Watt Pottery marks

About Watt

Watt Pottery Company operated in Crooksville, Ohio, from 1922 until 1965. The Watt family incorporated the business in July 1922 at the former Burley pottery. Its early output included practical stoneware crocks, jugs, preserve jars and butter churns. Blue eagle or acorn emblems and capacity figures occur on this earlier ware.

During the 1930s the factory moved toward lighter ovenware suited to changing kitchens. Solid-color bowls and other kitchen pieces preceded the familiar hand-decorated lines. Hand painting began in 1949. Decorators used economical brushwork on a warm cream body, producing flowers, fruit and other simple motifs. Apple, introduced in 1952, became one of the company’s best-known patterns. Other lines included Starflower, Rooster and Dutch Tulip.

Base inscriptions vary considerably. Some pieces carry the Watt name, while others have Oven Ware, Made in USA or a trade name. Concentric circles, script lettering and mould numbers help distinguish forms. Ice buckets and Apple dinner plates are important unmarked exceptions. A factory fire ended production in 1965. The combination of domestic shapes, cream-colored clay and lively decoration remains characteristic of the pottery.