Edwin Knowles China

Edwin M. Knowles took control of the Potters Supply Company of Ohio in 1890 after graduating from Harvard University. Ten years later, he became founder of the Knowles China Company.

Located in West Virginia, the Knowles China Company pledged to manufacture only the finest semi-vitreous ware. When the "Crockery and Glass Journal" reviewed Knowles' ware as being of the highest grade, the factory's reputation for creating quality products became known throughout the porcelain-making industry. As demand grew, another factory was built just two miles south of the original. The company continued on a successful path, constantly keeping up with trends and demand.

In 1936, Knowles introduced the deco-modern Yorktown dinnerware, headed by the company's art director Vincent Broomhall. Characterized by circular ridges, the design was a common one at the time and extremely popular. A modern line of kitchenware accessories was released in 1938. Available in seven colors for mixing and matching, it supported the then-popular space-saving concept in the kitchen. Decades later, the company began to experience financial distress, and the Knowles factory closed in 1962.

Quick Facts

• Edwin M. Knowles remained president until his death in 1943
• An overseas company producing collector plates bought the right to use the Knowles name
• Pattern names did not appear on Knowles dishes until the late '40s