Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/308

294 make many fancy patterns, such as thimbles, inkstands, parasol-handles, menu slabs, and candelabra.

The Phœnixville (Pa.) Pottery, Kaolin, and Fire-brick Company was organized in 1867, and a few years later was succeeded by Messrs. Schreiber & Co., who made yellow and Rockingham ware, and terra-cotta ornaments and wall-pieces. Heads of hounds and stags in several sizes, and large boars' heads, were made extensively here, and twenty years ago were in demand for decorating the interiors of public-houses. Many of these may still be seen in country taverns. These were considered works of considerable artistic merit when first produced. The antlers and horns of stags and antelopes were made separately and afterward inserted. Messrs. Beerbower & Griffen took the pottery in 1877 and commenced the manufacture of white granite. In 1879 the firm name was changed to Griffen, Smith & Co., and in the following year the manufacture of "Etruscan" majolica was added. From 1880 to 1890 the factory produced a good grade of white and decorated china, mostly in table services and toilet sets. Through their majolica and "stucco" productions, however, the firm became more widely known, and within the past few years they have made many decorative pieces in shell and dolphin patterns, after the Irish Belleek forms. Since the fire, which destroyed a large portion of the works recently, the manufacture of majolica has been discontinued. Mr. Smith withdrew from the firm in 1889 and erected levigating mills at Toughkenamon. Pa., near which place are large beds of kaolin. The firm style was then changed to Griffen, Love & Co.

As early as 1882 experiments were commenced in the