The Secret to telling Rockingham Ware and Bennington Ware Apart

The origins of Rockingham ceramics can be traced to Swinton Works in Yorkshire, England, located on the estate of Charles Watson-Wentworth, the Marquess of Rockingham. Initially known for producing simple brown-glazed pottery, Swinton Works gradually gained popularity and the style of Rockingham evolved into a distinctive ceramic tradition. English immigrants later brought this unique glazing technique to the United States, where its popularity quickly spread. Pottery manufacturers emerged in locations ranging from East Liverpool, Ohio, and Baltimore, Maryland, to Bennington, Vermont. In 1839, Christopher Webber Fenton partnered with Norton Pottery in Bennington, Vermont, marking the beginning of a significant chapter in American ceramics. Fenton later separated from Norton Pottery and founded the United States Pottery Company.

Today, Bennington pottery is recognized as a distinct category in ceramic identification, although it shares many characteristics with Rockingham ware. Potters in Bennington developed their own interpretation of the Rockingham style, incorporating unique molds and decorative elements while retaining the signature dark chocolate-brown glaze. Despite their similarities in appearance, there are three primary methods for distinguishing Bennington pottery from traditional Rockingham ware.

    Sherd of Bennington ware excavated during the Summer 2025 archaeological field school at the Colonel Paul Wentworth House

Sherds of Rockingham ware excavated during the Summer 2025 archaeological field school

The first method is to examine the glaze. Traditional Rockingham ware is typically produced on a yellow ware or stoneware body and covered with a thick, dark brown glaze. This glaze, which can sometimes exhibit purple tones, is created by combining manganese dioxide with a clear or colored lead-based glaze. Bennington pottery, in contrast, often features a flint enamel glaze achieved by adding colored metallic oxides to the manganese glaze. During firing, these oxides melt and blend together, creating rich and varied color effects. Another distinction of Bennington pottery is spongeware decoration. This pattern is produced by hand-applying cobalt oxide with a sponge or rag, creating a distinctive speckled or mottled appearance.

The second method of identification involves examining the level of detail and craftsmanship. The United States Pottery Company was renowned for its crisp, sharply defined, double-glazed finishes. In contrast, pieces produced in other pottery centers, such as Ohio or New Jersey, often exhibit softer details and less refined molding. A notable example can be found in the popular hound-handle pitcher design. Bennington examples typically feature a hound with smaller ears and a prominent tree trunk extending across the figure. Rockingham versions, on the other hand, generally depict a dog with different proportions and smaller tree branches rather than a single trunk.

Bennington Hound-Handle Pitcher          

                   

          Rockingham Hound-Handle Pitcher

The third and often simplest method is to check for maker’s marks. Because Rockingham glaze is typically thick, it frequently obscures any identifying marks, and many English manufacturers did not mark their wares at all. Bennington pieces, however, commonly bear an embossed, raised clay ribbon marked “United States Pottery Co., Bennington, Vermont.” Pieces produced before 1853 may instead be stamped “Fenton’s Works, Bennington, Vermont.”

While some examples can be challenging to identify, careful observation of the glaze, craftsmanship, and maker’s marks can provide valuable clues.