Skip Navigation

Sign In or Register

West-virginia-encyclopedia-text

SharePrint Carr China Company

Carr_china-1934_medium

The pottery factory that was to become Carr China Company was established in 1913 as the Consolidated Manufactories Company by the Merchants Association of Grafton. Begun as a community economic development project, the company built the brick, seven-kiln, 108,000-square-foot pottery plant to employ 250 people. The original company operated the pottery for two years but was declared bankrupt on January 1, 1916.

In June 1916, members of the Speidel, Bachmann, and Carr families brought Thomas Carr, the president of the Warwick Pottery Company in Wheeling, to take over the Grafton pottery. The new operation was called Carr China Company. After Thomas Carr’s retirement in 1923, Carr China successfully competed in the hotel ware market for 30 more years.

Carr China made all types of dishware to prepare and serve food and beverages. It also made smoking accessories and special ware for hospitals. Carr China salesmen sold to many of the nation’s restaurants, resorts, hotels, and hospitals. They also provided ware for West Virginia’s state parks and the Jackson’s Mill 4-H Center.

Carr China designs included Blue Willow, Dolly Varden, Dresden, Empire, Glo-tan, Rho-dendra, Roanoke, and many others. The names are on many pieces of ware.

As World War II approached, Carr built extra warehouses to stockpile necessary English clay. It supplied chinaware to the armed forces, and Carr’s handle-less mugs became well known to servicemen. After the war, competition with plastics and recovering foreign factories forced the Carr China Company out of business in 1953.

This Article was written by James R. Mitchell

Last Revised on October 19, 2023

Related Articles


Sources

Taylor County Historical & Genealogical Society. A History of Taylor County. Parsons: McClain, 1986.

Cite This Article

Mitchell, James R. "Carr China Company." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 19 October 2023. Web. 28 March 2024.

Comments?

So far, this article has 1 comment.

West Virginia Humanities Council | 1310 Kanawha Blvd E | Charleston, WV 25301 Ph. 304-346-8500 | © 2024 All Rights Reserved

About e-WV | Our Sponsors | Help & Support | Contact Us The essential guide to the Mountain State can be yours today! Click here to order.