There are two parts to this story about surprising finds at Fort Laurens Antiques in Bolivar, Ohio. People in East Liverpool, Ohio and Columbiana County, Ohio might find both particularly interesting. And if you like pottery, stoneware or whiteware, if you like early manufacturing concepts that helped moved America’s largest pre-Prohibition whiskey jugs, and if you want to root for an underdog, this blog is for you too!
To begin, we will start with Part 1.
This journey begins in 1887 on the western banks of the Ohio River in the town of East Liverpool in Columbiana County. The town was also known as Crockery City in 1887.
The largest pottery in town was KT&K (Knowles, Taylor & Knowles), founded in 1854 by Isaac Knowles and Isaac Harvey. They were known for their self-sealing stoneware canning jars. KT&K dropped the previous stoneware label and began to manufacture “whiteware.”
With plenty of white clay and other refined clays available in the area, the whiteware was given a clear glaze that developed a lustrous white finish. In addition, each jug was marked with the KT&K signature.
Different from ironware which is normally whiter and harder, the white version of stoneware is often referred to as china, hotel china, or semi-vitreous porcelain.
KT&K did quite well with its lustrous white jugs. By 1877, the company added new buildings and increased its capacity to five kilns. It put to work over 700 employees, and by 1891 the facility was the largest pottery in the Unites States.
Throughout the early 20th century KT&K continued to prosper. Homer Knowles died in 1892 and Isaac Knowles retired shortly thereafter. Taylor ran the firm successfully until 1914. Shortly thereafter, prohibition arrived and spelled the demise of the market for whiskey jugs. Knowles, Taylor, and Knowles, the largest pottery in America for the past 50 years, put out the fires in its kilns, released the remaining workforce, and forever ceased operations.
Fort Laurens Antiques is located at 127 Canal Street in Bolivar, exit 93 off I-77. We encourage you to visit this two-story antique shop and you may just find KTK whiskey jugs, unique stoneware, and whiteware for your collection in East Liverpool, Ohio; Columbiana County, Ohio and all points elsewhere!
Fort Laurens Antiques
330.874.4136
A special thank you to Jack Sullivan, a blogger in which Fort Laurens Antiques used a lot of his information regarding Meredith’s Diamond Club Pure Rye Whiskeys. Drink up.