Vince Martonis will be the featured speaker at the October meeting of the Gowanda Area Historical Society. The program will be on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. and is entitled "Stoneware and Redware of Western New York." The museum is located at 2 Chestnut St.
Martonis has collected stoneware and redware for 40 years and has often displayed parts of his collection. His Western New York collection is one of the finest in the state.
Many pieces of stoneware and redware will be on display. Select crocks and jugs from Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara counties will be featured. Also displayed will be a rare earthenware jar from Leon, 1820s Gerry items, buttercrocks and wine jugs from the area, an 1812 Lard crock, and a pottery flask and ink well.
Article Photos
Submitted Photo
Vince Martonis is pictured with a display of Caleb Mathews pottery at the Gerry 200th celebration in August. Mathews operated a pottery on Gerry-Ellington Road from 1820 to 1850.
The history of stoneware and redware will be discussed, as well as the potters and potteries of the Western New York area. Attendees will have a chance to win old stoneware as a raffle prize.
This program is part of the Hanover Bicentennial series of events and programs. As Hanover Historian, Martonis has been organizing and presenting Hanover 200th celebration events for the last five years. The town of Hanover reached its 200th birthday on June 1 of this year. Besides huge displays of Hanover history at the History Fair in 2011 and the official Hanover birthday on June 1, five New York State historical markers have now been erected in the town of Hanover.
