Prospect Hill 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    1932-1955+

Wares

ElectricalGardenOtherSanitary

Electrical porcelain, bathroom fixtures, refractories (Industrial Directory 1934)

Electrical porcelain, bathroom fixtures, china lamps (Industrial Directory 1938)

Electrical porcelain, clip-on bathroom fixtures & china lamp bases (Industrial Directory 1940-41)

Notes

The shell of Hill Refrigeration Co. Plant #2 is a remnant of this pottery. In 1932 the Cook Ceramic Co., a recent incorporation of the Cook Pottery Co. and the Ceramic Allied Products, Inc. purchased the New Brunswick Manufacturing Division of the Circle F Manufacturing Co. and moved to the Prospect Hill site and manufactured Circle F’s porcelain requirements.

— Abramson, D.V. and T. Karschner. 1978.  An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites, Trenton, New Jersey.  On file, New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (NJDEP), Trenton, New Jersey.

Selected References

Abramson, D.V. and T. Karschner. 1978.  An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites, Trenton, New Jersey.  On file, New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (NJDEP), Trenton, New Jersey.

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

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

Cook Ceramic Company; Cook Ceramic Manufacturing Company

Block and Lot:
28C-3A/6

Historic Street Address:
Prospect Avenue and Pennsylvania Railroad; Prospect Avenue near Pennsylvania and Bound Brook Railroad; 401 Prospect

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Map Gallery

Prospect Hill Pottery, 1955 Sanborn Map
Map References

Sanborn Map Company.  1955.  Insurance Maps of the City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey, Volume 1.  Revised from 1927 map.  Sanborn Map Company, New York, New York.  (Vol. 3, plate 329: shown as “The Cook Pottery Co.”)