Claycraft Potteries
Los Angeles, California

Claycraft Potteries was established in 192l at 3101 San Fernando Road in Los Angeles. F. Dohrmann, Jr. was named president; Fred H. Robertson was hired as general superintendent. George B. Robertson, Fred's son, joined the firm as a designer in 1925.

Claycraft's decorative tiles, among the more collectible on the market today, provide some of the most definitive and idyllic imagery of the period. Tiles with medieval castles, knights on horseback, or heraldic paraphernalia, were designed to conjure up a sense of strength and security. The design, color and technical quality make these tiles prime examples of early twentieth century ceramic production in California.

The body of work achieved at Claycraft can be largely credited to the skill and attention of the two Robertsons, Fred and George, whose family had been successfully involved in ceramics for many generations. In 1934 the two departed to form Robertson Pottery. The last mention of Claycraft Potteries is found in city directories of 1939.

The company produced in excess of 500 different design tiles and published six catalogs of its products during the 1920s. A compilation of the six is offered by Tile Heritage as is a catalog of fireplace mantel illustrations published in the mid-1930s containing a number of tile designs not found elsewhere. (See THF U.S. Catalog Collection).


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