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Thursday, December 01, 2011

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED IDENTIFY MY UNKNOWN POTTERY

Some time ago, I posted the photo below, with a note that I had no idea of which Trenton pottery it was. Thanks to the two "anonymous" comments which appear below the photo, the identity and location is now known. Thanks to all who brought the old factory into the 21st century for future historians.
HOW SAD THAT FOLKS FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF TRENTON'S EMERGENCE AS A POTTERY TOWN DIDN'T IDENTIFY AND DATE THEIR BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHOSE POTTERY THIS MIGHT BE. PERHAPS THERE IS A POTTERY HISTORIAN WHO MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE PLANT.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Im a old factory /railroad buff. I believe this is the earliest building at the maddock/lamberton works.The shed to the left has letters KS "Lamberton works" which would be advertising to the boats as the came down the canal near lalor st. Only a handful them called them self works.So looking at a 1905 tax map the building has the same footprint as the photo.However the rate at which they expanded back then the maps shows a duplicate building to the left where the sheds are.The people are facing the D&R canal.Behind it would be landing street. BUT...I could be wrong?
http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/11622/Plate+011/Trenton+City+and+Princeton+1905/New+Jersey/

Anonymous said...

Hi, me again I Googled Thomas Maddock of Trenton and found an old picture of him. The 2 on the left look to be him or his sons.Also from the maps I can find the building is not on 1890s map and looks to have been added to in 1905.-Glenn

Anonymous said...

This photo is in the pottery display at the Trenton City Museum in Ellarslie Mansion on the second floor. The description says "The Providential Tile Works c. 1880" The photo comes from the Trenton Free Public Library, Trentoniana collection.

Bill K said...

Hi , Tom
This is Providential Tile Works from what i have learned after many weeks of tracking it down after seeing the picture on your site.

It was located on Enterprise ave in trenton, Near cherry st.

And i cant be certain but if you check the picture you have of the swimming hole at Nottingham way and Clinton ave from Circa 1930. I think the smoke stacks in the background may be from the old factory , they are in just about the right location and match the shape and number of stacks...Maybe ..just maybe .take a look and see what you think .

2 comments:

Melia said...

Oh My, i dug in my cabinet.... I have this VERY SAME Photo ( a copy) my husband now works in that very same factory... I have this photo you shared, as well as a modern day photo of the building as it now stands, as well as it's current employees. This is indeed on Enterprise Ave. between Cherry St. & Plum St.

Ralph Lucarella said...

HI TOM...SPEAKING OF POTTERIES, MY FATHER WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED, HAVING WORKED WITH CLAY AT THE VERITAS FIRING SYSTEM CO. ON MARION STREET DURING THE 20'S AND 30'S. HE DEVELOPED CANCER FROM NOT USING A MASK AND PASSED AWAY AT 52. THEY MANUFACTURED A PRODUCT THAT TESTED THE TEMPERATURE IN A KILN (OVEN). I WORKED WITH HIM FOR A FEW YEARS AND LEFT TO WORK IN THE POST OFFICE. THANK GOD. BEST REGARDS.