Details of the Eagle Pottery owned by Burroughs & Mountford

POTTERY AND ITS GROWTH

WORKS OF BURROUGHS & MOUNTFORD

A Firm that has Acquired a National Reputation

for the Originality of Their

Designs and the Character

of Their Productions.

No better illustration is needed of the rapid growth and progress of the pottery interest in this city; and the good results attending its development, especially the progress attained by some labor in the decorating branch of he business, than is furnished by the success of the Eagle Pottery. Messrs. Burroughs & Mountford, proprietors. This pottery was founded in 1876 by the late Richard Millington, who, was one of the pioneers of the pottery business in this city, probably did as much as any other individual to develop an industry which now numbers some twenty odd plants, whose annual aggregate output will amount to over $5,000,000 the current year. As early as 1853 Richard Millington and John Astbury founded and operated for a number of years the Carroll street pottery now owned and operated by Maddock & Sons. The Eagle Pottery was operated successfully by the founder until December 1st, 1879, when it was purchased by H. Nelson Burroughs, who immediately leased it to the firm of Burroughs, Mountford & Co., consisting of his son, Henry A. Burroughs, Elijah Mountford and Joseph Burroughs. At this period of its existence the productive capacity of the Eagle Pottery was limited to two kilns and employment was furnished to about forty people. The new proprietors increased the productive capacity by the erection of two additional kilns, and greatly enlarged the works by the erection of a large brick building, 40x100 feet in dimensions, consisting of five floors, including the basement. Along with these and various other improvements the new firm expended considerable money, time and labor improving the quality of their ware and perfecting the necessary arrangements to produce a superior line of decorated goods.

WHAT THEY PRODUCED.

In all this they were eminently successful, as the sequel proves, for they not only succeeded in producing what has since won a lasting reputation among the trade under the name of American thin porcelain, extra quality, but they acquired a national reputation as well for the originality of their designs and shapes, which will be referred to further on; and how well they succeeded in decorations is attested by the fact that their's is now the largest and probably the most complete decorating establishment in the country. The firm of Burroughs, Mountford & Co. was deprived by death of the senior member March 1st, 1882, but this loss did not deter the surviving partners from carrying out a pre-arranged plan for purchasing the pottery, with the view to still further increase the productive capacity and enlarge the works, and shortly thereafter they became the sole owners, instead of the lessees, of the pottery, since which time the business has been conducted under the present firm name of Burroughs & Mountford. Since the pottery has come into possession of the two surviving partners, numerous improvements have been made, notably the erection of a new decorating department, 28x80 feet in dimensions, four stories in height, and the erection of additional kilns for firing decorated ware. In its present enlarged shape, the buildings comprising the plant of the Eagle Pottery form three sides of a hollow square, and the side facing Clinton street shows an unbroken front 200 feet in length, [illegible number] stories in height, while the view presented from the other two sides shows a frontage 200 feet in length, four stories high. The kilns for biscuit and gloss firing, four in all, are compactly built on the south side of the enclosure, leaving sufficient space adjoining on the north side for the erection of four additional kilns, which the proprietors have in contemplation and hope to have erected at no distant day. At present a siding of the Pennsylvania Railroad runs into the hollow square enclosure, but it is the intention of the firm to change the location of this when they begin the erection of other kilns. The enameling or decorating kilns, four in all, making a total of eight kilns, are located in a building adjoining the decorative department. These kilns are especially adapted for firing under glaze printing, the prevailing style of decoration employed at this pottery, which exceedingly difficult branch of this important art industry Burroughs & Mountford excel in.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY FEATURES.

Other features worthy of special mention in connection with a description of this pottery is the fact that the buildings, which are all substantial brick structures, are heated throughout by steam, and among other facilities is amply provided with elevators and various other modern improvements that tend to the rapid handling of clay and product. A very striking feature of the interior arrangements is the thorough order, system, discipline and neatness prevailing throughout every department. All the machinery employed, and the engine (capacity 30-horse) that drives it, was built in this city at the foundry and machine works of John Watson. The product of the Eagle Pottery is confined exclusively to the now celebrated American porcelain thin ware, extra quality, and comprises a general line of dinner, tea and toilet wares, plain and decorated. The success attending the introduction of their thin ware is attested by the fact that in order to meet the demands of the trade it was found necessary to abandon the manufacture of all other grades, and to day this is the only pottery in Trenton devoted exclusively to the manufacture of American porcelain thin ware. A gratifying feature of their trade is the increasing demand for their decorated ware, a branch of the business that has developed into extensive proportions, which is readily substantiated by the fact that out of the entire number of people employed, 200 in all, 70 are employed in the decorating department. This is the largest number of employed in any decorating establishment in the city.

WHAT IT EXCELS IN.

As previously stated the Eagle Pottery excels in underglaze printing, and twenty-five out of the seventy people employed in the decorating branch of the business are employed on underglaze decorations. The leading styles comprise a line of square shapes, Royal Worcester design, and in this connection it is worthy of special mention to add that the Eagle Pottery is entitled to the credit of being the first to introduce the now popular square-shaped ware. The prevailing style of decorations employed in the underglaze process are styles Midsummer, Ivy, and Newport, and the principal colors are Savoy brown, Aurora, Tuscan blue and Royal blue. And the underglaze colors employed are of their own manufacture and the four mentioned are beautiful tints, not like anything in the market. In overglaze decorations the principal colors employed are maroon, brown and neutral. Gold is employed in many cases to add to the effect of the decoration, and whenever it is called into use for this purpose it always undergoes what is known as the burnishing process. A very excellent feature, and one that recommends the decorated goods of this pottery to the trade and public, is the fact that all their leading shapes are carried in open stock, consequently the ware can be had in separate pieces, as well as dinner and tea sets in any assortment the buyer may desire, and can be matched for years to come as readily as white ware. The product of the industry is sold throughout every portion of the country, but the bulk of the output is shipped to various points throughout the Eastern States. The value of the output of the Eagle Pottery for the current year will amount to nearly $200,000. The trade of the concern the past month in decorated ware alone amounted to something over $10,000. The firm is represented "on the road" by three salesmen, including the senior member, who has charge of this important branch of the business. The pottery is in charge of the junior member of the firm, who acquired a knowledge of the business at Staffordshire, England, and who, for upwards of thirteen years, has been prominently identified with the pottery interests in this city.