Abingdon Pottery Abingdon Pottery

Abingdon Pottery

Abingdon Pottery as artware was produced for only 17 years from 1934 through 1950. Art pottery was produced by The Abingdon Sanitary Manufacturing Company of Abingdon, Illinois, as a way of supplementing lagging production of its main line of products - plumbing fixtures - during The Great Depression.

The artware ceased being produced once production had again ramped up for plumbing fixtures in the post- World War II housing boom. At that time, the company, re-named in 1945 to Abingdon Potteries, Inc. and still located in the town of Abingdon in rural Illinois, was sold to Briggs Manufacturing in 1951.

The original company dates to 1908. With the rise of indoor plumbing, Abingdon pioneered some of the first colored fixtures and self-ventilating toilets in the 1920's. The company was led much of the time by president Raymond E. Bidwell. The Chicago World's Fair chose Abingdon fixtures exclusively for its facilities in 1933.

It was in that time frame that the company decided to explore the design and manufacture of art pottery. Designer Frances Moody, engineer Leslie Moody, and designer Eric Herslet are credited for making this new product line a success.

Another company president, John M. Lewis, held that the products should exhibit an appeal based solely upon their looks and functionality - not based upon the fame or reputation of any designer. He also saw to it that production of any particular design was limited in number, thus adding to collector value later on. A surprisingly large number of Abingdon pottery designs are original, and not direct copies of others.

Abingdon art pottery featured art deco and some classical design. The glazed colors of pink, blue, green, and grey were commonplace on such items as vases, bowls, ash trays, cookie jars, pitchers, urns, book ends, and even chess pieces.
Most were marked "ABINGDON USA" in ink on the bottoms. In addition, they usually had mold numbers stamped into the surfaces. Edges around the bottoms were often ground, and some surviving pieces still exhibit their original foil stickers from the manufacturer. Genuine Abingdon pottery is almost as translucent as hard-paste porcelain (although it is decidedly not porcelain), and light-weight.

The same durability as was known for its plumbing ceramics was present in the company's art ceramics. Georgia clay, South Dakota feldspar, and Illinois silica, were glazed with nearly 200 varieties and colors. Most valuable were the multi-colored pieces and those that featured hand painting (begun in the 1940's). Certain pieces of the "Fire Red" color, which is more orange in color than red, are also deemed valuable.

It is the density and durability that sets Abingdon pottery apart from subsequent creations by Japanese and other sources. The fine quality of the heavy and dense vitreous clay resists hairline cracks and breakage. Abingdon glazes, however, were sometimes prone to crazing.

In all, over 6 million art pottery pieces were created. First sold in gift shops, Abingdon pottery was eventually marketed in fine department stores of the era, such as Gimbals, Marshall Field, and Wanamaker's. Today, Abingdon pottery is highly collectible and also found in a number of museums in the Midwest.

Pike Ceramic Scotty Display

 Abingdon Pottery  

 Abingdon Pottery


RARE Abingdon Pottery Floral Compote


$25.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Cameo Pink Cornucopia 474


$20.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON-POTTERY-BEAUTIFUL-GREEN-DOUBLE CORNICOPIA VASE


$25.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery Dog Planter


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY PINK PEACH CONSOLE BOWL


$4.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ANTIQUE ABINGDON POTTERY 452 LARGE PINK OVAL BOWL


$48.75


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon White Pottery Planter Bowl Vintage U.S.A.


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery White Penguin Figurine!


$60.00


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY WINDOW PLANTER SCROLL END


$34.50


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY BOWL DECORATIVE SCALLOPED EDGE


$15.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Pair Vintage Abingdon Pottery Mantle Urn Vases


$39.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon pottery #116


$17.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery ID$ Book 700 Pics Marks Mold #s


$39.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Lot 8 different Abingdon Pottery Vases


$250.00


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY WALL POCKET*MORNING GLORY*#337*PALE BLUE*


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


RETRO PINK STAMPED ABINGDON VASE ORIGINAL LABEL ART POTTERY 118


$35.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Pair - Abingdon Pottery Double Candlesticks 4 1/4" tall Cornucopia Style


$24.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Candle Holder Double Scroll Gilded Blue


$12.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery White 10 inch Vase


$12.50


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery Double Candlestick Gold Trim


$8.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery Double Cornucopia Vase #482


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Rope Edged Coral Pink Ships Vase #494


$14.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery 8" Bud Vase NICE!! EXC


$9.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage 1940s ABINGDON Pottery Pink Candle Holders Pair


$37.49


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Modern Abingdon USA Window Planter Ballerina Pink Art Pottery Vase Long


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Art Pottery Rose Floral With Gold Planter Console Bowl


$38.75


 Abingdon Pottery


Large Signed Blue Abingdon Pottery Vase #115 ~ Perfect!


$53.09


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery USA Yellow Double Scroll Candle Holder 479 Sticker Crazing


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Beautiful Abingdon Pottery, Yellow Decorative Art Vase #512 • Estate Item


$25.50


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY PLANTER 462


$3.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Large Vintage White Abingdon Pottery Decorated Bowl


$14.95


 Abingdon Pottery


LARGE 10" ABINGDON POTTERY VASE / URN, GILDED HANDLES, MADE IN U.S.A., EXC COND


$44.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Art Deco Blue Abingdon Art Pottery Vase w gold trim & Floral swag decaling


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY / PAIR OF YELLOW DOUBLE CANDLE STICK HOLDERS


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery white console/centerbowl-Mold #332.


$20.24


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Blue Scalloped Planter With Bow


$10.95


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY 522 VINTAGE VASE GEORGE & MARTHA


$7.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Pottery. Lot of 2 Abingdon Vases. #515. Lovely Blue Finish.


$29.50


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Yellow Handled Vase #552 Original Sticker


$34.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Art Pottery # 532 Grecian Console Bowl


$12.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Blue #115 Vase


$55.00


 Abingdon Pottery


WONDERFUL Vintage 13" ABINGDON Pottery Console BOWL


$65.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY GREEN BOWL


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Salmon Pink Fan Shaped Pottery Vase Or Bowl With A Bow


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Art Pottery White Sleigh Style Planter/Vase


$4.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage PAIR PiNk ABINGDON Art Pottery Double Candleholders/Candle Sticks! #575


$35.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Old Abingdon Pottery Planter/Bowl Pink@Scary Cat Planter


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Vase #116 Pink/Peach w/ label


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Massive Abingdon USA Pottery Platter/Wall Hanging Excellent Condition Old!!


$40.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Large Abingdon Pottery Green Two Handled Vase


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY PINK FLORAL DECORATED CORNUCOPIA VASE!


$31.96


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY PINK CORNUCOPIA PLANTER/VASE #482


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY PINK DECORATIVE ART VASE #512


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


#18 BIG VASE ABINGDON U.S.A. POTTERY 11"TALL


$49.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY PAIR GREEN CANDLESTICK HOLDERS!


$31.96


 Abingdon Pottery


LARGE VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY PINK ART VASE #119


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY PINK ART VASE #515


$4.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY CENTERPIECE BOWL


$8.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Art Deco Pottery Pink 491 Flower Frog Vase


$49.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery white ceramic vase double handles


$12.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ANTIQUE POTTERY VASE LARGE ABINGDON URN HANDLES 10"HT


$45.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Ivory & Gold Handled Urn Vase


$49.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Jack in the Box Cookie Jar 611 RARE!


$249.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY BLUE RIBBON PLANTER!


$31.96


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE POTTERY TABLE LAMP (40's/50's) ABINGDON STYLE


$63.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Cameo Pink Morning Glory Wall Pocket


$49.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Cameo Pink Double Candleholders 575


$25.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Vase E-26


$31.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Pink Shell Cornucopia, 12" long


$48.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Art Pottery Art Deco 11" Vase


$64.95


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY #532 YELLOW/FLORAL/GOLD ART BOWL!


$36.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY YELLOW/GOLD CANDLESTICKS!


$15.96


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery Morning Glory Blue Satin Wall Pocket


$17.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY YELLOW FLORAL GOLD ART BOWL W/STICKS!


$60.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON 1940-46 BLUE POTTERY VASE WITH SHIP DECOR


$35.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon California Pottery Seafoam Dish Green Mid-Century Eames


$7.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Very Rare Abingdon Pottery? Jack in the Box Planter! LOOK!


$25.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Pastel Blue Console Handled Bowl Daisy


$49.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Gloss White Goose Figurine!


$23.96


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY MORNING GLORY PLANTER WIDOWBOX


$36.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars, Book 1


$8.32


Beautiful, color photographs of over 1,000 collectible cookie jars with current values ranging from the novelty, character variety to the exquisite artist-made limited editions. Informative text plus the fact that there are no repeats of Book I make this edition a great buy for pottery and cookie jar collectors. 1999 values. 8.5 X 11. AUTHORBIO: Joyce Roerig and husband Fred have collected cookie ...

 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Artware 1934-1950: Stepchild of the Great Depression


$29.82


The industrial pottery at Abingdon, Illinois, made artware from 1934 to 1950 before returning to its mainstay, plum-bingware or sanitary-ware, as it was called at "The Pottery." Yankee ingenuity was used to cope with the Great Depression when managers came up with the idea of making artware using their usual "industrial strength" materials and processes. This decision resulted in artware with unus...

 Abingdon Pottery


Inventory of George Ecton, 'potter', of Abingdon, Berks, 1696 (Journal of ceramic history)



...

Share and Enjoy:
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery
  • services sprite Abingdon Pottery

Previous post:

Next post: