From the authors:

In this book are pictures of the actual ware, i.e. yellow ware, Rock- ingham, stoneware, ironstone, majolica, semi-porcelain, semi-granite, semi-vitreous, parian, porce- lain, bone china and beleek, manufactured in the East Liverpool area from approximately 1838 to

the 1970's. East Liverpool was truly the Pottery Capital of the United States. More Rockingham and yellow ware was produced here than in any other singular site in the country. The variety and quan- tity of other early wares is still amazing today. James Bennett began an industry the area can still be proud of. By the 1970's, because of competition and the use of aluminum, glass and plastics, the only potteries left on the west side of the Ohio River were Hall China Company, Sterling China Com- pany and a modern Pioneer Pottery Company making mugs and China Specialties products in East Liverpool. This book covers what was made on the west side of the Ohio River. It does not cover the West Virginia potteries right across the river for the simple reason that there have been several books written about those potteries. Therefore, only what Homer Laughlin and Harker potteries made in East Liverpool is shown.

Our hope is that the reader will be captivated by the plethora of wares, shapes and decoration of items manufactured in East Liverpool and Wellsville, Ohio. The imagination, artistic design, mold work, serviceability, and sheer beauty of the predominantly everyday ceramic items is astounding. East Liverpool wares could and did compete successfully with the Trenton, New Jersey and early English wares. Clever faux British marks were conceived by the East Liverpool potters to convince American housewives that the ware was the much coveted English ware. Often sellers on Ebay are still fooled.