Claycraft Potteries
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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