Pottery Marks and Pottery Markings
of
American Made Pottery

Pottery Marks can be found on the underside of most pieces of pottery. Whether you found an interesting piece of pottery at a flea market, or have been storing a piece, turn it upside down and take a look for the mark on the bottom. It may provide insight as to where, when, and by whom it was produced.

This page will primarily focus on early American manufactured pottery and their unique pottery marks. An interesting thing about American made pottery is that unlike early British made pottery, that often followed an unchanging style pattern, American made pottery often spanned the spectrum in styles. There is quite a wide variety of American made pottery.

Edwin A. Barber published a comprehensive pottery marks book in 1904 primarily dealing with pottery marks used prior to 1900. A common historical demarcation used is 1920. Works created prior to 1920 often have decisively different pottery marks than those created after 1920.

Prior to World War I with American participation during the years 1917-1918, the perception was that European pottery was superior to that of American Potters, and therefore many of the pottery marks closely resembled those of European manufacturers.

However, after World War I, a new found patriotism existed, and American potters began using more Americanized pottery markings including much greater use of the words, American, and USA. American companies began modernizing their facilities and improving their abilities to manufacture pottery. Many companies that did not follow suit quickly dissolved.

In 1917, the Lenox Company was invited to supply fine porcelain to the White House. This was a first, as European companies previously always supplied fine dinnerware to the White House.

American pottery manufacturing was quite strong between 1930’s and 1950’s. However, the 1950’s began to see erosion of the American pottery market as the Asian imports began to arrive and undercut the American pottery.

It's fascinating how so much pottery was manufactured in Ohio. In 1839-1840, James Bennett, a trained English potter, began this chief industry in East Liverpool, Ohio. As you peruse the various pottery marks, note how many are from East Liverpool, Steubenville, and East Palestine, all locations in the eastern region of Ohio. Although other individuals had used the natural clay resources to produce pottery, Bennett was the first to successfully manufacture and market this product. Potting in those days was all done by hand and "throwing" on a potters wheel was the only method of forming the ware. The finished product would then be taken in wagons to markets around the countryside or on trading boats down the Ohio River. Pottery would be traded for anything that would be valuable back home in East Liverpool. Upon returning from a successful trip the hard working potters would be paid with these bartered goods and work would begin on another kiln (pronounced kill) of ware. Other potteries sprang up and East Liverpool became known as "Crockery City" and was the only community in the United States wholly devoted to the manufacture of pottery.

Again for our purposes on this page, we will only be identifying American made pottery marks. So take a look at the piece in question, and look for any Country indication. If there is a country name and it is not USA or America, for the time being, you will have to use another source other than Brothers Handmade.

If the pottery mark has a company name, you can use the search field to find if it is listed on the site. Or you can scan down through the company names listed, and select the one that applies.

Look for other identifying words on the pottery mark. But note that words such as: warranted, ironstone china, semi porcelain, and semi vitreous can be a bit misleading and not really provide much useful identifying information.

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2012 Qtr. 1 - Archived Pottery Mark Questions/Comments can be found here.

2012 Qtr. 2 - Archived Pottery Mark Questions/Comments can be found here.

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An interesting note is that many early American pottery marks actually had the British coat of arms displayed. The British coat of arms includes a lion, shield, unicorn, and crown on top. The reason being is that despite the fine quality of the American made potter, the general perception was that British pottery was of better quality. So early American potters often used this in their pottery marks so as not to turn off prospective buyers. Fortunately, these early American potters also included their company names along with the coat of arms. This is key in identifying such works.

Books used for researching these pottery marks include:

• Jervis, W. Percival. A Book of Pottery, Porcelain, and Clay. Paducah, KY. Collector Books, 1988
• Barber, Edwin AtLee. The Pottery and Porcelain of the United States. Putnam and Sons. 1909
• Kovel, Ralph M. The Kovels' American art pottery : the collector's guide to makers, marks, and factory histories. Crown Publishers, 1993
• DeBolt, C. Gerald. DeBolt's Dictionary of American Pottery Marks, White and Porcelain. Paducah, KY. Collector Books. 1994

American Crockery Co. Trenton, NJ 1876-1890	Akron China Co Akron, OH 1898-1905	Akron China Co Akron, OH 1898-1905	Akron China Co. Akron, OH 1905

Alliance Vitreous China Co. Alliance, OH 1910-1930	Acme Pottery Crooksville, OH 1903-1905	American China Co Toronto, OH 1897-1904	American China Co Toronto, OH 1897-1904

American China Co. Toronto, OH 1897-1904	American China Co. Toronto, OH 1897-1904	American Chinaware Corp East Liverpool, OH 1929-1931	American Chinaware Corp East Liverpool, OH 1929-1931

American Chinaware Corp. East Liverpool, OH 1929-1931	American Crockery Co. Trenton, NJ 1880	American Pottery Works East Liverpool, OH 1887-1895	Sebring Pottery Co_ Sebring, OH 1890-1900

Sebring Pottery Co. Sebring, OH 1895-1905	Anchor Pottery Co Trenton, NJ 1894	Anchor Pottery Co Trenton, NJ 1894	Anchor Pottery Co Trenton, NJ 1898

Anchor Pottery Co Trenton, NJ 1898	Anchor Pottery Co Trenton, NJ 1898	JH-Baum Wellsville, OH 1888-1896	JH-Baum Wellsville, OH 1888-1896

Bell Pottery Co Findlay, OH 1888-1904	Edwin Bennett Pottery Co Baltimore, MD 1848-1856	Edwin Bennett Pottery Co Baltimore, MD 1886	Edwin Bennett Pottery Co Baltimore, MD 1886

Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880-1900	Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880-1900	Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880	Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880

Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880	Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880	Buford Brothers Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880-1889	Burroughs-Mountford-Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1895

Burroughs-Mountford-Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1895	Burroughs-Mountford-Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1895	Burroughs-Mountford-Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1895	Burroughs-Mountford-Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1895

Burroughs Mountford Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1895	Carr-China-Co_ Grafton, WV 1947	C.C. Thompson Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1890-1905	C.C. Thompson Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1905-1915

C.C. Thompson Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1905-1930	City Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1876	City Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1878	Colonial-Company East Liverpool, OH 1903-1915

Colonial-Company East Liverpool, OH 1910-1920	Colonial-Company East Liverpool, OH 1915-1930	Crescent Pottery Trenton, NJ 1885	Crescent Pottery Trenton, NJ 1890

Crescent Pottery Trenton, NJ 1896-1898	Crescent Pottery Trenton, NJ 1896-1898	Crescent Pottery Trenton, NJ 1899-1902	Crescent Pottery Trenton, NJ 1900-1902

Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1902-1910	Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1910-1920	Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1910-1920	Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1910-1920

Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1920	Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1930	Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1930	Crooksville China Co. Crooksville, OH 1930

Crown Pottery Co. Evansville, IN 1891-1904	Crown Pottery Co. Evansville, IN 1891-1904	Crown Pottery Co. Evansville, IN 1900	Crown Pottery Co. Evansville, IN 1905-1915

Crown Pottery Co. Evansville, IN 1936	Crown Pottery Co. Evansville, IN 1946	Dedham Pottery Dedham, MA 1896-1943	Delaware Pottery Trenton, NJ 1884-1895

Delaware Pottery Trenton, NJ 1884-1895	D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1892-1900	D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1895-1900	D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1895-1905

D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1900-1910	D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1900	D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1905-1915	D. E. McNicol Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1910-1920

East Morrisania China Works New York, NY 1890-1904	East Morrisania China Works New York, NY 1890-1904	East Morrisania China Works New York, NY 1885-1895	East Morrisania China Works New York, NY 1895-1905

East Palestine Pottery Co. East Palestine, OH 1895-1905	Edwin Bennett Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1890-1897	Edwin Bennett Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1892	Edwin M. Knowles China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1901-1904

Edwin M. Knowles China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1915	Edwin M. Knowles China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1936	Faience Manufacturing Co. Greenpoint, NY 1880	Faience Manufacturing Co. Greenpoint, NY 1885

Faience Manufacturing Co. Greenpoint, NY 1886-1892	Geijsbeek-Pottery Co. Denver, CO 1900	Geijsbeek-Pottery Co. Golden, CO 1901-1904	Glasgow Pottery. Trenton, NJ 1878

Glasgow Pottery Trenton, NJ 1880	Glasgow Pottery Trenton, NJ 1884	Glasgow Pottery Trenton, NJ 1893	Glasgow Pottery Trenton, NJ 1890-1900

Globe Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1896	Globe Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1898	Hall China Co.. East Liverpool, OH 1903-1910	Hall China Co.. East Liverpool, OH 1905

Hall China Co.1930-1970 East Liverpool, OH 1930-1970	Homer Laughlin China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1877-1890	Homer Laughlin China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1886-1889	Homer Laughlin China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1890-1900

Homer Laughlin China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1897-1905	Homer Laughlin China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1900	International Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1885	International Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1880-1889

International Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1885-1891	John Wyllie & Co. Pittsburgh, PA 1870-1874	John Wyllie & Son East Liverpool, OH 1875-1883	John Wyllie & Son East Liverpool, OH 1875-1883

John Wyllie & Co. Pittsburgh, PA 1880-1883	John Wyllie & Co. Pittsburgh, PA 1883-1888	Knowles, Taylor & Knowles-Co. East Liverpool, OH 1872-1878	Knowles, Taylor & Knowles-Co. East Liverpool, OH 1878-1885

Knowles, Taylor & Knowles-Co. East Liverpool, OH 1878-1885	Thomas Maddock & Sons Trenton, NJ 1882-1902	Thomas Maddock & Sons Trenton, NJ 1900	Maryland Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1879-1881

Maryland Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1879-1881	Maryland Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1880-1892	Maryland Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1881-1885	Maryland Pottery Co. Baltimore, MD 1883-1891

Mercer Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1885	Mercer Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1880-1885	Mercer Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1880-1889	Mercer Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1890-1899

Mercer Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1880-1889	New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1878-1883	New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1883-1886	New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1886-1888

New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1886-1888	New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1886-1892	New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1888-1889	New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1889-1895

New England Pottery Co. East Boston, MA 1897-1905	New York City Pottery New York, NY 1860	New York City Pottery New York, NY 1871	New York City Pottery New York, NY 1871

New York City Pottery New York, NY 1872-1888	New York City Pottery New York, NY 1872-1888	New York City Pottery New York, NY 1872-1888	New York City Pottery New York, NY 1879

Ott & Brewer Trenton, NJ 1863-1869	Ott & Brewer Trenton, NJ 1870-1879	Ott & Brewer Trenton, NJ 1870-1879	Ott & Brewer Trenton, NJ 1878-1880

Ott & Brewer Trenton, NJ 1880-1889	Paden City Pottery Co. Paden City, WV 1933	Paden City Pottery Co. Paden City, WV 1951	Peoria Pottery Co. Peoria, IL 1860-1863

Peoria Pottery Co. Peoria, IL 1888-1890	Peoria Pottery Co. Peoria, IL 1890-1899	Pickard China Chicago, IL 1895-1898	Pickard China Chicago, IL 1898

Pope-Gosser China Co. Coshocton, OH 1905-1915	Pope-Gosser China Co. Coshocton, OH 1924	Royal China Co. Sebring, OH 1954	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1898-1905

Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1898-1905	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1918-1925	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1925-1930	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1927-1935

Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1935-1945	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1918-1925	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1936-1950	Salem China Co. Salem, OH 1944-1950

Sevres China Co. East Liverpool, OH 1900-1908	Southern Potteries, Inc. Erwin, TN 1926	Southern Potteries, Inc. Erwin, TN 1930-1939	Southern Potteries, Inc. Erwin, TN 1930-1939

Steubenville Pottery Co. Steubenville, OH 1880-1889	Steubenville Pottery Co. Steubenville, OH 1885-1890	Steubenville Pottery Co. Steubenville, OH 185-1895	Steubenville Pottery Co. Steubenville, OH 1890-1899

Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1901-1915	Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1905-1920	Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1908-1915	Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1916-1925

Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1926	Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1926	Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1929	Taylor, Smith, & Taylor Co. East Liverpool, OH 1936

Thomas Maddock & Sons Trenton, NJ 1902	Union Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1870-1879	Union Pottery Co. Trenton, NJ 1880	Universal Potteries, Inc. Cambridge, OH 1940-1949

Universal Potteries, Inc. Cambridge, OH 1940-1955	Universal Potteries, Inc. Cambridge, OH 1948-1959	Vodrey & Brother East Liverpool, OH 1880-1890	Vodrey & Brother East Liverpool, OH 1885-1895

Vodrey & Brother East Liverpool, OH 1890-1896	Vodrey & Brother East Liverpool, OH 1890-1896	Vodrey Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH *1910-1928	Wallace & Chetwund Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1881-1900

*According to Sarah W. Vodrey, Director, The Museum of Ceramics, East Liverpool, Ohio - The Vodrey dragon and crown mark shown is believed to have been used between 1910 and 1928 when the pottery finally closed after the family's 101 year history of pottery production in this (U.S.A.) country.

Wallace & Chetwund Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1881-1900	Wallace & Chetwund Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1881-1900	Wallace & Chetwund Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1881-1900	Warwick China Co. Wheeling, WV 1890

Warwick China Co. Wheeling, WV 1892-1900	Warwick China Co. Wheeling, WV 1898-1910	Warwick China Co. Wheeling, WV 1900-1905	West End Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1893-1910

West End Pottery Co. East Liverpool, OH 1915	Wheeling Pottery Co. Wheeling, WV 1880-1886	Wheeling Pottery Co. Wheeling, WV 1880-1886	Wheeling Pottery Co. Wheeling, WV 1880-1886

Willets Manufacturing Co. Trenton, NJ 1879-1884	Willets Manufacturing Co. Trenton, NJ 1884-1890	Willets Manufacturing Co. Trenton, NJ 1890-1899	Willets Manufacturing Co. Trenton, NJ 1890-1899

William Brunt Jr. & Co. East Liverpool, OH 1877-1882	William Brunt Jr. & Co. East Liverpool, OH 1877-1882	William Brunt Jr. & Co. East Liverpool, OH 1880

For more information on American Pottery Marks, checkout the books referenced above. Even of the strictly American Pottery Marks, this page only displays a subset of all the pottery marks in existence.

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