Keystone 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    1890-1935

Wares

Sanitary

Sanitary earthenware in vitreous china (Trenton Board of Trade 1900)

Sanitary earthenware (Industrial Directory 1901)

China and sanitary ware (Industrial Directory 1906)

Earthenware specialties (Industrial Directory 1909)

Sanitary earthenware (Industrial Directory 1912, 1918, 1927)

Sanitary pottery (Industrial Directory 1931)

Sanitary ware (Industrial Directory 1934)

Notes

“Keystone made vitreous china and sanitary specialties beginning c. 1892. Company officers included James H. Lyons, J.W. Lyons, Joseph Umpleby, and John Brian.”

— Robinson, Dorothy and Bill Feeny. 1980.  The Official Price Guide to American Pottery & Porcelain.  House of Collectibles, Orlando, Florida.

Selected References

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

Keystone Pottery Company. c. 1910.  Catalogue of Plumber’s Earthenware.  The Edgell Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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

Robinson, Dorothy and Bill Feeny. 1980.  The Official Price Guide to American Pottery & Porcelain.  House of Collectibles, Orlando, Florida.

 

Other Names

Keystone Pottery Company; Keystone Pottery Works

Block and Lot:
Under US RT 1

Historic Street Address:
New York Avenue and North Olden Avenue; 580 New York Avenue

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Image Gallery

Keystone Pottery, 1900 Industrial Trenton (Wolf p. 79 bottom)

Map Gallery

Keystone Pottery, 1873-80 Enterprise Land Co Site Plan
Keystone Pottery, 1905 Lathrop
Keystone Pottery, 1908 Sanborn Map
Keystone Pottery, 1927 Sanborn Map
Map References

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 “Keystone 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 “Keystone Pottery Co.”)

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 48: shown as “Keystone Pottery Co.”

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 65: shown as “Keystone Pottery Co.”)

Sanborn Map Company.  1927.  Insurance Maps of the City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Sanborn Map Company, New York, New York.  (Vol. 3: shown as “Keystone Pottery Co.”)

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.   (Vol. 2, plate 35: shown as “Keystone Pottery Co.”)