McCoy History

   The McCoy story dates back to April of 1910 when The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company was opened in Roseville, Ohio. The company was a joint venture created by Nelson McCoy and his father J.W. McCoy. In the beginning they made and sold stoneware which was both decorative and functional. They even mined and sold their own clay. This clay business supplied many of the premier local pottery factories of the time. In May of 1910 the company contracted the construction of a building and purchased the needed equipment to begin production on a mass scale. The Roseville area was chosen for its rich reserves of clay and also for the fact that the land was donated as a free gift by the city. The rich natural resources of clay were abundant and the needed local labor force was already well-seasoned in the manufacture of earthenware products. Ohio already had a century long tradition as a regional center for pottery production. Nelson drew on these resources and his deep knowledge base to make the company successful from the beginning. The first stoneware manufactured by the factory included functional jars, jugs, and crocks used for food and beverage storage. The company also manufactured poultry fountains, foot warmers and other non-food related goods.

   In 1925, Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company had 15 years of experience under its belt and the McCoy family chose to divest itself its interests in other local pottery companies and focus exclusively on the McCoy Company. They undertook a vast expansion of facilities, equipment, and product lines at this time. A huge kiln was constructed and production capacity increased again. Now art pottery was part of the output and this drew a market of affluent customers who began to take an interest in the company’s wares. This new era saw the company expand into the production of such finery as Jardinières, pedestals, umbrella stands, vases, and other decorative items. These items would then become the focus of more of McCoy’s artisans than in previous times. Leaf and berry motifs were the most popular motifs of the late 20’s and early 30’s and the glazes were earthy tones of brown and green. Green glaze was especially common and less costly to produce. Green glazed McCoy pieces were produced on a mass scale in the 30’s and appealed to the average consumer due to their attractiveness and functionality.

   When the depression hit, it was rough on all the Potteries of the area and survival depended on the formation of a co-op known as the American Clay Products Company. Each member combined its product lines into a shared marketing and sales program which led to many companies producing very similar items to one another during this period. Only the most discerning eye will notice the differences between pieces made by McCoy and pieces made by other Potteries from this era. As success returned though, the co-op eventually was disbanded and a competitive marketplace began to flourish again. McCoy’s style of products changed with each change of head designers. The leaves and berries look was the work of Walter Bauer. He retained this look but made small variations to shape and function. The overall appearance stayed fairly similar under his reign though. When Sidney Cope joined the company in the mid 30's though, the style of McCoy art pieces would change somewhat. Cope favored decorative planter styles which were both functional and beautiful to look at. The techniques of the company at this time were quite crude compared to modern methods. Mixing, pouring and firing required much labor and took a lot of time to complete. Kilns were coal fired and could be very dangerous. Fire was a constant threat. Nelson McCoy and many other local potteries would see many setbacks due to the destruction caused by factory fires.

   The 30’s were a period of change for the company including an updated name. To shed its old image of being a producer of basic jugs and crocks, the firm changed its name to The Nelson McCoy Pottery Company. The product line also shifted to newer designs would take hold through the 1940’s. Circular kilns were also adopted and they improved the efficiency of stacking and firing quite drastically. Each kiln could accommodate up to 5,000 pieces and needed only 25 hours to process. Many other modern techniques also helped make the entire production process much less labor intensive. With the onset of World War II, McCoy joined the war effort by contracting with the Army to produce a line of dinnerware and other items for the soldiers. These pottery pieces were needed, as supplies of metal which were normally used to produce these types of items were diverted for the production of landmines and weaponry. After the war, McCoy continued to manufacture decorative art pottery. The 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s saw the company move into the production of cookie jars which are still valued by collectors today.

   Through a century of existence, the McCoy family continued to hold ownership of the company and 4 generations of McCoy’s occupied the position of company president. The company continued to flourish with the flourishing economy and rose to become the premier pottery maker of the United States. At its height, the company had 450 employees including the relatives of many artisans from the company’s past. Even after a devastating 1950 fire, the company was able to rebuild, survive, and expand further.1967 saw another change to the company when it was sold to the Mount Clemens Pottery Company. It was sold again in 1974 to the Lancaster Colony Corp. McCoy remained innovative and creative but it faced mounting competition from foreign manufacturers and profits were dwindling. The quality was high, but the cost became prohibitive to the average consumer. In 1990 the company finally ceased operation after a long period of decline. Today vintage McCoy pottery lives on in the collections of devotees around the world who still appreciate the fine art quality of historic McCoy products.