Company Profiles: Pottery and Ceramic

Mary Rose creates wonderfully quirky pottery pieces, often adorned with, what else, Roses! Painted roses, gold roses, three dimensional roses.

McCoy Pottery never patented their designs, which today has opened a floodgate of copycats and fake-makers! The popular company's name is also used to sell auction items, not everything is a McCoy piece. Although it would be hard to prove to sellers.

Metlox Manufacturing Company began in 1927, a division of Proutyline Products Company. T.C. and Willis (son) Prouty produced ceramic advertising signs. The name was derived from the term "metal oxide".

The company was started in 1936 by Bernard S. Purinton after he purchased the East Liverpool Pottery Company, but the company didn't start production until 1939. Purinton Pottery was originally located in Wellsville, Ohio.

Frank Ransbottom, a successful jobber of stoneware and pottery, decided to started his own company (with his brother) in 1900 to distribute pottery products made locally Ohio. The brothers had been exposed to making pottery by their father, Alfred, who operated the Bluebird Potteries in Ohio. By 1916 the Ransbottom Pottery Company was the largest producer of stoneware jars.

Roseville Pottery was in business from 1890 through 1954 and it was only in the actual town of Roseville for the first eight years of the company's existence.

According to Shawnee Pottery by Bev and Jim Mangus, the company apparently began operations at just the right time. In 1937 Americans were "beginning to feel hostility towards Germany and Japan and their imports. 'Buy American' campaigns were conducted". Thus laid the foundation for Shawnee to produce pottery and dinnerware for the United States.

Treasure Craft was founded in Gardena, California, in 1945 by Alfred A. Levin shortly after his discharge from the United States Navy. He began his business by selling items manufactured by local California potters.

• Treasure Craft History
• Treasure Craft Pictures/Values
• About Curt Blanchard

Winton's commissions read like the yellow pages of American Business - including Franklin Mint, Alberta Ceramics, American Bisque, Revell Toys, Frito Co., Bacardi Rum, Gerber Toys, Scripto, the movie Ben Hur (coins), Bob's Big Boy, Brayton Laguna Pottery, Brush Pottery, Kenner Toys, Kool Aid, Carnation, Mattel Toy Company, Chicken of the Sea, Coca Cola, Colgate, Van De Kemp, Disneyland, Duncan Royal, Pan American Airlines, Hanna Barbera, Hagen-Renaker Disney Characters, Ford, and Howard Johnsons.

• Don Winton and His Works
• Index of Winton Articles

The Vandor Company was formed in 1957 by Ted Van Dorn, a pioneer in the tabletop industry. Van Dorn sold the company around 1991, at which time Vandor went through a bit of turmoil. The company was subsequently was purchased by The Lyon Company in 1995. Baby boomers and lovers of the classic pop collectibles have been smiling ever since -- every time they get a look at all the fun products being produced.

The Wade name has been associated with fine pottery since the 1800s. It all started in 1810 with George Wade & Sons, Ltd. Later in the century John Wade started his company, Wade & Co., making teapots and "go-withs".