Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2020.FIC.107 |
Object Name |
Platter |
Title |
Mercer Pottery Company Trenton Club Platter |
Description |
This white oval platter features two blue stripes around the rim, with the exception of the top, where there is a blue Trenton seal. The seal is circular with dots around the edge, containing a horse's head and a shield with three wheat sheaves. Below the shield, the words "TRENTON CLUB" are inscribed. The front of the plate is slightly caved in, causing the back to be slightly raised. A slight rim separates the base from the rest of the back. At the center of the base is a green Mercer Hotel Ware logo, which includes a crown with five jewels on top and five jewels on the bottom, along with the words "MERCER HOTEL WARE" beneath the crown. According to Edwin Atlee of the Trenton Historical Society, the Potteries of Trenton Society, and the book Mains and Fitzgerald's Trenton, Chambersburg, and Millham Directory, Mercer Pottery operated in Trenton from around 1865 or 1868 until either the 1930s or 1946. By 1875, James Moses owned the company and claimed to have developed the first semi-porcelain ware in the United States. This plate was made for the Trenton Club. The Trenton Free Public Library states that the Trenton Club was originally founded in 1884 as the Trenton Bicycle Club, known for cycling. In 1892, the club officially changed its name to the Trenton Club, a social and recreational organization. They moved to 479 West State Street in 1962, where the club featured a private meeting room, bar, card room, banquet room, kitchen, and gym. Membership was exclusive, with new members required to be voted in, and objections from two members could bar someone from joining. However, by 2002, membership had declined, leading to discussions about combining the club with the Trenton YMCA. These talks ultimately did not result in action, and the Trenton Club permanently closed its doors in 2013. The TrentonNJ.org website notes that the horse's head and wheat sheaves on the city seal represent agriculture, which was crucial to the English Quakers who first settled the area in 1679. Additionally, a horse's head appears on the New Jersey state seal. Citations: Barber, E. A. (n.d.). Marks of American potters. Trenton Historical Society, New Jersey. https://www.trentonhistory.org/Made/Marks.html City of Trenton. (n.d.). Flag. Welcome to Trenton New Jersey. https://www.trentonnj.org/495/Flag Mains, Bishop W. and Thomas F. Fitzgerald. 1877-1879. Mains and Fitzgerald’s Trenton, Chambersburg and Millham Directory: Containing the Names of the Citizens, Statistical Business Report, Historical Sketches, a List of the Public and Private Institutions, Together with National, State, County, and City Government. Bishop W. Mains & Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Trenton, New Jersey. Mercer Pottery. Potteries of Trenton Society. (n.d.-c). https://potteriesoftrentonsociety.org/research/records/mercer-pottery-2/ Trenton Free Public Library. (n.d.). The Trenton Club Records (1892-2013). trentonlib.org. https://trentonlib.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Trenton-Club.pdf |
Year Range from |
1884 |
Year Range to |
1939 |
Material |
Ceramic |
Artist |
Mercer Pottery Company |
Height (in) |
8.500 |
Length (in) |
12.500 |
Condition |
Okay |
Condition Notes |
Overall: Scratches, accretions, and wear throughout Front: There is wear around the rim. There are tiny scratches around the base of the plate. There is a clear accretion on the center of the plate near the left side. There is a blue accretion on the center near the left. There is a brown accretion on the center near the middle. And finally, there are multiple black accretions on the center near the middle. Back: There is wear around the inner rim of the plate. There is an abrasion on the bottom near the middle. There is a blue line on top near the right side. The logo is slightly faded on top. And finally, there are grey lines on the bottom near the left. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Top, Middle |
Inscription Technique |
Stamped |
Inscription Text |
"TRENTON CLUB" Line 1 Back, Center, Middle "MERCER HOTEL WARE" Line 1 "VITRUS" Line 2 |
People |
James Moses |
Classification |
Domestic Life/Household Goods Business & Commerce |
Subjects |
Ceramic industry Hotels Food Wheat Clubs Meetings Seals (Insignia) |
Search Terms |
White Trenton Platter Trenton Club Golf Country Club Ceramic Mercer Pottery Company Oaklands Plate Blue Green John Moses Food New Jersey 1897 1939 19th Century 20th Century Mercer Pottery Company Trenton Club Platter |
Provenance |
This item was found in collections. |