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Syracuse China Corporation, located in Syracuse, New York, was founded in 1871 as Onondaga Pottery Company (O.P. Co.) in the town of Geddes, New York. In the late 19th century O.P. Co began producing fine china for hotels, restaurants, and railroad dining cars. The manufacturing facility in Syracuse closed in 2009, after 138 years in operation and production was removed from North America.
The company was founded in 1841 as Farrar Pottery and was bought out in 1868 and the name was changed to Empire Crockery Manufacturing Company. By 1871, it was changed again to Onondaga Pottery Company (O.P.Co.) and eventually to Syracuse China Corporation in June 1966, however the china produced by the company was back stamped with the Syracuse China logo since 1895.
Until 1884, the company produced plain white, undecorated ware. That year, Elmer Walter established the Boston China Decorating Works across the street from the pottery, giving the company access to a designer, printer and hand decorator. The decorating shop was destroyed by fire in 1886 and the pottery hired Walter and his employees and established "one of the earliest in-house decorating departments in the industry." The fine decorated translucent china produced for home use became a national best seller. It was made of the same durable china body as the hotel ware; however, it was formed into thinner, more stylish shapes.
By 1895, the name Syracuse China appeared in the back stamp of this revolutionary, pure white, vitreous china; however, the company name was not formally changed until 1966. Syracuse was one of the first china manufacturers in the United States to produce the new vitreous ware.
During World War II, under the leadership of Richard Pass, the company developed non-detectable ceramic anti-tank land mines. For their efforts, the company received the distinguished United States Army-Navy "E" award for "excellence in service" to the war effort.
On April 9, 2009, after 138 years of production, the factory on Court Street was closed by Libbey Inc. of Toledo, Ohio. The plant had to lay off 275 employees, and all production of Syracuse China moved from North America.
On the last day of production, each employee was given a commemorative plate with a montage of images from throughout the company's history and eight of the company logos used over the course of the company's history. The face of the plate states, "Though the world may change around us, our history remains the same."
The company was founded in 1841 as Farrar Pottery and was bought out in 1868 and the name was changed to Empire Crockery Manufacturing Company. By 1871, it was changed again to Onondaga Pottery Company (O.P.Co.) and eventually to Syracuse China Corporation in June 1966, however the china produced by the company was back stamped with the Syracuse China logo since 1895.
Until 1884, the company produced plain white, undecorated ware. That year, Elmer Walter established the Boston China Decorating Works across the street from the pottery, giving the company access to a designer, printer and hand decorator. The decorating shop was destroyed by fire in 1886 and the pottery hired Walter and his employees and established "one of the earliest in-house decorating departments in the industry." The fine decorated translucent china produced for home use became a national best seller. It was made of the same durable china body as the hotel ware; however, it was formed into thinner, more stylish shapes.
By 1895, the name Syracuse China appeared in the back stamp of this revolutionary, pure white, vitreous china; however, the company name was not formally changed until 1966. Syracuse was one of the first china manufacturers in the United States to produce the new vitreous ware.
During World War II, under the leadership of Richard Pass, the company developed non-detectable ceramic anti-tank land mines. For their efforts, the company received the distinguished United States Army-Navy "E" award for "excellence in service" to the war effort.
On April 9, 2009, after 138 years of production, the factory on Court Street was closed by Libbey Inc. of Toledo, Ohio. The plant had to lay off 275 employees, and all production of Syracuse China moved from North America.
On the last day of production, each employee was given a commemorative plate with a montage of images from throughout the company's history and eight of the company logos used over the course of the company's history. The face of the plate states, "Though the world may change around us, our history remains the same."