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.

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 Abingdon Pottery  

 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Console Bowl Cream Floral Design 518


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


*VTG* GREEN ABINGDON POTTERY BOWL/PLANTER #542 U.S.A.


$20.39


 Abingdon Pottery


RARE VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY USA AMERICAN DECO VASE #486 NEAR MINT CONDITION


$79.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage/Antique Pottery 1940 Abingdon Vase~With Ship and Rope Design~Nice!


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Candle Holder Double Scroll Gilded Blue


$12.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon USA Art Pottery 1950s Light Blue Star Planter Vase EXCELLENT


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon USA Art Pottery 1950s Light Blue Star Planter Vase EXCELLENT


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


1940's. ABINGDON U.S.A. POTTERY VASE FLORA N GOLD DECOR


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery ID$ Book 700 Pics Marks Mold #s


$39.95


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON USA 2-HANDLED LARGE GOLD LEAF POTTERY URN VASE Victorian Motif VGC


$35.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Antique Abingdon Pottery Pink 7" Vase 512


$25.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY "GULL" #562 1942-46


$18.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY ARTWARE White "Baben Vase" #520 1940-48


$10.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY 1947 Small Round Geranium Box #543D


$49.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY 3 BEARS COOKIE JAR Very Good Condtion


$100.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY STAMP WELL of Unknown vintage/Novelty Item


$35.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pink Cameo Pottery Vase # 558 4.5 x 4.5 inches


$39.50


 Abingdon Pottery


Pottery Pottery PLANTER Signed ABINGDON USA


$8.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Superb Deco Design Vintage Signed Abingdon Pottery 2 Handled 10" Blue #116 Vase


$29.69


 Abingdon Pottery


3 piece vintage blue Abingdon pottery 2 double candle stick holders & bowl dish


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon art pottery two tone 520 handeled vase excellent condition


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage ABINGDON Art POTTERY Cookie Jar LITTLE MISS MUFFET Collectible MINT


$68.80


 Abingdon Pottery


PAIR OF CORNUCOPIA BOOKEND POTTERY BOOKEND VASES~~ABINGDON OR LENOX


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage 1940s ABINGDON Art POTTERY Rectangular CONSOLE TRAY 545


$12.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY VASE WITH GOLD TRIM USA 520


$15.00


 Abingdon Pottery


2 ABINGDON Art Pottery Double Candle Holders Gold & Cream U.S.A. Holder Pair N/R


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon pottery art deco trophy vase c1940


$45.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY PINK FLORAL DECORATED CORNUCOPIA VASE


$27.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Art Pottery 10" Blue Console Bowl


$18.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Art Pottery Pink Double Cornucopia Vase


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Large Vintage White Abingdon Pottery Decorated Bowl


$9.95


 Abingdon Pottery


PAIR OF ABINGDON POTTERY PINK SHELL CANDLE HOLDERS (#503) FROM MID-20TH CENTURY


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


FANTASTIC ABINGDON POTTERY VASE


$34.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON Art Pottery Oval Console Bowl Planter Green Scallop


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Blue Double Cornucopia Planter


$12.75


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage 1950's Abingdon Pottery White Double Taper Candle Holders Sticks Pair 2


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage 1940's Abingdon Pottery YELLOW Sea SHELL CANDLE Taper Holder Stick USA


$7.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Swan Vase


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


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


$15.50


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Large Abingdon USA Pottery Vase In Cameo Pink-Double Handled


$37.00


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY PINK PLANTER VINTAGE PINK USA


$15.99


 Abingdon Pottery


2 Vintage Abingdon Art Pottery Planters / Flower Pots / Vases


$25.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON ART POTTERY BLUE VASE #513 USA - 8.5" TALL NO CHIPS OR CRACKS


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


art deco blue Abingdon ship pottery vase c1940


$45.00


 Abingdon Pottery


abingdon pottery vase Art Deco baby blue 10" marked


$29.95


 Abingdon Pottery


abingdon pottery planter cream white rectangle nice #437 marked Abingdon


$15.00


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY BLUE DOUBLE HANDLED VASE #516 STANDS 7" HIGH


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Candle Holder Candlestick Green # 575


$12.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Large Abingdon Art Pottery heavy gold trim Double Handled Vase Pink Roses NICE


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage CHIC Periwinkle / Robin's Egg Blue ABINGDON Art Deco Shabby Pottery Vase


$7.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Pink Double Cornucopia Vase. USA


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON COLLECTION TRIPLE CORNUCOPIA FLOWER BOWL # 583 YELLOW POTTERY


$14.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON USA ART POTTERY DUSTY ROSE COLOR PLANTER


$59.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Art Pottery Double Cornucopia Flower Vase EXC!


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon U.S.A. Pottery Goose Figurine 4 1/2" Tall


$7.49


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Art Deco Vase With Double Bird Design In Relief, Marked


$24.95


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON CANDY DISH BOWL PLANTER #570 USA POTTERY VGC


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY PINK FAN/BOW VASE #484


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


VINTAGE ABINGDON POTTERY PINK FAN/BOW #484


$9.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery Pink Ruffled Edge 13" Dish


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY PAIR CANDLESTICK HOLDERS!


$22.50


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage c1950s DOUBLE CORNUCOPIA Vase RETRO PINK Abingdon Pottery


$20.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Rare & Beautiful Abingdon Pottery Dish! LOOK! MINT CONDITION!


$44.95


 Abingdon Pottery


LARGE VINTAGE ABINGDON ART POTTERY URN DECORATED BIRDS & FLOWERS C1940S MATTE


$35.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ART DECO ABINGDON DUSTY ROSE ART POTTERY DOUBLE CANDELSTICK


$13.48


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery Blue Scalloped Planter With Bow


$10.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon USA Pottery - Dbl. Cream Color Vase - Nice Condition


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


LOVELY ABINGDON ART POTTERY PLANTER WITH SCROLL ENDS


$29.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Beautiful Abingdon Pottery Vase. 10 1/4 Inches Tall!!!!


$19.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Antique Abingdon Pottery Oval Shell Vase 507 Light Robin Egg Blue 1940s


$32.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery Light Green Tulip / Shell Pot 5" tall X 6" wide USA


$7.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery 10" Floral Decorated Oval Acanthus Leaf Vase Ca 1940


$39.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON POTTERY SATIN BLUE WALL POCKET!


$39.96


 Abingdon Pottery


Vintage Abingdon Pottery USA 1934-1950 Green Oval Handled E-60


$28.00


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery, blue planter, #570,


$34.95


 Abingdon Pottery


Blue ABINGDON POTTERY Double Candlestick


$22.00


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON ART POTTERY PINK BOW TIE AND FAN PLANTER


$24.99


 Abingdon Pottery


RARE Abingdon Pottery Jack in the Box Cookie Jar 611


$399.00


 Abingdon Pottery


RARE Abingdon Pottery What Not Vase A4 FREE SHIPPING


$99.99


 Abingdon Pottery


ABINGDON ART POTTERY 1950'S BONSAI BOWL DISH PLANTER


$34.99


 Abingdon Pottery


Abingdon Pottery



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 Abingdon Pottery


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


$33.80


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


Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars, Book 1


$8.85


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 ...
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