Buffalo Pottery Abino Ware, 12 " Tankard, sgd R. Stuart Two wonderful scenes with sailboats and a windmill. Start Price USD 3,500.00 Current Price USD 3,500.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, November 16, 2008 End Time Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Location Schwenksville, PA See more about 'Buffalo Pottery Abino Ware, 12 " Tankard, sgd R. Stuart' Description OK folks, this listing ends on Tuesday.  I will not be home that day.  Don't wait until the last minute to extend an offer-we will both lose.  There are more than a few of you watching this listing, so those of you interested DO have competition.  If you are waiting until near the end hoping to get a bargain-that is not going to happen.  I want to sell, but I will not let this go for peanuts.  I will just hold it and maybe relist-in a year or two...I can't be too far off on the price, or there would not be so many watchers.  I thank you for watching and listening.   From “The Book of Buffalo Pottery” by Seymour and Violet Altman, I give you a little history of Buffalo Pottery’s Abino Ware: Point Abino is a peninsula on the northern (Canadian) shore of Lake Erie and is just fifteen miles from Buffalo.  The point inherited its name from a French Jesuit priest, Father Claude Aveneau, who lived there about 1690.  Father Aveneau was one of the early missionaries who went into the wilderness to convert the Indians to Christianity.  First called Aveneau, then Abeneau, and then shortened to Abino, the point still has tall sand dunes and a great view of the lake.  In season, Point Abino is still a mecca for boating enthusiasts.  Sailing scenes reminiscent of an earlier day make up the distinctive decoration on most pieces of Abino Ware.  An old Dutch-type Windmill that could be seen from Abino point is also common on Abino Ware.  Abino Ware was only made in 1911, 1912, and 1913 and it is thought that the windmill had ceased operations by that time.  Abino was only decorated by three artists, Ralph Stuart was the best known of the three.  Abino Ware was never offered as a premium in Larkin Soap Company catalogs as other Buffalo Pottery items were, it was sold to retail outlets throughout the country.   This tankard is 12 inches tall.  The bottom diameter is 6 inches, and the upper diameter is a little over 4 inches.  It is numbered 248 (only Abino pieces were numbered) and is dated 1912.  The 248 is a shape or design number.  My impression is that there are two scenes here (front and back), rather than one large panorama.  There was only one windmill near Abino point and there are two on this piece.  There are lots of wonderful pictures in my reference book, but none like this.  There is light uniform crazing throughout, and some little bits of loss of shine along those craze lines.  I am sure that there is probably a more technical term for this condition, but I do not know what that may be.  If you hold the tankard in your hands in normal room light you will never see it-you need a bright light.  I am hoping that you will be able to see what I am trying to describe in the close-up photo of the R. Stuart signature.  There are two faint cracks at the top.  One is short and very faint and can only bee seen on the inside of the tankard-I almost missed spotting it.  The more prominent one is about 5 inches long and just barely perceptible on the outside because it follows the craze lines.  I am giving you photographs of the inside and the outside of that area.  The rim at the base has a few tiny spots of missing glaze.  I think that all of these things are just the effects of age and are not from abuse or mishap.  There are no chips, scratches, or repairs.  The top rim and the spout are perfect.  Please excuse the reflections in my photographs-this piece is very shiny and reflections are impossible to avoid.  This really is wonderful to behold.  You can see the rigging of the sailboats, some pilings for mooring, figures on the boats and on the shore, and some nice detail on the larger windmill.   Yes, I know it is not perfect.  If it was, the price would be higher, and it would be firm.  I will not give this away-it is too nice and too scarce to go cheaply.  I can always find a prominent space for it in one of my cabinets…   Price includes FREE Priority shipping with insurance.   I hope that everyone is aware that eBay no longer permits paper payment.  I accept PayPal.  If you do not have an account, you may want to check into it before bidding.   Questions: Please email me early with your questions!  I work a full time job and am only able to check my messages in the evenings and on weekends.   Pennsylvania residents beware!  I am required to collect a 6% sales tax on your purchase, and on the shipping charges for that item.   Shipping Policy: I bill for the actual cost of shipping plus my best estimate on the cost of packing materials.  I do NOT charge for “handling”.  I will combine shipping on items when possible.  If you win multiple items please wait for an invoice-you will make out better this way than if I were to use eBay’s combined weight method.  Insurance is always available.  I will not be held responsible for any loss or damage if you elect to not purchase insurance. 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