Shenango China
Shenango China has become some of the most sought after China that has ever been produced in the United States, where individual pieces routinely sell for hundreds of dollars. Over the course of their history they would make specialized, commissioned, plates for World’s Fairs, monarchs and more.
It was originally founded in 1901 in New Castle, PA, on the site of the former New Castle Shovel Works. The company had a space to operate and began to grow quickly. By 1905 they employed over 150 people. It was at this point that there was little to no demand for hotel chinaware from rural, western Pennsylvania. The company struggled and, in a last ditch effort, bought out New Castle Pottery. The owners of Shenango China saw the rapid success of the pottery industry that had spawned in nearby East Liverpool, Ohio. The plant was set to open up in march of 1912, only to be delayed because a flood submerged the building in 3 feet of water. Over the next decade the company shrank and slowly began to grow again. In 1928, they invested greatly in future growth, only to be immediately stifled by the crash of the stock market and the Great Depression. They had abandoned the pottery business at this point, in order to stay afloat.
In the late 1930’s, Shenango China would finally get their big break, thanks to World War II. At the time Haviland China, produced in France and was some of the most sought after China in the world. Their owner, Theodore Haviland wanted to switch production to America, as he saw a war in Europe a near certainty. This single handedly saved the company and within three years, Shenango China was producing commissioned work for every president, the New York Worlds Fair, and Queen Elizabeth herself. The dinner plates owned by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman were both produced by Shenango China. They had developed a reputation of being some of the finest china in the world.
In 1958, Europe had become stable enough for Haviland to move production back to France. Shenango China saw what their future would be without Haviland and in 1968, the were bought by Interpace Corporation who had promised to revolutionize the company’s business and technology. This would be Shenango China’s final mistake. Only 11 years after being bought out, they were sold to Anchor Hocking, of Lancaster, Ohio. Eight years later, they were sold again, and once more 6 months after that. With the sale to Interpace, the owners of Shenango China has lost control of their company and its future. Each sale left more employees unemployed, until in 1995, the plant shut down for good. Today, the factory is filed with boxes of china, stacked to the skies.
