EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: Willoughby Smith's (1839-1905) Red Earthenware Production in Berks County, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Willoughby Smith's (1839-1905) Red Earthenware Production in Berks County, Pennsylvania

While scanning through Facebook this morning, I noticed that central Pennsylvania collector, Randy Bohn had posted some really interesting objects last night associated with Willoughby Smith's (1839-1905) nineteenth century red earthenware production in Pennsylvania. Those objects include Smith's stamp used for marking boxes for shipping his wares from his business in Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania, such as flowerpots that were purchased by various towns and cities throughout the state.

According to Edwin Atlee Barber's (1851-1916) book, Marks of American Potters, which was published in Smith's lifetime in 1904, "An earthenware pottery was established in Berks County, by John Menner, in 1784, which later passed into the hands of Josiah Beck, and in 1864 was bought by the present owner Willoughby Smith. Ordinary red, slip-decorated ware has been made here for perhaps nearly a century, such as pie plates, flower-pots, apple butter and milk jars. A mark used by Mr. Smith on some of his earlier ware consists of his name and his address impressed into the ware with type or metal die. At present machine-made flower-pots are a speciality at this pottery."

Smith may have trained under the Feeg brothers, Daniel (1818-84) and Joseph (1821-91) who ran the Womelsdorf Pottery in the 1850s, where he worked for a short time before he purchased the pottery in 1864. After the business sold, the brothers continued to produce pottery in another partnership after 1865.

Smith is known for two marks today; the first reading "Willoughby Smith / Womelsdorf," and the second appearing "W. Smith / Womelsdorf." But I have been unable to prove whether Smith marked any of his wares while he worked with the Feegs.

Interestingly, it appears that Smith's flowerpots were in great demand in parts of Pennsylvania in the latter years of the 1800s. For example, published in the February 26, 1885 issue of the Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Telegraph, it states that "$12.50 cents were paid to Smith between 1881-82 for flowerpots for public grounds." Other publications state that $12.50 was paid by the State of Pennsylvania in 1884-85 for flowerpots, and $10.04 was paid to Smith by the City of Reading for flowerpots in 1898-99. Considering the cost per dozen was likely at most only a few dollars during this period, these orders amounted to a large amount of flowerpots.

Aside from Smith's flowerpot production, his slip-decorated plates are prized among collectors today, especially those that are decorated in multiple colors of slip, and impressed with Smith's mark. Smith also made foods molds, spittoons, banks, jars and jugs, with some of the best examples selling in Lester Breininger's (1935-2011) sale at Pook and Pook Auctions in Downington, Pennsylvania in 2011.

When Smith unexpectedly passed away in 1905, his obituary read in part, "Mrs. N.P. Coldren, of Newmanstown, this county, has received in the death at Womelsdorf of her father, Willoughby Smith, aged 66 years. He died very suddenly from the effects of a stroke of apoplexy. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church. Deceased was engaged in the pottery business for 41 years. He served as councilman and school director for several terms."

Willoughby Smith's (1839-1905) Red Earthenware Production in Berks County, Pennsylvania