A rare early 20th-century Buffalo Pottery advertising plate featuring J.P. Alley’s “Hambone” comic character, created to promote 5¢ cigars. Produced in 1911, this semi-vitreous porcelain plate captures a specific era of American commercial art and racialized caricature, now recognized as part of the nation’s complex visual history.

This plate is offered for archival and educational purposes only. It serves as a study in material culture, advertising history, and the racial imagery once used in popular media.

Details

• Maker: Buffalo Pottery, marked “Semi-Vitreous – Buffalo Pottery 1911”

• Material: glazed semi-vitreous porcelain with metal stand (not pictured)

• Diameter: 10 in (25 cm)

• Condition: visible surface wear, light staining, and patina consistent with age. Minor glaze crackling and edge wear. Piece has not been cleaned to preserve authenticity.

• Provenance: private collection

Historical Note

Buffalo Pottery was known for its high-quality ceramics and limited-edition advertising ware. This “Hambone” example is among the rarer pieces from their early 1910s line, predating the company’s more widely known Deldare and Cattail series.