alkaline-glazed stoneware jugs between the 1820s and the 1870s. Through the modest utilitarian wares handcrafted and inscribed by David Drake, at least one remarkable voice remains to speak on behalf of the lives and stories irretrievably lost. This contemplation signifies Drake's positivity despite facing the many brutalities slavery, including the loss of personal identity. Landrum was the publisher of a local newspaper called The Edgefield Hive. Ended: May 30, 2020. Located just a mile north of Edgefield Village in a settlement known as Pottersville, the Landrum factory produced utilitarian stoneware that was ideal for storing meats, holding liquids, and pickling vegetables. Lord of the Isles Series Books Vol. Seller: jettlagg760 | Seller's other items. david drake pottery - Google Search An enslaved African American, he often signed his works "Dave." We look forward to seeing you Some scholars believe that Drake created more than 40,000 pots in his lifetime. His exceptional skill as a potter is demonstrated by his ability to create unusually large storage vessels such as the one seen here. Northern troops marched into Edgefield in June of 1864, allowing Dave to claim his freedom. In 2016 an exhibition at the Vero Museum of Art titled David Drake: Potter and Poet contained 31 objects; 13 of which are known to be from Drake's hand. Mary Mark Ockerbloom 00:11, 14 March 2015 (UTC) External links modified. In 2013 author Andrea Cheng published the middle grade novel Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet offering a biographical look at Drake's life. Miles Pottery in South Carolina. 1840 David Drake Pot. He teamed with a slave named Henry, whose arms were crippled, but whose strong legs could drive the wheel for Dave. [1] Some collectors and scholars have suggested that Drake's poetry should be characterized as an early act of sedition in the cause of civil rights, because at the time it was generally forbidden for African-Americans to read and write. In a Slave's Pottery, a Saga of Courage and Beauty - New York Times article about Dave. [8] South Carolina's Negro Act of 1740, prohibited teaching enslaved Africans to read and write, punishable by a fine of 100 pounds and six months in prison. David Drake (also "Dave the Potter" and "Dave the Slave") (c. 1801-c. 1870s) was an American potter who lived in Edgefield, South Carolina and produced over 100 alkaline-glazed stoneware jugs from the 1820s to the 1860s. Starting bid: US $12,000.00 [ 0 bids] Shipping: FREE Economy Shipping | See details . See more ideas about drake, pottery, ceramics. David Drake (known widely as “Dave the Potter”) was born enslaved circa 1801 on a plantation in South Carolina. Historians argue that previous actions made by the United States government (i.e. During the time Drake produced his largest amount of wares that included poetry. Sell one like this; Description. Landrum passed away and all eighteen of the people he enslaved were put up for sale. ... Southern Folk Pottery Collectors Society 1,326 views. $6.56. Friendship to all and every nation, Drake commonly used 25–40-US-gallon (95–150 l) jugs, which he frequently adorned with short poems and couplets below the rim of the jar. [19] Philadelphia Museum of Art,[20] Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,[21] and the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina. Newly discovered vessels by David Drake, an enslaved 19th-century potter in Edgefield, S.C., keep emerging, either whole or in shards. Lot of 8 David Drake Science Fiction Sci-Fi Fantasy Paperback Books. David Drake (1800-1874) was an influential African-American ceramic artist, born into slavery under the pottery-making families of Edgefield, South Carolina. Item location: Lexington, South Carolina, United States . Leonard Todd's interest lies in the fact that two of his ancestors enslaved Drake at some point in time. [10] Some of these were explanatory "Put every bit all between / surely this jar will hold 14;" and some, like the one above, were commentaries on the institution of slavery. In addition to making some of the largest hand-built pottery of the period, Drake incised writing onto his storage jars and pots—signatures, proverbs, couplets of poetry, and witticisms. The GCMA is home to the largest institutional collection of pottery vessels by David Drake, including single-handle jugs, storage jars, pitchers, a syrup jug, and a rare butter churn. The example of Dave the Slave is a case in point. One hundred twenty-nine vessels either clearly marked or attributed to Dave were catalogued, Images of work by Dave the Potter who lived in the region of Edgefield, South Carolina from around 1800 to the 1870s. Author of Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave. [15] Lewis Miles has even been referenced directly in one of Drake's couplets: "Dave belongs to Mr. [8] Miles' factory was known as 'Stony Bluff.' [7], David Drake was first enslaved by Harvey Drake. Known simply as Dave, he worked as a turner in the potteries for which Edgefield was noted throughout the South. [3], At the end of the Civil War, Drake was a free man and it is thought he took the surname "Drake" from his first owner Harvey Drake. Storage vessels such as the one seen here in fact, the state passed a harsh anti-literacy in... Documentation of Drake 's earliest recorded work is a pot dated July 12,.! This, Dave was run over by a david drake pottery train, and potter, the... Agree, and one of his nick names on his pots it is unclear how Drake learned to and. Drake lived and worked in Edgefield, South Carolina, United States Census as `` Drake. On David Drake ( potter ): US $ 12,000.00 [ 0 ]! The fact that two of his nick names harsh anti-literacy law in 1834 pots... Almost the entirety of his life as well as his prowess for creating.... S.C., keep emerging, either whole or in shards century ’ s remarkable! ] Miles ' factory was known as 'Stony Bluff. $ 12,000.00 [ 0 bids ] Shipping: Economy. Of Harvey Drake, David Drake pottery - Google Search Experience the powerful story of David Drake was enslaved Rev! Issues of craft and race in the African American History. [ 18 ] as the one here! As well as his signature nick names potter ) of 8 David worked! On Pinterest in point Buckley 's board `` David Drake pottery - Google Search Experience powerful... Born to one of the adversity he faced as a potter is demonstrated by his ability to create large... Craftsman, Drake produced his largest amount of wares that included poetry and Legend of the 19th century ’ most! Images of work by Dave the potter Collection by ceramics Monthly nineteenth-century African American Slave and potter, will! Pottery - Google Search Experience the powerful story of David Drake Double-Handled stoneware Jug, ``. Was noted throughout the South born in the potteries for which Edgefield noted. Often using rhyming couplets, [ 2 ] as well as his for... For sale included poetry a local newspaper called the Edgefield Hive potter is demonstrated by ability! Most Southern States in the African American History Calendar Profile - Duration: 3:02 chosen name rather than.... Potter Collection by ceramics Monthly men, created some of the 19th century ’ most! Period it was PUNISHABLE for enslaved people to be literate, especially in South Carolina is his missing leg bid. Produced alkaline-glazed stoneware jugs between the 1820s and the 1870s works `` Dave. Auction – $ 20,000 Auction than... Potter with a known body of work by Dave the potter Collection by ceramics Monthly Edgefield, South Carolina a., ceramics 1864, allowing Dave to claim his freedom leonard Todd published a cohesive biography Drake. Of Harvey Drake owned a large pottery business in Edgefield for almost the of! American History Calendar Profile - Duration: 3:02 surprisingly open way—by inscribing original poems on his.. 40,000 per piece by his ability to create unusually large storage vessels such as the one seen here their! The first three quarters of the nineteenth century the surname of Drake even been referenced directly in one of adversity. 40,000 pots in his lifetime local newspaper called the Edgefield pottery David.... Storage vessels such as the one seen here the Edgefield Hive and Beauty - York! ] as well as his prowess for creating pottery restricted black literacy, and the area, within David. The people he enslaved were put up for sale to create unusually large storage vessels such as the seen... 19Th century ’ s most remarkable artists developing educational programs and publications and planning exhibitions and events the. As well as his prowess for creating pottery - SC African American, he often signed his works, reparations... To address issues of craft and race in the September 1978 issue it completes several planned projects... By Dave the potter, or David Drake HCDJ 1st Ed 1st Print his injury left him unable move... Landrum had brought to Edgefield from North Carolina to claim his freedom, using... Us $ 12,000.00 [ 0 bids ] Shipping: FREE Economy Shipping | details!