Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/166

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154
THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

turning out white ware which was claimed to be equal in quality and workmanship to the best made in Staffordshire. Two years later Captain John Mullowney, brick-maker, was operating the Washington pottery on Market Street, west of Seventeenth; and in the files of the Aurora or General Advertiser, published in Philadelphia in 1810, this factory advertised red, yellow, and black coffee-pots, tea-pots, pitchers, etc, and called special attention to the decorating ])ranch, artists being employed who were prepared to put any device, cipher, or pattern on china or other ware at the shortest notice.

Daniel Freytag was making in Philadelphia, in 1811, a finer quality of china-ware than had yet been produced in the United Fig. 4.—Porcelain Vase. New York, 1816. States. It was made of various colors, and was embellished with gold and silver; and in 1817 David G. Seixas manufactured an imitation of the Liverpool white crockery from native American clays with great success, continuing the business until 1822.

Porcelain was made in New York city early in this century, probably by Dr. Mead. How long this factory was in operation is not known, but it is believed that a fine grade of ware was made there from American materials. A vase over a foot in height, of excellent body and exceedingly white glaze, is preserved in the Franklin Institute. This was "finished in New York in 1816," and is supposed to have been made at that factory. It is entirely devoid of gilding or coloring, and is made in two parts, held together by a screw and nut, after the French manner.

In 1823 Henry Remmey, a brother of John Remmey, the last proprietor of the New York stone-ware factory, which was closed about 1820, came to Philadelphia and embarked in the same business, which is now continued by a great-grandson, Mr. Richard C. Remmey, who now owns the largest stone-ware works in the United States. Here are manufactured fire-bricks of superior quality, and chemical stone and porcelain ware of every description, some of the vessels having a capacity of two hundred to five hundred gallons. In addition to these specialties, the factory produces a large line of household utensils, and the business has grown to such proportions that the ten large kilns are taxed to the utmost.