The Milwaukee Art Museum has transferred ownership of two 19th-century stoneware vessels created by David Drake to the descendants of the acclaimed African American ceramicist.
The agreement enables the vessels to remain available for long-term public display while formally recognizing Drake's family as their rightful owners. For his descendants, the transfer acknowledges not only the objects' artistic value but also the enduring voice of an ancestor whose work continues to resonate more than 175 years later.
A Distinctive Voice in American Ceramics
Also known as Dave the Potter, Drake was born around 1801 and worked in Edgefield, South Carolina, a major center of ceramic production in the 19th-century American South. He became known for producing remarkably large, technically refined stoneware jars.
What makes his work especially significant is its written dimension. Drake inscribed many vessels with his name, dates and original rhyming lines, creating a rare personal record within the material culture of his era. His inscriptions expressed authorship, skill and creative agency at a time when literacy for Black Americans faced severe restrictions in the region.
The two vessels reflect the meeting point of craftsmanship, language and cultural memory. Their ownership transfer places family stewardship at the center of their future while preserving opportunities for audiences to encounter Drake's exceptional artistic legacy.
This model may encourage museums to explore more collaborative approaches to collection stewardship, connecting cultural institutions, communities and family histories in meaningful new ways.
