Copper Lustre

Cumbow China Decorating Co. (1932-1970) was founded by Jacob and Mabel (Cumbow) Ruskin in their home in Abingdon, Virginia.  Mabel was the decorator. They purchased blanks of pottery, both American and English, and decorated them with a variety of lustre paint.  The popularity of the pieces grew and in the 1940's the company moved from their home to a separate business. Of special interest to Tea Leaf collectors is the fact that Mabel Ruskin registered the Tea Leaf motif with the U.S. Patent Office.

The Bailey-Walker China Co. became Walker China Co. when Albert Walker bought out his partner and continued the operation.  They made hotelware in addition to pieces for home use.

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.

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 brothers, Joseph and Ernest Mayer who founded the J. & E. Mayer pottery (1881-present), were British potters from a long line of Staffordshire potters.  They knew Tea Leaf and produced it in large quantities with copper lustre covering the brown underglaze motif, a rarity in American Tea Leaf.  Their Tea Leaf was called 'Luster Band and Sprig' as they had known it in England.

East End Pottery was built with funds raised by subscriptions promoted by the East Liverpool Ohio Board of Trade.  It was a cooperative composed of Edward Owens, Joseph Deekin, Sampson Turnbull and Gus Trenie.  The pottery was in existence between 1894 and 1909.  In 1909 the pottery was purchased by Gus Trenie and the pottery name was changed to Trenie China Co.
East End was one of the few potters of the time who used copper lustre rather than gold.

Tempest, Brockmann & Co. was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1862 by Messrs. M. and N. Tempest along with Christian E. Brockmann.  In 1881, the company reorganized under the name Tempest, Brockmann and Sampson Pottery Co. using the English lion and unicorn mark with the letters T. B. & Co. underneath.  In 1887, the pottery was purchased by the only surviving member of the firm, Christian E. Brockmann and became Brockmann Pottery Company.
The only Tea Leaf decorated pieces that have been found to date are cups and saucers.

Brockmann Pottery Company was organized by Christian E. Brockmann in 1887.  Originally the pottery was established by Messrs. Tempest, Brockmann & Co. in 1862 and used the English lion and unicorn mark with T. B. & Co. underneath.  In 1881, the name was changed to Tempest, Brockmann & Sampson Pottery Co.  After 1887 when it became Brockmann Pottery Co., the same English lion and unicorn mark was used; however, beneath the mark appeared the letters B. P. Co.  The pottery was located in the West End of Cincinnati on Richmond Street.  Mr.