 | Celebrating American Potteryposted by TeaHouseTimes Admin, ADVERTISER TEA RELATED PRODUCTSSaturday, April 17th 2010 @ 3:49 PM |
Like many tea drinkers, I have a great fondness for ceramics and pottery. Usually when I go to England, I bring back some piece that I believe I just can’t live without. Although many of us associate English pieces with tea, we are missing out if we don’t consider America’s potteries. And what a fun way to plan travel, whether it be a day trip or weekend adventure -- planning it around American Pottery. Yes, you can do this on your own, but it will be much more fun to do with a group of good friends or family. Following are some things to consider when planning your pottery exploration:
• You may already be aware of an actual pottery/factory in your area. And if this is the case, what an excellent place to start exploring. However, if you aren’t aware of a nearby pottery, the internet is a great source of information. In my search, I came across a number of American potteries – some of which I’ve heard of and some new: Emerson Creek Pottery (VA & Il ); HENN (Warren, OH); Hartstone Pottery (Zanesville, OH); Stillmeadow Pottery (Salinas, CA); Sheffield Pottery (Sheffield, MA); Pfaltzgraff; Oakleaf Pottery (Bally, PA); Frankoma (Sapulpa, OK); Eldreth Pottery (Lancaster Co, PA); Red Wing Pottery (Red Wing, MN); Homer Laughlin China Co (Newell, WV); Bennington Potters (Bennington, VT); Blue Mist Pottery (Hagerstown, MD); Cedar Mesa Pottery (Blanding, UT); Heath Ceramics (Sausalito, CA); and Longaberger (Frazeysburg, OH)
• Visiting the Pottery factory can be a great experience. Some offer full day opportunities (e.g., In visiting the Longaberger Homestead, you not only learn about the products, but you can make a basket and have a meal; HENN has a museum and special festivals throughout the year; Eldreth Pottery has special holiday open houses, etc.). The special events can be a starting point in planning your visit.
In checking out the potteries, see if they have an outlet store (it’s always nice to get pieces on sale); see if they offer factory tours, see if they have a museum, and see if they have a place on site to enjoy a cup of tea.
• If an actual pottery is not easy for you to get to – don’t worry. There are other options. Consider researching some type of American Pottery (e.g., Roseville, Pieces with ‘USA’ mark, Fiesta, Blue Ridge Pottery, etc.) and then go on a search in flea markets and antique stores to see what you can find of that particular kind. Or better yet, incorporate a scavenger hunt into your search with prizes.
• You may be lucky and near one of the many museums that house American pottery and ceramics. Enjoy a day at the museum. Some parts of the country are rich in history because of the clays and people who settled there. Ohio is such a place and the Museum of Ceramics (located in East Liverpool, OH) just celebrated its 100th Anniversary.
• And of course there are many ‘pottery barns’ that offer all kinds of pottery and where you usually can pick up some great bargains. Many of these even have outlet type stores. There is something about picking up a great item at a great price that can help lift your spirits.
• If you do have interest in a specific kind of pottery, check to see if there is a collector’s club associated with that type. Collector’s clubs often have special events and can provide invaluable information on where to find and purchase pieces.
Of course, any pottery explorations you do can easily be paired with having tea. Teamap.com along with similar sites can offer suggestions of places that will fit in with your itinerary. And if you do undertake a pottery exploration, share your adventure with us – we would love to hear from you.
~by Patty Suchy, founder of Novel Explorations, Where Fiction and Travel Merge. Visit www.novelexplorations.com
From the Mar/Apr10 issue of The Tea House Times. To view the most recent issue, please register / log-in at http://www.theteahousetimes.com for free access.
