Newark Museum Returns David Drake Jug to Family
The museum transferred ownership of an 1852 stoneware jug by enslaved potter David Drake to his descendants.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Fine Art
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The Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey transferred ownership of an 1852 jug made by David Drake to his descendants. The museum reached out to the family over the summer, and the transfer was made with full support of its board of trustees.
Why it matters
The jug, signed by Drake and bearing initials linked to Lewis Miles, the enslaver on whose plantation he was held, reflects growing efforts by museums to reckon with the origins of works created by enslaved people. Other institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, have also transferred Drake vessels.
The jug is dated March 14, 1852, and is signed by David Drake under the name Dave and with the initials LM. The museum reported repurchasing the jug for around $135,000, though it did not confirm an official repurchase price in the source material.
The players
Newark Museum of Art
A museum in Newark, New Jersey, known for its collections of American and decorative arts.
David Drake
An enslaved African American potter who produced stoneware jugs in Edgefield, South Carolina, in the 19th century, many of which are now held by museums.
Yaba Barker
Drake's fourth great-grandson, who is a descendant of the potter and part of the family that received the jug.
The details
The Newark Museum of Art reached out to Drake's descendants over the summer, and the jug was given over to the family before being repurchased by the museum. The museum described the transfer as an act of justice rooted in accountability, repair and healing, and the jug will remain on view while ownership is transferred.
Timeline
March 14, 1852: Date inscribed on the jug.
Summer 2026: Museum reached out to Drake's descendants.
Week of November 12, 2026: Newark Museum announced the ownership transfer.
Art Restitution Trend
The Newark transfer follows earlier returns of Drake vessels by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Together these moves show museums revisiting how they credit and hold works made by enslaved artists.
The jug will remain on view at the Newark Museum of Art while ownership is transferred, so visitors to the galleries for 18th- and 19th-century American art can still see it. The transfer changes who legally owns the object rather than where it is displayed.
The takeaway
Museum ownership of objects made by enslaved people is increasingly being reexamined, and transfers like this one show how institutions can act on questions of provenance and accountability. Readers interested in the history of these works can consider how museum labels and collection records document their origins.
Further reading
Explore more on the Fine Art scene and the collections shaping Newark's museum world.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ARTnews.
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