Clinton Street 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.

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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.

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In operation    1863-1869

Wares

Cream colored wareHotel chinaTablewareWhite granite

Cream-colored ware, white granite ware (Mains and Fitzgerald 1877; Goldberg 1998:36-37)

Notes

“In the spring of 1863, Mr. Charles Coxon built two kilns on the present site, which with auxiliary buildings, formed a frontage of one hundred feet on Clinton Avenue. Shortly afterwards an addition of thirty-three feet was made to the frontage. In August of that year, Mr. John F. Thompson entered into a co-partnership with Mr. Coxon, and the firm became Coxon and Thompson. The manufacture of C.C. ware was commenced, on the opening of the pottery by Mr. Coxon, which met with success. At the end of the first year the manufacture of W.G. ware was begun, which also was successful.”

— Mains, Bishop W. and Fitzgerald, Thomas F. 1877-1879.  Mains and Fitzgerald’s Trenton, Chambersburg and Millham Directory: Containing the Names of the Citizens, Statistical Business Report, Historical Sketches, a List of the Public and Private Institutions, Together with National, State, County, and City Government.  Bishop W. Mains & Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Trenton, New Jersey.

Selected References

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

Mains, Bishop W. and Fitzgerald, Thomas F. 1877-1879.  Mains and Fitzgerald’s Trenton, Chambersburg and Millham Directory: Containing the Names of the Citizens, Statistical Business Report, Historical Sketches, a List of the Public and Private Institutions, Together with National, State, County, and City Government.  Bishop W. Mains & Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Trenton, New Jersey.

Woodward, E.M. and John F. Hageman. 1883.  History of Burlington and Mercer Counties.  Everts and Peck, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Van Hoesen, Walter Hamilton. 1973.  Crafts and Craftsmen of 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

Clinton Street Pottery; Coxon & Company

Block and Lot:
39-1B/1

Historic Street Address:
Clinton Avenue on Belvidere and Delaware Railroad; Clinton Avenue on Perry Street; North Clinton Avenue corner of Ott Street

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Image Gallery

Basin and Ewer, press-molded ironstone with transfer-printed decoration, made by Coxon and Company, ca. 1863-1864, ewer 12.125 in H, basin 14.5 in diam. A typical bedroom wash set could include a basin and ewer, smaller hot water ewer, shaving mug, soap dish, brush holder, chamber pot, and slop jar. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH1993.4.2-3
Basin and Ewer, press-molded ironstone with transfer-printed decoration, made by Coxon and Company, ca. 1863-1864, ewer 12.125 in H, basin 14.5 in diam. A typical bedroom wash set could include a basin and ewer, smaller hot water ewer, shaving mug, soap dish, brush holder, chamber pot, and slop jar. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH1993.4.2-3