Abingdon Art Pottery

The Abingdon Sanitary Manufacturing Company was founded by Mr. and Mrs. James Simpson, in the year 1908. The company began manufacturing china plumbing fixtures in Illinois and by the year 1928, they became pioneers in producing colored plumbing fixtures. During depression in 1929, the company started facing a crisis, and to stay in business they started producing art ware. The idea of pottery came from Raymond E. Bidwell who became the company president in 1933. The Abingdon Pottery used the similar process that they used to make their plumbing ware. The pottery was made from specific china, which was selected from England, and Georgia. (Story continues below products)

Balls clays from England, and Tennessee were utilized and flint or ground silica sand Illinois, and feldspar from the company’s mines were specifically used to give the pottery a strong and sturdy body. The pottery pieces either had glossy glaze or were sprayed or hand painted. The pottery gained popularity, and during 1934 to 1950 the company produced, and sold over 6 million pieces. Production of these products was discontinued around 1950.

The Abingdon pottery was sold in gift shops, and most of the pieces had an Abingdon USA ink stamps. Today, Abingdon pottery items such as vases, cookie jars, sculptured ware, figurines, urns, jugs, book ends, flower pots, string holders, lamp bases, floor vases, sand jars, flower pots, and many such items are considered collector’s items.