Anchor Pottery

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HOW TO USE THE DATABASE

The Database is organized by location, but you can find a pottery initially by searching for its name, which is at the top of the of the page with dates of operation below. Alternate names and the names of other potteries on the same site are noted at the top of the right-hand column, just above the pottery’s location.

The types of wares made appear below the pottery name in the left-hand column, followed by the references that informed these classifications.

Sample images of maker’s marks may be enlarged by clicking on the image.

Notes include a variety of information compiled from many standard sources and are presented as miscellaneous tidbits.

In the Gallery and Map Gallery in the right-hand column you will see historic images and insurance maps of the pottery’s facilities if available as well as historic advertisements and images of the wares made.

You can download more detailed information in all of these categories by choosing a PDF of the pottery’s full listing, which also includes the documentary sources. The PDF is text only and does not contain any images.  Data from the 1860, 1870 and 1880 industrial censuses area also included in the PDF if they exist for a given pottery. This data gives you a picture of the size of the pottery operation and the age and gender makeup of its work force.

You can help expand the database by contributing pictures and information. Contact POTS by the email address at the bottom of the page.

In operation    1884-1926

Wares

Cream colored wareElectricalPorcelainTablewareToilet setsWhite granite

Cream-colored ware, white granite, semi-porcelains, dinner and toilet ware (Trenton Board of Trade 1900)

Porcelain goods (Industrial Directory 1906)

Electrical porcelain (Industrial Directory 1909)

Dinner and toilet ware (Industrial Directory 1912, 1918, 1927)

Notes

The pottery was operated by James E. Norris. Area of approximately 440′ x 550′ on the Delaware and Raritan Canal between Pennsylvania railroad and Philadelphia & Reading railroad; the factory has spurs from each line. The pottery owned fourteen kilns (four biscuit, five gloss and five decorating) and employed two hundred fifty hands. Products were chiefly high grade cream colored ware, white granite and semi-porcelain dinner and toilet ware, both plain and decorated. Their products were shipped throughout the northeast United States.

— Trenton Board of Trade. 1900. Industrial Trenton and Vicinity. George A. Wolf Publishers, Wilmington, Delaware.

 

Selected References

Trenton Board of Trade. 1900. Industrial Trenton and Vicinity. George A. Wolf Publishers, Wilmington, Delaware.

Harney, W.J. 1929. “Trenton’s First Potteries.” Sunday Times Advertiser, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, 1929.

Branin, M. Lelyn. 1988.  The Early Makers of Handcrafted Earthenware and Stoneware in Central and Southern New Jersey.  Associated University Presses, Inc., Cranbury, New Jersey.

Goldberg, David J. 1998.  Preliminary Notes on the Pioneer Potters and Potteries of Trenton, N.J.: The First Thirty Years – 1852 – 1882 (And Beyond).  Privately published, Trenton, New Jersey.

Other firms at this site:

Other Names

Anchor Pottery

Block and Lot:
213A/1,2; 217D; 217E

Historic Street Address:
New York Ave corner Mulberry St; E. Trenton above Canal; Delaware & Raritan Canal; Delaware & Raritan Canal above Rose; South Rose; New York Ave near Olden; 930 New York Ave

Municipality:
Millham Township; City of Trenton

Image Gallery

Anchor Pottery, 1900 Industrial Trenton (Wolf p. 73 center)
Anchor Pottery, 1900 Industrial Trenton (Wolf p. 73 top)
Anchor Pottery, 1900 Industrial Trenton (Wolf p. 73 bottom)
Commemorative Pitcher, press-molded semi-porcelain with transfer-printed and painted designs that incorporate elements of the Great Seal with American flags, made by Anchor Pottery, ca.1915, 8 in H. Commemorates the First World War. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH1971.191

Map Gallery

Anchor Pottery, 1873-80 Enterprise Land Co Site Plan
Anchor Pottery, 1886 Sanborn
Anchor Pottery, 1890 Scarlett & Scarlett
Anchor Pottery, 1890 Sanborn
Anchor Pottery, 1905 Lathrop
Anchor Pottery, 1908 Sanborn
Map References

Sanborn, D. A. 1874.   Insurance Diagrams of Trenton. Corrected to 1886.  D.A. Sanborn, New York, New York.   (Plate 16: shown as “I. Lacy’s Anchor Pottery”)

Bourquin, F., and C. C. Haven. 1873-1880. Enterprise Land Company plan of building lots and manufacturing sites lying between Brunswick Avenue and Clinton Street, East Trenton, N.J.  Enterprise Land Company, Trenton, New Jersey.   (Shown as “Anchor Pottery Co.”)

Sanborn‑Perris Map Company.  1890.   Insurance Maps of the City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Sanborn‑Perris Map Company, New York, New York.   (Plate 19: shown as “Anchor”)

Scarlett & Scarlett.  1890.   Scarlett & Scarlett’s Fire Insurance Map of Mercer County.  Scarlett & Scarlett, Newark, New Jersey.  (Plate 63: shown as “Anchor Pottery”)

Lathrop, J. M. 1905.   Atlas of the City of Trenton and Borough of Princeton. A.H. Mueller & Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Plate 15: shown as “Anchor Pottery”)

Sanborn Map Company.  1908.  Insurance Maps of the City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey, Volume 1. Sanborn Map Company, New York, New York.  (Vol.1, plate 52: shown as “Anchor Pottery, James E. Norris, proprietor”)