Prospect Hill 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.

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In operation    1880-1903

Wares

PorcelainTablewareToilet setsWhite granite

Opaque porcelain, white granite, and decorated ware (Woodward and Hageman 1883:693)

Notes

“The Dale and Davis Pottery was established in 1880, on Prospect Street, near the Bound Brook Railroad. Buildings were erected, and the pottery went into operation during that year. Opaque porcelain, white granite, and decorated ware are produced here. The pottery has six kilns, and employs one hundred and fifty hands.”

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

Selected References

“The Pottery Enterprise.” Trenton State Gazette, Monday, March 8, 1880.

“Pottery Notes.” Trenton State Gazette, Monday, June 28, 1880.

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

Dale & Davis, Prospect Hill Pottery. 1884.  Standard American Price List.  MacCrellish & Quigley, Printers.

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

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

Dale & Davis; Prospect Hill 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

Image Gallery

1884 Prospect Hill Pottery (Dale & Davis Standard American Price List)
Shaving Mug, press-molded ironstone transfer printed and painted flowers and leaves, made by Dale & Davis's Prospect Hill Pottery, ca. 1880-1894, 3 in H. The “Moss Rose” pattern was very popular in the US and can be found on both table ware and sanitary ware. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, CH1971.279

Map Gallery

Prospect Hill Pottery, 1881 Robinson Map
Prospect Hill Pottery, 1882 Haven Map
Prospect Hill Pottery (Dale & Davis), 1886 Sanborn
Prospect Hill Pottery (Dale & Davis), 1890 Scarlett & Scarlett
Prospect Hill Pottery, 1890 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 Q: shown as “Dale & Davis Prospect Hill 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 “Dale & Davis Prospect Hill Pottery”)

Sanborn, D. A. 1874.   Insurance Diagrams of Trenton. Corrected to 1886.  D.A. Sanborn, New York, New York.  (Plate 21: shown as “Prospect Hill Pottery Dale & Davis”)

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 17: shown as “Dale & Davis Prospect Hill Pottery”)

Scarlett & Scarlett.  1890.   Scarlett & Scarlett’s Fire Insurance Map of Mercer County.  Scarlett & Scarlett, Newark, New Jersey.  (Plate 64: shown as “Dale & Davis Prospect Hill Pottery”)