1880s

Potter: Wick China Company

Biography

John Wick Jr. founded Wick China Company (1889-1913) as well as the town of Wickboro in Pennsylvania.  Prior to forming this pottery, Mr. Wick was one of the operators of Ford China company in Ford City, Pennsylvania.  Mr. Wick built a pottery, a school and donated land for commercial enterprises all to make the town that bore his name a viable entity.  The pottery. which was located on North Water Street in Wickboro, was destroyed in a fire in 1914.

Location: Wickboror (Kittaning), Pennsylvania
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Aurora
Erie
Knoble
Motifs:
Tea Leaf

Potter: Wheeling Pottery

Biography

Wheeling Pottery Co. (1879-1923) was organized by George K. Wheat, William A. Isert and Edward Meakin Pearson.  Mr. Pearson served as General Manager.  He was a former Staffordshire potter connected to many of the principal members of the pottery industry in England.  Wheeling Pottery became one of the largest potteries in the U.S. consisting of fifteen kilns and thirteen decorating kilns.

Location: Wheeling, West Virginia
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Unknown
Motifs:
Tea Leaf

Potter: Wallace & Chetwynd

Biography

Founded by a Mr. Wallace and Joseph Chetwynd, the Wallace & Chetwynd Co. (1881-1901) operated in the former Harker "Wedgewood" pottery.  The facility was renamed "Colonial."  Mr. Chetwynd was a Staffordshire potter who had been employed as a manager and modeler in the Cockson & Chetwynd Pottery.  The Colonial Pottery was noted for the excellence of their ironstone.

Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Gently Panelled
Unknown
Motifs:
Moss Rose
Tea Leaf

Potter: Vodrey & Brother Pottery

Biography

Jabez Vodrey was a Staffordshire potter who came to American in the 1840's working in New Jersey, Kentucky and Indiana potteries before settling in East Liverpool Ohio.  His first pottery there was established in 1847, but it was in 1876 that his sons, William, James and John, built the Vodrey & Brother Pottery and began the production of white ware.  In 1896 the pottery was incorporated as Vodrey Pottery Company.

Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Cable Shape
Ursilla
Motifs:
Tea Leaf

Potter: Trenton Pottery

Biography

Trenton Pottery Co. (1852-1890) was founded by James Taylor and Henry Speeler.  Originially the pottery was named Taylor & Speeler until 1860 when Speeler sold his interest in the company.  It became the Trenton Pottery Co. in 1865.  In 1875, Isaac Davis became the sole owner and although the pottery was still called Trenton Pottery, it was actually J. Davis Pottery.  Trenton Pottery is NOT the same company as Trenton Potteries.

Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Dinnerware
Treatments: Copper Lustre, Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Plain Uplift
Unknown
Motifs:
Tea Leaf

Potter: Steubenville Pottery

Biography

Steubenville Pottery (1881-1960) was founded by a group of Steubenville businessmen who persuaded A. B. Beck, a Staffordshire potter, to come to Steubenville to set up a pottery.  The city had several important prerequisites for a pottery:  easy transportation via the river and the Pan Handle Railroad, coal beds inside the city, and a ready supply of workers.  The first kiln was drawn in 1881.  In 1895 the factory converted to gas-fired kilns and employed over 200 workers.

Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Copper Lustre, Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Cable Shape
Plain Collar
Simple Square - Pagoda
Unknown
Motifs:
Moss Rose
Pomegranate
Tea Leaf
Tea Plum

Potter: Sebring Pottery

Biography

Sebring Pottery Co. (1887-1940) was founded by the five Sebring brothers.  The five kiln pottery was successful enough to add a second plant of six kilns built in the East End of East Liverpool Ohio called the Klondike facility because of its distrance from the center of town.  Sebring Pottery was so successful that the brothers bought land in Ohio in 1898 and built their own city, christened Sebring, which became the site of their potteries.  Tea Leaf products were made in East Liverpool not Sebring Ohio.

Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Copper Lustre, Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Golden Drape
Plain Round
Scroll and Fan
Simple Square - Pagoda
Motifs:
Botanical
Tea Leaf

Potter: The Potters Cooperative

Biography

The Potters Cooperative (aka TPC) was started by a group of disgruntled potters who had been locked out of their potteries after trying to form a Pottery Workers Union.  The facility operated from 1882 to 1925.  The facility used was at the Dresden Works which accounts for the number of pieces marked with Dresden's backstamp.  H. A. McNicol (see McNicol, Burton and D. E. McNicol) became President when the other potters returned to their original works.  

Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Bath, Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
American Favorite
Unknown
Motifs:
Tea Leaf
Tea Plum

Potter: Pioneer Pottery

Biography

Pioneer Pottery Co. (1884-1900) was founded by Hamer Michaels, I. B. Clark and George Morley.  Before 1884 they operated a two kiln pottery in Wellsville, West Virginia as Morley & Co.  Morley withdrew in 1884 and the pottery continued under the name Pioneer Pottery until 1890 when the pottery closed.  Then this pottery becamee known as Wellsville China Co.

Location: Wellsville, West Virginia
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1880s, 1890s, 20th Century
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Unknown
Motifs:
Tea Leaf

Potter: Ott & Brewer

Biography

Ott & Brewer (1871-1893) was founded by Jospeh Ott and his nephew, John Hart Brewer.  They took over the pottery facility of Bloor, Ott and Brewer when William Bloor returned to East Liverpool Ohio. changing the name to Ott & Brewer.  The pottery was known as the Eturia facility.  Ott was a well known businessman of Trenton and Brewer was a potter.  The company was recognized as outstanding makers of ironstone as well as developers of American Belleek, winning prizes in the 1876 Centennial Exposition.

Location: Trenton, New Jersey
Origins: American
Manufacturing Era: 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
Type of Company: Potter
Type of Ware: Dinnerware
Treatments: Gold Lustre
Body Styles:
Unknown
Motifs:
Tea Leaf