Alabama Ledger www.AlabamaLedger.com The Sports Ledger www.TheSportsLedger.com Sand Mountain Pottery How a folk craft became a southern treasure By Brandon K. Pierce Alabama Ledger The Northeast Corner PAGE 3A February 2026
the people on the edge of the mountain before rural free delivery became available from Boaz and Crossville.” It would take the potters about a month to make around 500 gallon pieces of pottery, which at that time would sell for around 10 cents per gallon, or a total of $50 for the months labor. The pottery was sold all around Northeast Alabama and at saloons in the Gadsden area. “They went down the mountain by either the Belcher’s Gap or Horton’s Gap road, across the intervening valleys, and up over the edge of Lookout Mountain, via the Noccalula Falls road, to get to Gadsden. The trip took two days,” wrote Countryman. Some pieces were also carried North into the Rome, Georgia area, while customers traveled from as far away as Limestone County to purchase the pottery. There is much more that could be said about the history of Sand Mountain Pottery, as well as various other types of collectible southern pottery. There are different types of craftsmanship and glazes, as well as terms such as combing and double- dipping. All of these are factors when calculating the value of Sand Mountain Pottery. In today’s market, the value of Sand Mountain Pottery could range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Do you have any old pottery sitting on the shelf? Could it be Sand Mountain Pottery? If you want to find out, start by checking for the smooth gray bottom and the handle thumbprint. Also, maybe consider having it looked at by a certified appraiser. The value could be worth more than you think!
It is said that the potters had to be aware of the amount of sand in the white clay, as too much would make it unusable. Countryman added that the McPherson family would gather rock from down the mountain, grind it up and mix it with ashes to make some of the pottery turn out “Red”. Most types of Sand Mountain Pottery can be identified by the smooth clay gray bottom, as well as the red tint. Another identifying factor in most, but not all, of Sand Mountain Pottery is a thumb print at the bottom of the handle. “The thing that all of the loop-handled pieces have in common, aside from the clay, is a thumbprint at the terminal of the handle,” wrote Countryman. “The potter seems to have attached the end of the handle to the body of the piece, wiped the clay around it with a circular motion, then pressed the end of a finger or thumb into it, leaving a round indentation or thumbprint.” Additionally, some pottery was marked or stamped.
of Alabama is one of the most scenic areas of the state and home to iconic landmarks such as Little River Canyon and Noccalula Falls, as well as numerous hills, valleys, and lakes. Some of the valleys and hills provide natural resources, including clay that was used to make what is now known as Sand Mountain Pottery. During the mid to late 1800’s the Belcher’s Gap area of DeKalb County was home to the McPherson and Henry families, both of whom were known to be potters. It is believed they dug up clay near the Rodentown area and used it for the now iconic and collectible pottery. Ron Countryman wrote in a book titled ‘Pottery from the Mountains of Alabama’ that some folks called the clay “jug mud.” He described this as “a mixture of white clay from down the mountain and blue clay from on the mountain.” Down the mountain, referred to the area known as Duck Springs in Etowah County.
This is a Sand Mountain Creamer with Combing (decorative lines) around it. It was recently listed for sale at $4,500 at Harris Furniture & Antiques in Centre. Combing is one of the techniques used on Sand Mountain Pottery. Some other value pottery pieces were also double dipped, meaning they were dipped twice into the glaze. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, Alabama Ledger
“A three-gallon churn and a five-gallon jug which bear the stamp of E.E. McPherson have been seen,” noted Countryman. “The churn is marked E.E. McPherson Mfr./RFD 2
Boaz, Ala. and the jug is marked E.E. McPherson Mfr. Duck Springs, Ala.” T.J. Henry’s stamp has also been found on a churn, a loop-handle bowl, beehive-shaped jugs, and
bell-shaped pitchers. It is identified as “T.J. Henry/ D.S. Ala.” Countryman noted that the D.S. represented Duck Springs. “The Duck Springs post office served
Photo Courtesy of Harris Furniture & Antiques
This piece of Sand Mountain Pottery was recently sold at Harris Furniture & Antiques.
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