Arsenal Pottery

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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    1876 - c.1905

Wares

GardenMajolicaOtherRockinghamTablewareWhite granite

Rockingham and brown stoneware, fancy flower pots and hanging baskets, hanging logs, stumps and pedestals, stove collars, yellowware, majolica (Mains & Fitzgerald 1877)

Rockingham and yellowware, including tea and coffee pots, jars, spittoons, dishes, bowls, pans, etc., also majolica ware (Industries of New Jersey 1882:178)

White granite, decorated biscuit, painted and majolica ware … jugs, cuspidors and jardinieres a specialty (Potters National Union 1893)

Majolica jugs, Toby pitchers, teapots, plates, bowls, creamers, vases, jardinieres and spittoons (Snyder and Bockol 1994:139; Snyder 2005:42-43)

Notes

“In the manufacture of Rockingham and Yellow Ware the Mayer Brothers excel. Their manufactures consist of the colored pottery known as Rockingham and Yellow Ware, and include tea and coffee pots, jars, spittoons, dishes, bowls, pans, etc. of superior make and favorably known to the trade of the country. They also manufacture Majolica Ware, and are importers of printed and decorated ware of various kinds.” 

—  Industries of New Jersey, Trenton, Princeton, Hightstown, Pennington and Hopewell.  1882. Historical Publishing Company, New York, New York, Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

Selected References

Industries of New Jersey, Trenton, Princeton, Hightstown, Pennington and Hopewell. 1882. Historical Publishing Company, New York, New York, Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Quarter-Century’s Progress of New Jersey’s Leading Manufacturing Centres. Dover. 1887. International Publishing Company, New York.

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

Snyder, Jeffrey B. and Leslie Bockol. 1994.  Majolica: American and European Wares.  Schiffer Publishing Ltd, Atglen, Pennsylvania.

Liebeknecht, William B. 2000. “Joseph Mayer’s Arsenal Pottery Dump, Part 1: Yellow Ware.” Trenton Potteries, 1(2):1-2, 4.

Liebeknecht, William B. 2000. “Joseph Mayer’s Arsenal Pottery Dump, Part 2: Majolica.” Trenton Potteries, 1(3):4-5

Kelly, Henry E., Arnold A. Kowalsky and Dorothy E. Kowalsky 2001.  “Spongeware, 1835-1935, Makers, Marks and Patterns.”  In: A Schiffer Guide for Collectors with Price Guide, p. 102-104.

Liebeknecht, William B. 2001. “Joseph Mayer’s Arsenal Pottery Dump, Part 3: Cut Sponge Decorated Ironstone China.” Trenton Potteries, 2(3/4):1-4.

Hunter, Richard W. 2003. “The Pottery Decorating Shop of the Mayer Arsenal Pottery Company.” Trenton Potteries, 4(2):1-6.

Earls, Amy. 2004. “Trenton Sponge Wares of the Late 19th Century.” In Earthenware, Crockery, & China in America, 1607-present. URL: http://www.greatestjournal.com/community/potterynews/10420.html. Viewed: May 4, 2004.

Snyder, Jeffrey B. 2005.  Antique Majolica Around the House.  Schiffer Publishing Ltd, Atglen, Pennsylvania.

Other Names

Joseph Mayer's Arsenal Pottery; Mayer Brothers; Arsenal; Mayer Arsenal; Joseph Mayer; Mayer Company; Mayer Pottery Company; Mayer Manufacturing Company

Block and Lot:
71C/32

Historic Street Address:
Third Street corner of Temple Street; Third Street and Schenck Street

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Image Gallery

Mayer Pottery Mfg. Co. wares
Examples of flow blue decorated pottery recovered from Arsenal Pottery waster dump.

Map Gallery

Arsenal Pottery, 1881 Robinson Map
Arsenal Pottery, 1882 Haven Map
Arsenal Pottery, 1886 Sanborn
Arsenal Pottery, 1890 Scarlett & Scarlett
Arsenal Pottery, 1890 Sanborn Map
Arsenal Pottery, 1905 Lathrop
Arsenal Pottery, 1908 Sanborn
Map References

Robinson, E., and R. H. Pidgeon. 1881. Atlas of the City of Trenton and Suburbs New Jersey: From Actual Surveys and Official Records.  E. Robinson, New York, New York.   (Plate J: shown as “Mayer Bros. Rockingham Pottery”)

Haven, C. C.  1882.   A New Real Estate and Insurance Map of the City of Trenton Including Chambersburg, Millham, and Parts of Ewing, Lawrence, and Hamilton Townships, Mercer County. E.P. Noll & Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   (Shown as “Meyer Bros. Rockingham Pottery”)

Sanborn, D. A. 1874.   Insurance Diagrams of Trenton. Corrected to 1886.  D.A. Sanborn, New York, New York.  (Plate 19: shown as “Joseph Mayer’s Pottery”)

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 36: shown as “Mayer Arsenal Pottery”)

Scarlett & Scarlett.  1890.   Scarlett & Scarlett’s Fire Insurance Map of Mercer County.  Scarlett & Scarlett, Newark, New Jersey.  (Plate 28: shown as “Jos. Mayer Manf’r of Majolica Ware”)

Lathrop, J. M. 1905.   Atlas of the City of Trenton and Borough of Princeton. A.H. Mueller & Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Plate 5: shown as “Mayer Pottery Co.”)

1880 Census

Name in censusMayer Brothers
Capital20000
Number of hands30
Males above 1620
Children10
May to Nov hours10
Nov to May hours10
Skilled wages2.1
Ordinary wages1.25
Total wages in year7800
Full time months12
Value of raw material2000
Value of product20800