Star 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    1887-1888

Wares

Unknown

No detailed product information available

Notes

“The Star Pottery Company, of which William H. Potts was president, was located on the site now occupied by the Public Service Corporation, between Warren and Willow Streets É In 1886 W.H. Potts, Jr. used to manufacture stilts which are used for placing ware in gloss kilns. From the local newspapers on file in the State Library, we are led to believe that this was an old pottery site, and that Wimer & McCully used it in 1801.”

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

Selected References

Fitzgerald, Thomas F. 1887-1888.  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.

Fitzgerald, Thomas F. 1901-1904.  Fitzgerald’s Trenton and Mercer County Directory, Together with a Directory of Bordentown, Burlington, Mount Holly and Lambertville, NJ.  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 firms at this site:

Other Names

Fritz, Margerum & Company; Star Pottery Company

Block and Lot:
24C/72, 124

Historic Street Address:
225 North Warren Street; Warren Street near Bank Street; Chauncey Street near Willow Street

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Map Gallery

Star Pottery, 1886 Sanborn
Map References

Sanborn, D. A. 1874.   Insurance Diagrams of Trenton. Corrected to 1886.  D.A. Sanborn, New York, New York.  (Plate 8: shown as “Fritz, Margerum & Co. To Be Pottery”)