Vol 13, Issue 1 T RENTON POTTERIES Newsletter of the Potteries of Trenton Society A Sugar Bowl of William Young & Sons or William Young’s Sons Richard W. Hunter n interesting early product of lighter grey to a light tan or yellowish A Trenton’s industrial potteries was cream. The coloring appears to have recently acquired on ebay by POTS been much affected by use and age, member Robert Cunningham of Ham- and was probably originally a light ilton, New Jersey. Apparently made cream. The vessel falls into the broad either by William Young & Sons or by category of ironstone china and was the successor firm William Young’s most likely considered as cream- Sons, this specimen is an oval bowl, colored earthenware by its manufac- slightly over four inches tall, roughly turers. Although its function is not five by four inches across at the rim, entirely certain, its size and shape, and 4.75 by 3.75 inches at the base. The along with the fact that it had a lid, vessel has a bulbous form, a low foot lead one to suppose it was probably a ring and a seat for a lid. The lid does sugar bowl. not survive. Applied at the shoulder, Slightly off-center on the base one at either end of the vessel, are two is a black transfer-printed makers’ Contents molded faces that are remarkably remi- mark consisting of an eagle with its niscent of – although somewhat small- wings raised and partly outstretched, A Sugar Bowl of William Young er than – the distinctive faces that the and its legs planted firmly on a rock & Sons or William Young’s Sons Richard W. Hunter ..................... 1 stoneware potter James Rhodes some- (or prey). Beneath this motif are the times attached to the shoulders of his letters “W. Y. S.” No previously pub- Molly Merlino, Founding jars, and perhaps also flower pots, dur- lished image of this mark has been POTS Member .......................... 3 ing the brief period that he was active found, although Edwin Attlee Barber 2014 Trenton Ceramics in Trenton, circa 1774-84 (Liebeknecht has ascribed it to the firm of William Symposium ............................... 4 and Hunter 2003; Skerry and Hood Young & Sons and avers that the 2009:205-206). Indeed, one wonders if marks employed by this company The Alice Maddock Collection: the makers of this bowl had seen and “were, in 1858, an eagle; from 1858 to A Gift to the City of Trenton .. 6 been inspired by examples of Rhodes’s 1879, the English Arms” (Barber Winterthur Ceramics work. 1904:44-45). No supporting infor- Conference ................................ 7 The basic bowl shape was made mation is provided for this statement, in a mold, as shown by the vertical but numerous subsequent publica- seams that are visible at opposing ends tions on American pottery marks have The Potteries of Trenton Society is a non -profit organization dedicated to the of the vessel. The sprig-molded faces repeated Barber’s claim. study and preservation of Trenton’s have in fact been applied over the The pottery manufacturing ceramic past. Officers: President— Patricia Madrigal; Treasurer—Jay seams, partly concealing them from firm William Young & Sons originat- Lewis; Secretary—Brenda Springsted. view. The bowl is fashioned as highly ed in 1853 as William Young & Com- Board: Ellen Denker, Richard Hunter, Meta Janowitz, Jay Lewis, Emma Lewis, fired earthenware and its lightly pany, a partnership of William Young William Liebeknecht, Brenda Spring- crazed, lead-glazed exterior and interi- and his sons, Edward, John and Wil- sted, Rebecca White. Newsletter Editor: or surfaces range in color from a dirty liam, Jr. with Richard Millington and Patricia Madrigal dark grey through several shades of John Astbury. The company initially Page 2 Trenton Potteries Vol 13, Issue 1 leased the pottery works of Charles Hattersley and erected their own new Hattersley, newly built on the east pottery works a short distance to the bank of the Delaware and Raritan Ca- northwest on the opposite side of the nal, adjacent to the east side of the canal. This site later became known Camden and Amboy Railroad branch as the Excelsior Pottery. Here the line, at the southwest corner of Perry company and its successors grew rap- and Carroll Streets. This site later be- idly into one of Trenton’s foremost came well known as the City Pottery porcelain and ironstone china produc- and eventually developed into one of ers, enjoying more than half a century the main production hubs of Thomas of industrial prominence. In March of Maddock’s Sons. The early produc- 1860, Millington and Astbury left the tion of William Young & Company Youngs to establish their own pottery concentrated on porcelain door hard- in partnership with Theophilus Poul- ware, notably door knobs, escutch- son on a site adjacent to the City Pot- eons and door plates, but within a tery. At this point William Young & year or so the firm had expanded its Company reorganized as William repertoire to include two increasingly Young & Sons, an entity that operated popular types of hard, high-fired under that name until William Young, earthenware known as white granite Sr.’s death in 1871. Shortly after the ware and C.C. (cane or cream-colored) elder Young’s demise, the firm reor- ware. ganized again as William Young’s In 1855-56, William Young & Sons, continuing in business under Company parted ways with Charles that name until it was bought out by Trenton Potteries Vol 13, Issue 1 Page 3 the Willets brothers, Joseph, Daniel Site, Southard Street Bridge Replace- and Edmund, in 1879. It was during ment Project, City of Trenton, Mercer the period of the Willets Manufactur- County, New Jersey. Report on file, ing Company ownership from 1879 to New Jersey Historic Preservation Of- 1917 that the Young family’s pottery fice (NJDEP), Trenton, New Jersey. works became known as the Excelsior Pottery and attained its reputation as Skerry, Janine E. and Suzanne Findlen a maker of fine porcelain wares, in- Hood cluding the much revered Belleek 2009 Salt-Glazed Stoneware in Early (Liebeknecht et al. 2005; Hunter Re- America. The Colonial Williamsburg search, Inc. 2013). Foundation, Williamsburg, Virginia. Based on the historical infor- mation above, the eagle and “W.Y.S.” Molly Merlino mark are thought to reference either Founding POTS Member William Young & Sons or William Young’s Sons as the maker of this sug- OTS is saddened to report the ar bowl, and the date of its manufac- P passing of Molly Merlino, one of ture may be pegged as between 1860 our founding board members. and 1879. Any further insights on this Molly was an enthusiastic unusual vessel are welcome. member of POTS in the early years. She was the only board member who References: actually worked in Trenton’s pottery industry, having worked at Lenox, first Barber, Edwin Attlee in the figurine department and later in 1904 Marks of American Potters. Pat- fine china. Her contacts with and in- terson & White Company, Philadelph- sight into the ceramic and arts commu- ia, Pennsylvania. nity were instrumental in helping to establish POTS. Hunter Research, Inc. Molly was an advocate for the 2013 The Trenton Potteries Data- arts on a local and statewide level, and base. Updated DVD issued by Hunter she was active in a number of Trenton- Research, Inc. and the Potteries of based organizations, including The Trenton Society, Trenton, New Jersey. Friends of the New Jersey State Muse- um, the Trenton City Museum, and Liebeknecht, William B. and Richard The Mill Hill Playhouse. She managed W. Hunter the shop of the Trenton City Museum, 2003 The Richards Face – Shades of which was named "Molly's" in her hon- an Eighteenth-Century American Bel- or. She brightened the lives of all who larmine. Ceramics in America 2003, ed- met her. ited by Robert Hunter, pp. 259-261. Molly is survived by her chil- The Chipstone Foundation, Milwau- dren and grandchildren. Her service kee, Wisconsin. and accomplishments are numerous; for a full listing of her activities and Liebeknecht, William, Nadine honors, please visit http:// Sergejeff, Rebecca White and Richard obits.nj.com/obituaries/trenton/ Hunter (Hunter Research, Inc.) obituary.aspx? 2005 Historical and Archaeological pid=168073169#sthash.rNxgQtjc.dpuf Investigations at the Excelsior Pottery Page 4 Trenton Potteries Vol 13, Issue 1 2014 Trenton Ceramics Symposium Isaac Broome: America's First Ceramic Sculptor he Potteries of Trenton Society is tional, political and industrial re- T pleased to partner with the New forms. He also continued as a modeler Jersey State Museum and the Trenton for potteries in Ohio and Trenton, in- Museum Society to present our elev- cluding the Trent Tile Co. and the enth annual Trenton Ceramics Sym- Providential Tile Co. in Trenton, pro- posium on April 5, 2014. This year our ducing major work as late as 1917, speakers will celebrate the life and when he modeled a parian portrait work of sculptor Isaac Broome, the bust of Walter Scott Lenox for the Le- first sculptor to work in the American nox Company. ceramics industry. Although perhaps The Symposium will open best known for his famous Baseball with registration and reception from 9 Vase, created for Ott & Brewer's dis- to 10 a.m. Light refreshments will be play at the Centennial Exhibition in served. Lectures in the morning with Philadelphia in 1876, Broome made examine Broome's life and work. After other models for that display, and he a catered lunch in the State Museum's was also a designer, modeler and galleries, the afternoon talks will ex- manufacturer of tiles in Trenton and amine Broome's famous Baseball Vase Brooklyn.