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E C A N A D A   A R T   P O T T E R Y

    REPRODUCTIONS    

EMRO-CANADA:

The connection between George Emery's "Ecanada Art Pottery" and Jack Orme's "Emro Canada" pottery companies is very clear. Jack , his Father James Orme, and George Emery all worked at the Dundas Clay Products around 1935/36. At the age of 17, Jack was the supervisor at DCP. In an interview I had with Jack Orme and his wife Ida, he said he had been unable to acquire a three piece Ecanada tea set from some of the other heirs to his Father's estate in England and decided to try and make the tea set himself. Mr. Orme then approached the owners of the property and barn where the molds were being stored asking them if he could retrieve the molds for the teapot, cream and sugar. According to Jack, their reply was "yes as long as you take all the remaining molds with you". Thus was the start of "EMRO CANADA" pottery. (The name EMRO was conceived simply by writing the ORME name in reverse.)

I hesitated to refer to EMRO-CANADA as a reproduction of ECANADA ART POTTERY because most EMRO pieces appear to have been clearly identified as such. However since there have been a few pieces unmarked, considering also that the identification mark EMRO is close to EMERY and more importantly that ECANADA molds were used in the production of EMERY pottery, I felt it was perhaps more accurate to refer to EMRO as a reproduction of ECANADA pottery.

Although both EMRO and ECANADA pieces obviously look similar, their main difference is in the quality and feel of the products themselves. ECANADA will generally be heavier, more expertly finished, with a much smoother, satiny feel to the touch, whereas EMRO will generally be lighter with a much rougher feel to this pottery.

Jack Orme did create a few new molds in addition to the ECANADA molds he was using. Soap dishes and bells to name two. His attempted to make a go of his new enterprise however his effort lasted only a very few years.

Click on images below to enlarge

Ecanada

Emro

Ecanada

Emro

HILLSIDE ART POTTERY

According to Lisa Vicari, Catonsville Room volunteer of the Catonsville Library, Hillside Art Pottery,was created by a Mr. Hill of Catonsville MD.This pottery is so similar to Ecanada Art Pottery as to make one believe there must have been some connection between these two companies. Unfortunately there is very little known about this pottery other than it was produced around the the 1930's. During this time, Mr. Hill was apparently employed by Locke Insulators, Inc, in south Baltimore.

Apparently pottery making was a hobby of Mr. Hill's, who fired his wares at one of his friends place of business - Kalb & Sons Potters in Catonsville, MD, makers of earthenware crocks, pots, and bird boxes in the early years, and later specializing in flower pots only. The business was sold in 1950.

Hopefully someone reading this brief outline will contact me with more information. It would certainly be greatly appreciated.

Again I hesitate to classify this pottery as a reproduction of Ecanada as it is usually identified as "Hillside Art Pottery" However considering that:

- some pieces were not identified
- the shapes and applied ornamentations were near identical to Ecanada,
- the weight, colour and feel of this pottery to the touch more closely resembles Ecanada than even Emro Pottery

I feel it is best to caution sellers and collectors of these similarities.

Click on images below to enlarge

Ecanada

Hillside

Ecanada

Hillside

ecanadaartpottery@hotmail.com