North State Pottery Co.
Like Jugtown Pottery, North State was founded by entrepreneurs who appreciated pottery but were not potters themselves. Rebecca Palmer Cooper started North State Pottery Company as a hobby in 1924. Her sole potter and designer was Jonah (Jonie) Owen who she hired away from Long Cabin Pottery. Some of Jonah’s work from 1924 to 1925 preceded the company’s first stamp and was unmarked.
Sales at the North Carolina State Fair in 1925 encouraged Cooper’s husband to leave his job as a salesman at R. J. Reynolds Tobacco and join the new pottery. When Jonie Owen left in 1925, he was replaced by his brother Walter Owen. Walter not only spent his entire career at North State (1925 to 1959), but he also inherited the pottery at Henry Cooper’s death in 1959. Charles Craven worked at North State as a potter and designer from 1926 to 1928.
The Coopers were a practical, businesslike couple who catered to the needs of tourists. They created an enormous variety of shapes and innovative glazes. Henry Cooper developed a working relationship with the ceramic engineering department at nearby North Carolina State College (now University) that brought student interns and glaze chemistry to the company.
North State produced art pottery in stoneware and earthenware throughout its entire 35 year history. Its most successful lines were swirlware, double-dipped and multi-dipped glazes. Low wide bowls and large ovoid footed vases were characteristic of Walter Owen.
The company’s three stamps are easily distinguished. All were incised on the bottom of each piece in a half-circle.
First stamp (1924-1926): NORTH STATE POTTERY CO./HAND MADE/SANFORD, N.C.
Second stamp (1926-1938) in a half-circle: North State Pottery Co./Hand Made/Sanford N.C.
Third stamp (1939-1959): Hand made/by/North State/Pottery/Sanford, N. Carolina
What some have called the “fourth stamp” is the mark for Pine State Pottery Company which was active from 1959 to 1978.
Reference note by p4A.com Contributing Editor Pete Prunkl.