Taylor, Smith & Taylor Co. - Chester, West Virginia

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Taylor, Smith & Taylor Co.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company (TS&T) was in operation from 1900 until 1981 in Chester, West Virginia. The original owners were: Colonel John N. Talyor, C.A. Smith, Joseph G. Lee, Albert G. Mason, and William L. Smith. It was originally known as Taylor, Lee & Smith, but when Lee left the business early on, the pottery officially became Taylor, Smith & Taylor. (A more complete early history is given on page 2.)
Like many other potteries in the early 1900s, TS&T made dinnerware, hotel ware, toilet sets, and specialty pieces. In the late-1920s, the toilet wares and specialty items (spittoons, placques, cracker jars, etc.) were phased out. From then until closing, TS&T produced mainly semi-vitreous dinnerware to be sold in department stores, five-and-dimes, hardware stores, and through catalogs.
John Thorley, Walter Teague, and John Gilkes designed most shapes used by TS&T from the 1930s until the early 1960s. Thorley was responsible for many of the pieces made in the 1930s including the Empire shape which became the basis for Lu-Ray Pastels. Teague created the Conversation shape bringing TS&T into the 1950s with a new, modern design. Gilkes designed Versatile, another mid-century modern shape which became a workhorse of sorts for the pottery until the late 1960s.
In the 1950s, Timbercraft was formed. It was a woodworking a company which was owned by TS&T, but operated independently. Timbercraft made the wooden lids and handles found on TS&T products. They also made cutting boards, serving bowls, candlesticks, spice racks, and trays using primarily black walnut.
TS&T was bought out by Anchor Hocking in 1972 and continued to produce dinnerware until it closed in 1981. The plant was never used again, and in 2012, the remains of the pottery were demolished.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor's popular Lu-Ray Pastels, 1938-1961.

Early 1900s ads for TS&T's Verona shape.
Courtesy: Candy Fagerlin

The photos below show the wide range of styles offered by TS&T though the years.
These images come from Taylor, Smith & Taylor Dinnerware by Mark Gonzalez, Schiffer Pub Ltd (May 1, 2004)

Belva, Mid-1920s
Mexican Fantasy, late-1930s
Vistosa Ball Jug, late-1930s
Granada Coffeepot, 1960s

Souvenir bowl, 1910
Test plate, late-1930s
Laurel Teapot, 1930s
Blue Mist, 1950s

Child's Chamber Set, 1915
Timbercraft Cheese Dish (*) 1960s
English Abby Teapot, 1940s
Paramount Snack Tray, late-1920s

Chateau Buffett, 1950s
Covered Bridges, 1970s
Golden Wheat, 1950s
Plaid treatments, 1950s

Apple Range Set ^(**) 1940s-50s
Pebbleford Coffeepots, 1950s
Miami Demitasse Set, 1930s
Italian Rose Soup Tureen, 1940s

^* Base is Timbercraft, ceramic insert by TST, glass dome purchased by TST from an outside source.
^** There is also an apple cookie jar. These were made in pastel yellow with the red part
sprayed on and the leaves and stems hand-painted in green. They were never marked and
most antiques dealers today misidentify them as Hull or McCoy pottery. (See Page 8 for more.)

The photos below show the wide range of styles offered by TS&T though the years. These images come from Taylor, Smith & Taylor Dinnerware by Mark Gonzalez, Schiffer Pub Ltd (May 1, 2004)
Belva, Mid-1920s	Mexican Fantasy, late-1930s	Vistosa Ball Jug, late-1930s	Granada Coffeepot, 1960s
Souvenir bowl, 1910	Test plate, late-1930s	Laurel Teapot, 1930s	Blue Mist, 1950s
Child's Chamber Set, 1915	Timbercraft Cheese Dish (*) 1960s	English Abby Teapot, 1940s	Paramount Snack Tray, late-1920s
Chateau Buffett, 1950s	Covered Bridges, 1970s	Golden Wheat, 1950s	Plaid treatments, 1950s
Apple Range Set ^(**) 1940s-50s	Pebbleford Coffeepots, 1950s	Miami Demitasse Set, 1930s	Italian Rose Soup Tureen, 1940s

^* Base is Timbercraft, ceramic insert by TST, glass dome purchased by TST from an outside source. ^** There is also an apple cookie jar. These were made in pastel yellow with the red part sprayed on and the leaves and stems hand-painted in green. They were never marked and most antiques dealers today misidentify them as Hull or McCoy pottery. (See Page 8 for more.)