Anna Pottery was a company run by brothers Cornwall and W. Wallace Kirkpatrick from 1859 to 1910, in Anna, Illinois. Their folk art pottery was famous for the color of the local clays and whimsical forms that often used political satire in the artistry. They were known for making jugs covered in snakes and pig shaped flasks with railroad maps etched into the surface, among other clever designs.

Anna Pottery may have only been open for around 50 years, but their impact has made them both desirable to art collectors and notable examples of Americana. Some of their work has been displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Illinois State Museum, Missouri History Museum, and was exhibited at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial. Pieces can fetch upwards of $10,000 at auction.

One such piece is now offered in Hake’s premier Auction #246. The landmark Horace Greeley 1872 campaign Anna Pottery pig bottle folk art whiskey flask is 8-1/4” long. It is chocolate brown slip glaze with well formed legs and hooves, one of which forms Greeley’s folded arm and has detailed incised political content. The design features a bespectacled Greeley facing a cartoon trap of his wide brimmed hat with a trigger beneath reading “Presidency.” His hat is incised with a caption “Who Ever Thinks This Is A Trap Is A Liar.”

A midwestern railroad map fills the balance of the surface including esoteric landmarks: “St. Louis The Future Capital,” Miss River, Grand Tower, Narrow Gaga, C & St L R.R., O & M R.R., IC R.R., C.B.I.C.R.R., Jonesboro, Carbondale, Centralia, Odie, C&V R.R., Vincens, Junction, Cairo, Mound City, Louisville, Anna, Cincinnati “The Porkopolis” and Chicago “The Corncrib.”

Only two other Greeley examples are known and this is the most detailed, according to Hake’s.

The Horace Greeley Anna Pottery pig bottle joins over 1,400 lots of Americana and pop culture memorabilia in Hake’s auction. It closes on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24-25, 2026.