Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2020.FIC.090 |
Object Name |
Dish, Serving |
Title |
New Jersey Porcelain Company Pullen Cracker Dish |
Description |
This white oval-shaped dish features a green line that runs around the rim. In the center, the words "USE THE 'PULLEN' CRACKER. ORIGINAL TRENTON CRACKER CO., TRENTON, N.J." are written in green. The front of the dish is slightly caved in, causing the back to be slightly elevated. A faint rim separates the base from the rest of the back. On the center of the base, the letters "N.J.C.P.CO. VITREOUS" are engraved. The New Jersey Porcelain Company, also known as New Jersey Porcelain Works, was founded in Trenton in 1921. According to the National Register of Historic Places, the company was acquired by Polish businessmen during the 1920s. The Potteries of Trenton Society notes that the company produced items such as electrical porcelain, bathroom accessories, vitreous wall tiles, and heavy-duty tiles and trims for outdoor use. The company ceased operations in 2002. Ezekiel Pullen began baking crackers in 1848, selling them from the back of his wagon as he traveled through the streets of Trenton. His business grew rapidly, especially as oyster crackers gained popularity in the 1860s and 1870s. In 1887, Pullen sold the business to Christopher Cartlidge, who renamed it the Original Trenton Cracker Company. In 1962, the Cartlidge family bought out their longtime competitors, the Exton company. Since 1993, Specialty Brands of America has owned the Original Trenton Cracker. Citations: New Jersey Porcelain Company, inc.. Potteries of Trenton Society. (n.d.-b). https://potteriesoftrentonsociety.org/research/records/new-jersey-porcelain-company-inc/ Museum of American History. (n.d.). O.T.C. Trenton Crackers. Smithsonian Institution. https://www.si.edu/object/nmah_1329398 |
Year Range from |
1921 |
Year Range to |
2002 |
Material |
Ceramic |
Artist |
New Jersey Porcelain Company |
Height (in) |
6.500 |
Length (in) |
9.500 |
Condition |
Okay |
Condition Notes |
Overall: Wear, abrasions, and scratches throughout. Front: There are scratches all over the plate. There are a few tiny abrasions on the base. The green rim is slightly chipped. There is a brown accretion on the logo. And finally, there is wear around the outer rim. Back: There are abrasions and wear all around the inner rim. There is an abrasion on the bottom near the right side. There is a brown accretion on top near the middle. And finally, there is a brown accretion on the bottom near the left side. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Center, Middle |
Inscription Technique |
Stamped |
Inscription Text |
"USE THE "PULLEN" CRACKER" Line 1 "ORIGINAL" Line 2 "TRENTON CRACKER CO.," Line 3 "TRENTON, N.J" Line 4 Back, Center, Middle "N.J.C.P.CO. VITREOUJS" Line 1 |
People |
Ezekiel Pullen Christopher Cartlidge |
Classification |
Domestic Life/Household Goods Business & Commerce |
Subjects |
Ceramic industry Food Crackers |
Search Terms |
Ezekiel Pullen Christopher Cartlidge 20th Century 21st Century Crackers Ceramic White Green Pullen Trenton Cracker Company New Jersey Trenton New Jersey Porcelain Company 1921 2002 Specialty Brands of America Serving Dish The New Jersey Porcelain Company Pullen Cracker Dish |
Provenance |
Found in collection |