Sanitary 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    1888-1891

Wares

Sanitary

Sanitary closets and sanitary ware (Harney 1929)

Notes

“In 1888, the Sanitary Pottery, between known as the Broad Street Pottery, was started on the site where the public market was located a few years ago, between Broad and Second Streets. It was a two kiln plant, and was operated under a cooperative plan by a group of workingmen and others. They manufactured sanitary closets and other sanitary ware.”

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

Selected References

Fitzgerald, Thomas F. 1888-1891.  Fitzgerald’s Trenton and Mercer County Directory, Together with a Directory of Bordentown, Burlington, Mount Holly and Lambertville, NJ and Morrisville, PA, Included a Fund of Information Concerning Public and Private Institutions, National, State, County, City and Borough Governments, Gathered from Reliable and Official Sources.  Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Trenton, New Jersey.

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

Other Names

Broad Street Pottery Company; Frost & Manser; Sanitary Pottery; Astbury Pottery; H.W. Snook & Company

Historic Street Address:
563 South Broad Street; Broad near Canal

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Map Gallery

Sanitary Pottery, 1890 Sanborn Map
Sanitary Pottery, 1890 Scarlett & Scarlett Map
Map References

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 29: shown as “Astbury Pottery H.W. Snook & Co.”)

Scarlett & Scarlett.  1890.   Scarlett & Scarlett’s Fire Insurance Map of Mercer County.  Scarlett & Scarlett, Newark, New Jersey.   (Plate 19: shown as “Asbury Pottery H.W. Snook & Co.”)