Tea Leaf

In 1890, Robert Hall Sr., Silas Ferguson, and John J. Purinton built a six kiln pottery that became known as U. S. Pottery.  A disastrous fire forced the pottery to become part of the East Liverpool Potteries Co. which disbanded in 1900.  After that U. S. Pottery again became an independent company.

Trenton Pottery Co. (1852-1890) was founded by James Taylor and Henry Speeler.  Originially the pottery was named Taylor & Speeler until 1860 when Speeler sold his interest in the company.  It became the Trenton Pottery Co. in 1865.  In 1875, Isaac Davis became the sole owner and although the pottery was still called Trenton Pottery, it was actually J. Davis Pottery.  Trenton Pottery is NOT the same company as Trenton Potteries.

Steubenville Pottery (1881-1960) was founded by a group of Steubenville businessmen who persuaded A. B. Beck, a Staffordshire potter, to come to Steubenville to set up a pottery.  The city had several important prerequisites for a pottery:  easy transportation via the river and the Pan Handle Railroad, coal beds inside the city, and a ready supply of workers.  The first kiln was drawn in 1881.  In 1895 the factory converted to gas-fired kilns and employed over 200 workers.

The founders of Shenango Pottery Co. are unknown but James M. Smith, an inventive business man, was the director of the company.  Originally intended to produce china, the depression dictated the production of ironstone as hotel and restaurant ware were selling well.  At one time, Shenango was the American home of Haviland China (normally made in France).  The American company now produces chinaware.

Sebring Pottery Co. (1887-1940) was founded by the five Sebring brothers.  The five kiln pottery was successful enough to add a second plant of six kilns built in the East End of East Liverpool Ohio called the Klondike facility because of its distrance from the center of town.  Sebring Pottery was so successful that the brothers bought land in Ohio in 1898 and built their own city, christened Sebring, which became the site of their potteries.  Tea Leaf products were made in East Liverpool not Sebring Ohio.

Red Cliff Ironstone (Hall China) began production in 1903 and continues to this day.  Tea was produced by this firm between 1957 and 1977.  The Tea Leaf produced by this potter is actually a reproduction.  Fred Clifford of Red Cliff Co. purchased old pieces of English Tea Leaf and had it reproduced by Hall China Co. of East Liverpool Ohio.  Hall is a very old company and continues making ironstone and china to this day.  Red Cliff stopped producing Tea Leaf because they could not produce a lustre that wouldn't come off in the dish washer.

The Potters Cooperative (aka TPC) was started by a group of disgruntled potters who had been locked out of their potteries after trying to form a Pottery Workers Union.  The facility operated from 1882 to 1925.  The facility used was at the Dresden Works which accounts for the number of pieces marked with Dresden's backstamp.  H. A. McNicol (see McNicol, Burton and D. E. McNicol) became President when the other potters returned to their original works.  

Pioneer Pottery Co. (1884-1900) was founded by Hamer Michaels, I. B. Clark and George Morley.  Before 1884 they operated a two kiln pottery in Wellsville, West Virginia as Morley & Co.  Morley withdrew in 1884 and the pottery continued under the name Pioneer Pottery until 1890 when the pottery closed.  Then this pottery becamee known as Wellsville China Co.

Ott & Brewer (1871-1893) was founded by Jospeh Ott and his nephew, John Hart Brewer.  They took over the pottery facility of Bloor, Ott and Brewer when William Bloor returned to East Liverpool Ohio. changing the name to Ott & Brewer.  The pottery was known as the Eturia facility.  Ott was a well known businessman of Trenton and Brewer was a potter.  The company was recognized as outstanding makers of ironstone as well as developers of American Belleek, winning prizes in the 1876 Centennial Exposition.

Onondaga Pottery (1871-1966) was organized by a group of businessmen who bought the Empire pottery works for the production of white ware.  The production of irsonstone was discontinued in 1893.  In 1966 the pottery was sold to Syracuse China Co. which is still in business, specializing in kitchen, hotel and restaurant ware. 
Only one known piece decorated in the Tea Leaf motif has been found so far.