I love a good teapot and I especially love a teapot that has a history. When I saw Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania on this teapot listed on eBay I had to find out more. How could I have lived about 6 miles away from a pottery place that made teapots and not have a clue? Well, I did and now I have a teapot that was part of the restaurant line produced by Mayer China. Exciting.
This teapot is a small one but it has more to it than just the teapot. It has history behind it that I did a little bit of research to discover. Mayer China was located along the Beaver River on Second Avenue.
I found the following information on the Beaver County Radio website that shed some light on this company that I had no knowledge of.
The company had a very successful run for around a hundred years that began in 1881 when Ernest and Joseph Mayer bought Economy Pottery, a small company that was originally set up by The Harmonist Society. By the 1920’s Mayer China was recognized around the world as being a top quality product and was used in cruise ships, railroads, fancy hotels and later on airlines. Mayer China even supplied its signature place settings for the The White Star Line, the famous British ship builder that built the RMS Titanic. Mayer China closed in 1990, but was reopened a couple of times up through about 2000 under different ownerships before closing for good. The factory has since been torn down, but the former office building and warehouse store still stands and houses a used auto parts business.
Apparently the custom in Beaver Falls and the surrounding area was to pick up the china in restaurants to see the markings on the bottom to see if it was indeed from the Mayer China company.
I love that I have this little bit of history and it is meaningful to me because of our time living in Monaca in Beaver Township. When I fly in to see my mom I often fly into Pittsburgh and drive through the area where we used to live on my way to see her in Ohio. Now I have a teapot from there as well.
Have you ever found something that just brought you joy because of the memories of a place or time associated with it? I think this teapot falls into that category. I love that it brought me back to our years in Pennsylvania and I love that now I can have a cup of tea poured from it. Tell me your stories and finds in the comments and Comment for a Cause – Fill the Bus -School Clothes for Transylvania County Children.
8 Comments
Leave a commentThis is such a nice find, especially since it has significance attached to it for you. I love finding things like that. I often get excited when I find something in a store or wherever that was made in Germany and has a meaning for me. It’s especially great around Christmas time. I’ve found so many amazing decor items over the years, some new, some second-hand but all things I grew up with.
I can imagine finding anything from Germany would be super exciting for you! Lots of great memories associated with all of those finds, right?
That is awesome! Those kind of finds truly are special. When we lived in Oregon, a church friend’s mother was big into flea markets and antiques and was trying to downsize her collection. When my friend heard we had previously lived on the Kansas side of Kansas City, she gifted me with a little teacup and saucer from her mom’s stash that was marked Kansas. I still treasure it.
Oh how sweet! I love when other people find things that they know will mean something to me as well. Sounds like your friend found the perfect teacup for you!
It’s always so much fun to discover local history. And then to own a piece of it…
Exactly. I was so happy to find that teapot!
It is always so special to have things that bring good memories back to us. What a find this little teapot was for you. A few years also in my home town of Smithfield, VA at my favorite shop Vintage Potential I found a clock that my parents had when I was a baby. It was Golden with a full figure of a horse and a clock right beside it. I have a picture of me in my playpen and the clock on a table right be hind me. Sense the clock was such a classic I always wished I could find one in my shopping adventures. Now I have one and have that picture of me and the clock right beside it. Very special to me.
What a wonderful story about a very special clock and memories ! I love it. Thanks for sharing.