The Everyday Adventures of Mohawk Valley Girl
Whites Pottery at Showcase Antiques in little falls
Showcase Antiques in Little Falls recently acquired a large collection of Whites of Utica Pottery
Historical information about Whites of Utica pottery at the Oneida County History Center
I have always felt that wandering around an antique store is like walking through a museum. It is history, usually of the most personal, day-to-day kind. I was recently fortunate to be able to check out some pieces of Whites of Utica Pottery at Showcase Antiques of CNY in Little Falls. Sharry Whitney had tipped me off to the display. Since I had a weekday free, I decided to indulge in a little research first. I suppose that was just my rationalization for another trip to the Oneida County History Center in Utica. I enjoyed wandering through their displays until a young lady asked me if I had questions or needed help. It was Rebecca McLain, Director of Education and Outreach, and she was very pleasant and helpful. Soon I was sitting down with a book called Potters and Potteries of New York State, 2nd Edition, by William C. Ketchum, Jr. (Syracuse University Press, 1987). I read how the firm was started by Noah White in 1838. He was joined by his sons, and it remained a family run business as long as it was in business, until 1910. In the 1860s and ‘70s, Whites Utica was the most common mark to be found on any pots in the area. Rebecca also brought me a folder full of information on White’s Pottery. I leafed through newspaper clippings, letters, and booklets. Most interesting to me were the hand-written or typed (on a typewriter! Talk about history!) letters from people asking questions about pieces they owned or had come across. Copies of the replies were included. One undated magazine article spoke of a stoneware jug that went at auction for $1,450! An article from the Weekly Observer, Nov. 9, 1969, mentioned stoneware items on dis-
Employees of White’s factory in Utica, 1905
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