1840s

From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick is stamped “BARRE. F,” although documentary research failed to find more about this brickmaker. This sample is a fire brick, has sharp edges, and is struck from header to header across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was cut with a wire. The lack of sand in the surface indicates that oil was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been produced by extrusion through a type of soft mud machine. However, it is relatively heavier than other bricks in the soft red group and may have been repressed. SRGS1 is also cracked and deformed.”