The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-05-23
OLD BENNINGTON POTTERY
Products Of the Norton Pot Works
Dating Back More Than 100 Years.

most people might suppose. The pot.
teries OF Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and New York state were early ut
work. the one established by Ger.
man named Remmey near the old
city hall In New York going back as
far as 1885. While the New England
pottories were not many IN number
and while most OF them are OF compar
atively recent date. the potteries es-
tablished at Bennington. VI. are
among the most interesting which the
country has produced. As early as
1898 the Norton pot works was estab'
lIshed there aud Il made the brown
glazed ware which people are apt 20
call Rockingham. no matter where II
Is made. Stoneware aud this brown
ware were the two classes OF pottery
made. pitchers. dishes, candlesticks
and animals being articles produced.
In 1898 there we're no China shops
except In n few great cities and such
products as came from the Norton
pottery were sent out through the
country by peddlers. who sold the
wares from wagons or from packs.
AZ various times new members were
taken into the firm. and by iSf0 the
firm was Norton A FentOn. their
mark being impressed In printed let.
ters In a circle. the words "Benning.
ton. VT" forming the lower half
This mark was large. over two inches
In diameter.
About iSi7 there was established In
connection with the stoneware works
branch for making articles OF orna.
mental character but OF less utility.
| a certain white ware had been pro.
duced IN England n year or two pre-.
viously which was called Parian and
the new works at Bennington went
into the manufacture OF this and
made some pitchers and other articles
which were very pretty.
Much OF this Parian was made.
OF all the pieces the pitchers with the
pond lily pattern and the one copied
| from an Alcock pitcher. showing
knights aud ladles. are the best
known and the most eagerly sought
| The Parian ware was either pure
/ MUNNfa UHIN WIN VIII UNuf UAlAH
ground or a grayish shaae.
The marks OF this period were Inn
pressed ON either an oval or an oh.
long panel. In the oval were the
words Lyman Fenton a Co. Fen.
toms enamel. patented 1919. Benning.
ton. VI" In the oblong panel were
the words. "Fcnton's worxs. Dsnning.
/, ton. VT" ny 1853 these works were
closed and no more Parian was made.
AZ the height OF its prosperity the
town OF Bennington had a worldwide
reputation. az least In the potting
world. The mint rock combined with
| clay made a paste which was good 90
| work. native colors were used 10 stain
the paste or glaze. ideas were vel.
coined and designs from all sources
IN demand Sometimes M many AZ
| 200 pottera were nj work. many OF
them from the old world potteries.
me colorH used In tails old notified
| ware were different from the common
brown seen In domestic articles 20.
day. The brown was rich In tone and
often combined with dark red or
| green and a dull blue. One OF the
most famous notified pitcher patterns
showed a tulip design. Another pat.
tern which had n hound handle which
was copied from the famous pitcher
made by Greatback.
In buying specimens OF bennington
ware II II safe 90 accept only those
which are marked. and there are
even specimens marked Lyman. Fen.
ton a Co." which are common mot.
tied ware quite distinct trom the bet.
! ter. richly coiored pieces.
The lion and the dog are two speci.
mems OF the best period IN Bennlng.
ton ware and are richly and finely
coiored. Interesting also are the
dogs which come In white with blue
eyes and are exceedingly heavy.
They are four or ave inches high and
the lions are about the same sire.
A COW was another popular design
and could be found standing with her
tail curled over her back for a handle
or al an ornament lying down. The
toby Jugs were also much In demand
and came In various sizes. and a fam.
Gus one was n head OF BENJAMIN
Franklin with n cooked hat A patent
medicine notified ware and also bot,
| ties OF various sizes IN the form OF
books. They had on them impressed
whore the title should be names such
as these: -Hermlt's Suffering"
'fLady's Companion" Holy Spirits"
Departed Spirits" and those who
did not approve of such levity there
could be obtained those marked Just
bennington Companion"
Rarely IN remote places you may
come across some OF these bottles
whose owners think they are nothing
but just notified ware" and n you
have your collectors luck with you.
they may be bought cheap. Thus
three specimens were picked up I'm
Maine last summer for 81 each and as
they were marked and IN good condit.
Ion the finder turned over her origin.
nj outlay many times.
The mark OF the fourth stage OF the
pottery was a ribbon scroll queerly
twisted and having on II the letters
~. 8. p" with a number which in.
dicated the pattern. These letters
stood for United States Pottery, for
in isie or 1850 the Arm name had
been changed 10 this There are but
two other marks connected with the
Bennington ware and these are one
oval and one octagonai Both contain
the same wording, United States
Pottery Co, Bennington. W."
After closing OF the pottery In 1858