International 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    1879-1936

Wares

Cream colored wareHotel chinaPorcelainRockinghamTablewareToilet setsWhite graniteYellowware

Yellowware (Raum 1871)

White granite, c.c. and decorated ware (Industries of New Jersey 1882:214)

Rockingham, white granite, cream colored, and fancy decorated (Woodward and Hageman 1883)

White granite earthenware (Industrial Directory 1901)

Vitrified china and porcelain (Industrial Directory 1906)

Toilet and dinnerware (Industrial Directory 1909)

Dinner and hotel ware (Industrial Directory 1912, 1918)

Dinner, toilet & hotel ware (Industrial Directory 1927)

Semi-porcelain table & toilet ware (Industrial Directory 1931)

Royal Blue, white granite, semi-porcelain and china wares (Harney 1929; Abramson and Karschner 1976)

Notes

“The International Pottery Company’s works is another large establishment founded on the modest beginning of the earlier potteries in this city of potteries, and Messrs. Burgess & Campbell, the proprietors, have concentrated all their efforts on the one point of producing the best class of white granite and semi-porcelain. They have succeeded in placing on the market an excellent grade of the two lines mentioned, and have gained a reputation for durability of goods that cannot be disputed.”

— “Among the Potters.” Trenton Evening Times, Sunday, November 15, 1885.

 

Selected References

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

“Among the Potters.” Trenton Evening Times, Sunday, November 15, 1885.

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

Podmore, Harry J. 1954. “International Pottery Co.” Sunday Times Advertiser, November 28, 1954.

Lehner, Lois. 1980.  Complete Book of American Kitchen and Dinner Wares.  Wallace-Homestead Book Company, Des Moines, Iowa.

Gaston, Mary Frank. 1994.  Collector’s Encyclopedia of Flow Blue China.  Collector Books, Paducah, Kentucky.

Stern, Marc Jeffrey. 1994.  The Pottery Industry of Trenton: A Skilled Trade in Transition, 1850-1929.  Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, 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

International Pottery Company; Burgess & Campbell

Block and Lot:
3F

Historic Street Address:
Canal Street near Front Street; West Canal and Assanpink; West Canal corner of Plymouth; East Front Street Basin; Stockton and Front Street Basin

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Image Gallery

International Pottery, 1900 Industrial Trenton
International Pottery, 1900 Industrial Trenton (Wolf p. 78 bottom)

Map Gallery

International Pottery 1881 Robinson Map
International Pottery 1882 Haven Map
International Pottery, 1886 Sanborn
International Pottery, 1890 Scarlett & Scarlett
International Pottery 1890 Sanborn Map
International Pottery, 1905 Lathrop
International Pottery, 1908 Sanborn
International Pottery 1927 Sanborn Map
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 A: shown as “International 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 “International Pottery”)

Sanborn, D. A. 1874.   Insurance Diagrams of Trenton. Corrected to 1886.  D.A. Sanborn, New York, New York.  (Plate 10: shown as “International 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 24: shown as “International Pottery”)

Scarlett & Scarlett.  1890.   Scarlett & Scarlett’s Fire Insurance Map of Mercer County.  Scarlett & Scarlett, Newark, New Jersey.  (Plate 4: shown as “International Pottery Co. Burgess & Campbell”)

Lathrop, J. M. 1905.   Atlas of the City of Trenton and Borough of Princeton. A.H. Mueller & Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Plate 1: shown as “International Pottery”)

Sanborn Map Company.  1927.  Insurance Maps of the City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Sanborn Map Company, New York, New York.  (Vol. 1, plate 15: shown as “International Pottery”)

Franklin Survey Co.  1930.  Real Estate Plat‑Book of the City of Trenton and Borough of Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Franklin Survey Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Plate 6: shown as “International Pottery”)

1880 Census

Name in censusInternational Pottery Co.
Capital20000
Number of hands175
Males above 1665
Females above 1513
Children27
May to Nov hours10
Nov to May hours10
Skilled wages2.25
Ordinary wages1.25
Total wages in year38625
Full time months11
Months idle1
Value of raw material29750
Value of product81400
Number of engines1
Horse power30