In August, 1983, the Collectors of Illinois Pottery and Stoneware was formed as a club to unite collectors of pottery and stoneware made in Illinois and to facilitate their ability to share information, ideas, interests and be a vehicle to buy, sell and trade stoneware and related items. The main event is the Annual COIPS Convention held in late October. Convention events include a business meeting, show/sale, displays, seminars, banquet and auction. Also, a stoneware commemorative of very limited production is produced each year to honor this annual event.

We are dedicated to communicating and sharing information on Illinois stoneware, potteries, and potters of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since Illinois statehood in 1818, numerous pottery centers were established. The craft of the traditional family Illinois potter satisfied important utilitarian, economic, and social needs of the family unit and the community. Often, operating a pottery was a sideline to farming. Small family pottery operations were eventually replaced by those offering a more desirable product, or by those supplying a similar product in greater quantities at lower prices. The strong survived longer, but even these family operations were replaced by larger more specialized and automated operations. In the first quarter of the twentieth century the big factories would even merge to simply exist. For instance, and for survival purposes, seven Midwestern potteries united to form the Western Stoneware Company in 1906. The Western Stoneware Company competed fiercely with the Union Stoneware Co. of Red Wing, Minnesota, for the tremendous market in outbound regions. Few potteries could profit, while competing against these two giants. This web site is founded on the precept of bringing together collectors, students, and archival researchers of the American potter, their manufacturing facility, their craft, and their finished product.

If you have interests in American ceramics, we want to welcome you aboard and to invite your membership with our organization. We will love hearing from you and including your input into our archives. Feel free to help our organization to grow. Please read carefully the "Statement of Agreement " at the bottom of this page. By accessing this site, you acknowledge, accept, and promise to comply to all stipulated conditions. Welcome to the Collectors of Illinois pottery and Stoneware official web site.

To access a special area of interest, simply press the white link at left.

Illinois Pottery Centers of the 19th Century

Historic Potteries of Illinois

Town	Number of potteries	Earliest	Latest
Albion	2	1825	1831
Alexis	2	1892	1900
Alsey	1	1884	1884
Alton	19	1836	1888
Anna	1	1859	1902
Arcola	1	1882	1882
Ashley	1	1873	1876
Athens	4	1845	1860
Avon	2	1882	1884
Bardolph	3	1870	1888
Barry	1	1878	1878
Belleville	6	1849	1888
Bement	1	1920	1920
Bible Grove	1	1860	1860
Blue Island	2	1860	1873
Buck Inn	1	1868	1875
Buffalo Prairie	1	1860	1860
Camp Point	2	1877	1884
Canton	1	1850	1878
Carbon Cliff	6	1854	1905
Casey	1	1886	1886
Chicago	38	1846	1940
Colchester	1	1890	1898
Cooperstown	1	1860	1860
Cotton Hill	2	1826	1831
Cranes Grove	2	1850	1854
Danville	1	1867	1867
Decatur	2	1864	1875
Drury	1	1860	1860
Dundee	1	1914	2006
Dunleith	1	1860	1880
Effingham	1	1875	1878
Eleroy	1	1850	1850
Elgin	1	1860	1860
Elizabeth	4	1873	1882
Evanston	1	1913	1915
Exeter	2	1836	1880
Fredericksville	1	1886	1888
Freeport	1	1860	1860
Fulton	10	1867	1900
Galena	8	1843	1899
Galesburg	2	1891	1898
Good Hope	1	1875	1875
Hampton	5	1854	1877
Highland	2	1835	1873
Illinois City	10	1869	1878
Jugtown	1	1860	1870
La Salle	1	1857	1861
Liverpool	1	1870	1870
Livingston	2	1855	1875
Lowell	7	1882	1932
Macomb	12	1893	1931
Manchester	3	1833	1882
Marrietta	1	1857	1880
Mascoutah	1	1888	1888
Mattoon	1	1867	1867
McKeen	1	1882	1886
Metropolis	2	1867	1906
Monmouth	4	1893	1989
Morris	2	1853	1869
Morrisonville	1	1888	1888
Morton	6	1878	1976
Mound City	3	1857	1880
Mound Station	1	1875	1875
Mt Sterling	2	1848	1861
Nauvoo	6	1842	1855
New Erin/Dublin	2	1854	1860
Oneco	1	1854	1854
Ottawa	3	1883	1897
Pana	1	1867	1868
Paris	1	1854	1875
Peoria	9	1842	1904
Peru	2	1860	1886
Pulaski	3	1871	1884
Quincy	4	1863	1884
Ray	1	1884	1888
Ripley	43	1836	1926
Rock Island	2	1860	1860
Roodhouse	2	1880	1917
Santa Fe	3	1850	1888
Sears	2	1895	1900
Table Grove	1	1842	1855
Tennessee	6	1868	1884
Thebes	2	1870	1884
Utica	3	1863	1900
Vandalia	1	1860	1860
Vermilion	1	1878	1878
Vermillionville	4	1836	1882
Wansborough	1	1822	1836
West Aurora	1	1868	1868
White Hall	39	1825	1948
Winchester	10	1830	1900

*Data and Map courtesy of Dr. Gregory Voegel, Asst. Professor of Anthropology, Southetrn illinois University at Edwardsville, Illinois.

NOTE: The actual Santa Fe pottery in Illinois was located just south of Thebes, Illinois on the Mississippi River,

directly across the river from Commerce, Missouri. Potter Charles Koch immigrated from Mound Citiy to Santa Fe.

For Illnois Potteries Power Point slide show press here

(then, to advance simply press the forward tab on that page)

1. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SPECIFIC MARKED OR

UNMARKED PIECE OF STONEWARE?

2. ARE YOU A DESCENDANT OF A PRE 1950 POTTER?

3. DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOGRAPHS OF AMERICAN POTTERS OR

POTTERIES, OR OLD PHOTOS THAT INCLUDE STONEWARE?

4. IS THERE AN INTERESTING STORY YOU MAY WANT TO RELATE?

5. TELL US ABOUT A GREAT "FIND" IN YOUR POTTERY HUNTING!

6. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT STONEWARE OR JOINING

STONEWARE CLUBS?

Your COIPS Membership fee entitles you to...................

a quarterly newsletter

advertise free in the quarterly newsletter

attend annual convention (DETAILS BELOW)

attend annual Spring swap meet

attend all club events

place "Wanted/Sale/Trade" items on Website

make announcements on Website "Coming Events"

Join the COIPS Membership. It is fast and simple !

CLICK HERE

Annual membership fees are $20 for the first member of the household, and $5 for each additional member of the same household. Dues are payable in the month of January.

CLICK HERE FOR MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION!

Please print application form, fill out completely, and mail with your membership fee to:

Susie Reicheneker

COIPS

402 N. Laurel St.

Elmwood, IL 61529

or email

coips@mchsi.com

Show Displays at Convention 2011

DISPLAY ONE

DISPLAY TWO

DISPLAY THREE

RARE TABLE

Show Displays at Convention 2010

DISPLAY ONE

DISPLAY TWO

DISPLAY THREE

RARE TABLE

RARE TABLE 2010

***************************************************

Saturday SHOW & SALE 2009

DISPLAY #1 Bowls "Mix with Us" WINNER

DISPLAY # 2 terrific mini jug collection

DISPLAY # 3 Outstanding Decorated Vessels recovered at Ripley in 2009

RARE FINDS TABLE 2009

2008

____________________________________

Saturday SHOW & SALE 2007

COIPS Sideshow Production Mgr. Jim O'Hare and President Donna Lagual.

Special presentation commemorative and ovation of thanks to Mr. Jim O'Hare by entire membership.

2007 DISPLAYS

2007 rare items table

Simply the very best cookies !!!

A glimpse in the past ..............

Saturday SHOW & SALE 2006

PAST CONVENTION SHOW DISPLAYS

1st Place Show Display 2004

2nd Place Show Display 2004

3rd Place Show Display 2004

Galesburg Pottery 2004 Show Display

Ruckel's Stoneware Vases, 2004 Show Display

2004 CONVENTION RARE TABLE

* * * * * * * *

PREVIOUS CONVENTION WINNERS

1st Place 2003

2nd Place 2003

3rd Place 2003

STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT

UPON ACCESSING THIS WEB SITE THE USER, MEMBER, AND ALL PARTIES INVOLVED DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, HEREBY ACCEPT THAT COIPS, Collectors of Illinois Pottery and Stoneware, MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES INCURRED BY ANY USER, OR MEMBER, OR VISITOR TO THIS SITE. LIKEWISE, IT IS AGREED AND UNDERSTOOD THAT COIPS RELAYS INFORMATION THAT IS OFTEN OBTAINED THROUGH "HEARSAY" AND, THEREFORE, IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OR ANY RESULTING DAMAGES INCURRED FROM INACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS, VALUES, GRADING, APPRAISING, AND AUTHENTICATING, BY ANY USER, MEMBER, OR THIRD PARTY, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, VERBALLY OR ELECTRONICALLY. COIPS MAY NOT BE INVOLVED OR HELD LIABLE FOR DISPUTES BETWEEN MEMBERS, USERS, OR ANY ENTITY IN ANY TRANSACTION OR THROUGH ANY PUBLICATION OR CONTACT OBTAINED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE. ALSO, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEES AND WARRANTIES ARE EVER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. COIPS SHALL NOT BE INVOLVED IN ANY SETTLEMENTS BETWEEN MEMBERS, USERS, AND PRIVATE PARTIES OR FACILITY. MOREOVER, COIPS IS A NON PROFIT, INFORMATION COLLECTING AND SHARING ORGANIZATION. ARTICLES AND PHOTOGRAPHS MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED EITHER MECHANICALLY OR ELECTRONICALLY WITHOUT THE ADVANCE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF C.O.I.P.S.

_______________________________________________

Collectors of Illinois Pottery and Stoneware, COIPS, C.O.I.P.S., coips, c.o.i.p.s., pottery, stoneware, redware, red ware, earthenware, yellowware, yellow ware, Anna, Alton, Peoria, Galena, White Hall, Macomb, Monmouth, Red Wing, UHL, American, crock, jug, churn, pitcher, COIPS, ceramics, Upper Alton, Kirkpatrick, Warnack, Ebey, Winchester, Belleville, Wietfeld, Ruckels, decorated, utilitarian, jar, Blue and White, clubs, collectors, saltglaze, folk art, traditional, hand craft, cobalt, shard, bristol, glaze, albany slip, pig, dog, cake jar, bread jar, sugar bell, stoneware collectors, pottery collectors, stoneware collector clubs organizations, pottery collector clubs organizations, Collectors of Illinois Pottery and Stoneware, marked stoneware, southern, Eva Mounce, Greg Mathis, archaeology, archive, research, SPEGA, Stoneware and Pottery Enthusiasts Guild of America, guild, enthusiasts, Ulrich, Johm Wietfeld, Antone Ulrich, W.J.Mahar, William Mahar, W. J. Mahar, W. Mahar, George Swettenham, Charles Alcott, Carles Morley, Nathaniel Pinkard, William Heath, Jacob Miller, Frederick Warnack, H.D. Warnack, Upper Alton, Ill., Robert Harrison, C. J. Merrill, Keck & Brother, Foster & Hovey, Upper Alton Pottery, Upper Alton Pottery, Alton stoneware, Alton pottery, Anna Pottery pig flask, Anna Pottery frog inkwell, Anna Pottery snake jug, Anna Pottery, Anna pottery whimsies, Teter, Hal Galhuly, Donald Shirley, Grover Thompson, Julius Wilhelm, Henry Wilhelm, Henry Hack, Cornwall Kirkpatrick, Wallace Kirkpatrick, John Kirkpatrick, Traditional Stoneware of the Bluff City, Alton stoneware book, Alton Pottery book, Red Wing Stoneware Collectors Society, UHL Pottery club, AnnaPottery.com, Blue and White Club, Sleepy Eye Club, Bottle Club of America, Illinois potter, Illinois stoneware, Illinois stoneware clubs, Jacob Stizelberger, Belleville Pottery, Ullrich Pottery College, Isac Warnack,

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