City 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    1853-1856

Wares

Cream colored wareHardwarePorcelainTablewareWhite granite

Doorknobs, doorplates, escutcheons, harness furniture (Harney 1929);

Porcelain doorknobs, plates and pitchers, white granite ware and cream-colored ware (Goldberg 1998:12-14).

Notes

“William Young was the first potter to attempt the manufacture of porcelain in Trenton.”

— Denker, Ellen Paul. 1989.  Lenox China: Celebrating a Century of Quality 1889-1989.  Lenox, Inc., Trenton, New Jersey.

 

Selected References

“The Manufactories of Trenton. Article II. The Pottery Trade.” Trenton State Gazette, Monday, August 27, 1866.

Raum, J.O. 1871. History of the City of Trenton. W.T. Nicholson & Co., Trenton, New Jersey.

“The Trenton Potteries: 20 years Ago and Today.” Daily State Gazette, October 6, 1879.

Thomas Maddock’s Sons Co. 1910.  Pottery: A History of the Pottery Industry and Its Evolution as Applies to Sanitation.  Thomas Maddock’s Sons, Trenton, New Jersey.

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

Podmore, Harry J. 1951. “City Pottery.” Sunday Times Advertiser, August 5, 1951.

Leibowitz, Joan. 1985.  Yellow Ware: The Transitional Ceramic.  Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Denker, Ellen Paul. 1989.  Lenox China: Celebrating a Century of Quality 1889-1989.  Lenox, Inc., Trenton, New Jersey.

Frelinghuysen, Alice Cooney. 1989.  American Porcelain, 1770-1920.  Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York.

Goldberg, David. 1999. “Mr. Young’s White Bird Whistle.” Trenton Potteries 1:4(6).

Hunter Research, Inc. 2005. “Historical and Archaeological Investigations at the Excelsior Pottery Site, South Street Bridge Replacement Project, City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey.” Report on file, New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (NJDEP), Trenton, New Jersey.

Other firms at this site:

Other Names

William Young & Company

Block and Lot:
36B/26-30, 33

Historic Street Address:
Perry St. between East Canal St. and Carroll St.; Canal St. corner of Perry St.; Delaware and Raritan Canal above Rose; Perry near Carroll; Carroll near Perry; Ewing corner of Ogden; Carroll and Ewing; Perry, Carroll and Ewing; Perry corner of Canal

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Image Gallery

Book Flask, yellowware with green and brown spotted lead glaze, made by William H. Young Pottery, 1852-1859, 4.75 in H. This rare flask in the shape of a book retains the collection label of George McKearin, an early American antiquarian and ceramics collector. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH355.8
Book Flask, yellowware with green and brown spotted lead glaze, made by William H. Young Pottery, 1852-1859, 4.75 in H. This rare flask in the shape of a book retains the collection label of George McKearin, an early American antiquarian and ceramics collector. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH355.8
Commemorative Pitcher, press-molded porcelain with gilding, made by William Young & Company, 1853-1857, 7.5 in H. The pitcher is inscribed to William Young Senior. It descended in the Young family. Young was a founder of the pottery with Richard Millington, John Astbury and Young's three sons, Edward, John and William Junior. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH1986.44.21