History of Shawnee Pottery

The Shawnee Pottery company of Zanesville, Ohio, was a mass producer of utilitarian household pottery items such as cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, planters, vases, dinnerware and more. These items were sold at five-and-dime stores at affordable prices. Today, Shawnee Pottery is highly collectible.

The Time Line

The Shawnee Pottery Company began operations in 1937. The company was incorporated in Delaware. After WWII, aggressive competition from foreign markets resulted in reduced sales. In 1961, the company closed its doors.

The Name

The Shawnee Pottery Company takes its name and inspiration from the Shawnee Indian Tribe which, at one time, lived in Zanesville, Ohio. The Shawnee Indians were well known for their use of the indigenous red clays to produce pottery. The Shawnee Pottery Company adopted the name of this tribe and an arrowhead as its symbol.

The Factory

From the 1800s to the 1930s, the American Encaustic Company was the largest tile works company in the world. The effects of the Great Depression, however, caused the tile company to shut its doors. The company left behind a large number of buildings, equipment and a local population of skilled labor. The Shawnee Pottery Company used all this to its advantage when it took over the former American Encaustic Company properties. At the height of production, the factory produced nearly 10,000 pieces of pottery a day.

The Market

Shawnee Pottery was designed to be sold in five-and-dime shops and inexpensive department stores like Ben Franklin, Woolworth's and Sears. Shawnee Pottery was competitively price with most items retailing at 10 to 30 cents per piece.

The Designs

The pottery company produced a large variety of designs. It is most recognized for its line of corn-themed dinnerware pieces named "Corn Queen" and "Corn King." Character cookie jars such as "Winnie Pig," "Smiley Pig" and "Muggsy Dog" are also highly prized by collectors.