Syracuse China

Book excerpt: Of great importance to scholars, collectors, dealers, and others interested in the history of ceramics, the decorative arts, and industrial culture, Syracuse China examines the birth, growth, and remarkable resilience over more than a century of one of America's major manufacturers of ceramic tableware. Drawing on the company's archives and historical collection of ware, the authors explore not only the history of its products but also the people who designed, made, decorated, sold, and used them. Syracuse China was the pioneer manufacturer of a distinctively American type of vitrified fine china, as well as the first American "rolled edge" shapes which revolutionized hotel and restaurant dining. The company was also a great leader in labor relations and marketing within its industry. Cleota Reed and Stan Skoczen's lively account of this fascinating chapter in the history of American material culture spans the Victorian age to the present. Collectors and enthusiasts will find the following features invaluable: — 30 color plates — 128 black-and-white photographs — A comprehensive visual listing of Syracuse China's back stamps — An appendix that enables the reader to identify Syracuse China shapes and patterns.