GRANDMA'S PITCHER

Watt Pitcher

Tea is comforting to me anytime of the year. We drink it 365 days of the year. Whether its served hot with sweetener and cream or lemon and honey we love it! I drink brewed iced tea year round. 
 My grandmother served iced tea at her house in a vintage Watt Pottery pitcher, seen in the picture ABOVE. I bet she had this pitcher forty years or more. Several years ago she knew my sister was coming for a visit and gave it to my sister to give to me. I cherish it along with all of the memories of seeing her brew the teabags in a saucepan on the stove, then dump in several cups of sugar, stir and serve. Her tea was syrupy delicious and even made  better by putting in several tart pieces of lemons to cut down on the sweetness. I cannot drink iced tea today without it being sweet and with lemons. I use sweetener now trying to cut down on my real sugar intake. Of course the dilemma of artificial sweetener versus real pure cane sugar always crosses my mind. I guess you trade one vice for the other in hopes of making the best choice.
Watt Pottery is highly collectible and sought after. My grandmothers pitcher is a Watt Pottery #17 USA pitcher. It shows wear and has a crack on the outside of the back of the pitcher.  My grandmother made tea in this pitcher for as long as I can remember. I used to be afraid that when she poured in the warm brewed tea that it would break apart. Eventually I believe she stopped using it to preserve it and not let it get cracked anymore. Some history of Watt Pottery follows.

In 1949 Watt Pottery began hand decorating its pottery pieces. The patterns were simple  with as few brush strokes as possible which allowed for low production costs. The pieces were decorated by teams of three people.The bright colors against the deep creamy clay background gave Watt Pottery a country appeal.
Most pieces of Watt ware are marked. The marks are large, often covering the entire bottom of the piece. They usually consist of one or more circles  impressed into the bottom. The words, "Watt" and "Oven Ware U.S.A." are impressed as well, although some pieces have only one phrase. Classic Patterns often feature a script "Watt" with no circles. Most pieces also have the mold number impressed in the center which helps to make the piece easier to identify.

Watt Pottery reminds of days gone by and simpler times. In my case it reminds me of days at my grandmother's house drinking tea, swinging in the porch swing and eating a delicious made from scratch home cooked meal. Good memories they give us comfort and put a smile on our faces.