Commemorative and Advertising Teapots
The teapots in this collection were commissioned by an individual, company or group to commemorate an event or make a statement. These pots were individually made to the specifications and/or design of the client, or, the client would provide the commemorative information and leave the design to the potter.
TITLE:
MAKER: Patterson Brothers Pottery
DATE: 1900-1907
COLLECTION: Museum of Ceramics/Ohio History Connection H10605
John Patterson and his sons ran the John Patterson and Sons Pottery Company from 1883 to 1900 in Wellsville, Ohio. In 1900, the sons took control and the pottery became the Patterson Brothers Company. The pottery operated until 1907. (Gates, 2009).
The example here is approximately two feet tall and has a high lustre typical of Rockingham glazes. The glaze on this teapot is so reflective that it is a challenge to photograph.
Tea Trivia:
The Chinese, due to their large population, consume the most tea of any country. However, per capita, Turkey, Ireland and the UK are the top consumers of the approximately one million metric tons of tea produced each year by China, Sri Lanka and Kenya. Over three billion cups are consumed worldwide each year. (Boutwell, 2016).
TITLE: 1864 Cemmemorative
MAKER: Vodrey and Brother Pottery Company
DATE: 1884
COLLECTION: Museum of Ceramics/Ohio History Connection
This commemorative teapot was made for the 20th wedding anniversary of Noah and Cynthia Frederick. The reverse side is identical in decoration but the date is 1884. Note the use of a very British looking trademark!
TITLE: Double Spouted Teapot
MAKER: National Pottery Company
DATE: 1909
COLLECTION: Elizabeth Chetwynd
On Wednesday May 12, 1909 a mock Japanese wedding was held in the East End of East Liverpool, organized by Florence Hill and her Sunday school class. This teapot was used as part of the ceremony. Click the button below for more information.
TITLE: Windshield
MAKER: Hall China Company
DATE: 2004
COLLECTION: John and Peg Thompson
Decorated with Hall China Company marks.
Hall China reproduced a teapot from their repertoire each year for the East Liverpool High School Alumni Association.
Tea Trivia:
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. (Lin, 2019).
TITLE:
MAKER: C. C. Thompson Company
DATE: 1890-1910
COLLECTION: Museum of Ceramics/Ohio History Connection H302
This example of an advertising product stands almost two feet tall and was made to exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. By the end of the 19th century American chinaware was becoming well known for its quality throughout the world. The ware from the East Liverpool pottery district was gaining a reputation for being on par, or better than, the quality ware from England and from the American competition in Trenton, New Jersey.
Tea Trivia:
Tea can be used for many things other than drinking. Damp leaves may be lightly rubbed on the skin to keep mosquitoes at bay. Tea can be used for cleaning floors, marinating meat, dying cotton and even helping facial nicks casued by shaving.
Roses love the nutrients found tea. Tea bags and loose tea may be added to a compost heap. (Boutwell, 2016).
For most of her career, Melissa Staib Lucas was associated with Sterling China and East Palestine China. She was commissioned to design dinnerware for various companies and major events, such as Presidential Inaugural dinner parties, as well as royal wedding celebrations held in Great Britain and Canada. She designed a commemorative plate which was given to President George Bush by the U.S. Navy Seal Association. Melissa designed ceramic pieces for Longaberger Basket Company and dinnerware for various cruise lines. On a local level, she illustrated Gary Winterburn’s books about the village of Fredericktown and created pen and ink drawings to be used on plates and other memorabilia for the Pottery Festival. Melissa passed away in 2013. (Melissa, 2013)
TITLE: Post Office/Museum of Ceramics
MAKER: Homer Laughlin China Company
DATE: 2002
COLLECTION: Phyllis Conley
TITLE: Sturgis House
MAKER: Hall China Company and WC Bunting Company
DATE: 2001
COLLECTION: Phyllis Conley
Manufactured by the Hall China Company and decorated by the WC Bunting Company for the 2001 Tri-State Pottery Festival. The WC Bunting Company was one of the last decorating potteries in the East Liverpool area. The company purchased ware from local pottery manufacturers and applied custom decorations. The company ceased operation in East Liverpool after a fire destroyed the East End plant in 2014. (Fire, 2015).
This teapot is decorated with a line drawing of the Sturgis House. Originally the private home of the Erlanger family, the house became the Sturgis Funeral Home, famous for having displayed the body of Pretty Boy Floyd in October, 1934.
Tea Trivia:
The Cutty Sark, an original tea clipper ship, was built in the late 19th century to transport goods quickly from Asia and the South Pacific to markets in England. It can be seen at the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. The clipper could hold 10,000 tea chests on each voyage. That’s the equivalent of 200 million cups of tea with each cargo. (Interesting, 2020).
TITLE: Sherlock Holmes
MAKER: Hall China Company
DATE: 1992
COLLECTION: Museum of Ceramics/Ohio History Connection
Don Schreckengost designed the Sherlock Holmes teapot to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first publication of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous novel. (Barnebey, 2005). The Museum of Ceramics owns the molds for the teapot which were donated by Dan Brasier. Dan came up with the idea and commisioned Hall China and Schreckenglost to turn his idea into a functional teapot.
TITLE: World’s Fair 1939
MAKER: Hall China Company
DATE: 1939
COLLECTION: John and Peg Thompson
This example was made for the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair and shows the icons of the Fair, the Trylon and Perisphere. The Hall China Company Star shape teapot, also introduced in 1939, is the same except it does not have the raised decoration.
TITLE: Counter Service
MAKER: Hall China Company
DATE: 1973
COLLECTION: Museum of Ceramics/Ohio History Connection
The Hall China Company made two sizes of Counter Service for restaurants, hotels and cafeterias. The smaller size holds 30 cups and has a 1.25 gallon capacity. The larger size holds 60 cups and a 2.5 gallon capacity. Counter Service was available through the 1990s. The example here was manufactured by request for the Tri-State Pottery Festival in 1973.(Barnebey, 2005).
Tea Trivia:
Tea even makes it’s mark on our music! Some songs about tea include, Tea In the Sahara by Sting ~ When I Take My Sugar To Tea by Nat King Cole ~ Another Pot O' Tea by Emmylou Harris ~ Katie's Tea by Camille ~ Cup of Tea by Kacey Musgraves ~ Pennyroyal Tea by Nirvana ~ Whiskey and Green Tea by Supergrass ~ Suga Honey Iced Tea by Kelis ~ Tea and Sympathy by Jars of Clay ~ Tea and Sympathy by Jars of Clay. (Behina, 2019).