my Buffalo China
Ever since I moved to Buffalo I have been in love with Buffalo China. Remember the sturdy china from diners and dime store counters....chances are it was made by Buffalo China. This is a few pieces from my set that I bought at a garage sale years ago for $10. I have dinner plates, cups and saucers, bread plates and those sweet little dishes that hold one serving of vegetables.
the Buffalo China logo
Currently Williams Sonoma is selling Buffalo China
Buffalo China Dinnerware Collection
Sugg. Price: $32.00 – $192.00
Our Price: $32.00 – $169.00
These plates, bowls and mugs are an authentic bit of Americana. They were originally made by the Buffalo China Co., which was founded in New York in 1901 to produce the plates offered as premiums by a soap manufacturer. That sturdy dinnerware went on to become popular at roadside diners along the new U.S. highways and today it's a classic. Replicating a style from the 1940s, our dinnerware is creamy white – the natural color of the clay – with a durable, clear glaze.
I bought soup/cereal bowls on Ebay a few years back just like these to complete my set.
And if you visit a Frank Lloyd Wright designed house and they are selling china designed specially for that house, it will be Bufffalo China.
The Buffalo Pottery Company was established in Buffalo, New York, in 1901. It was an offshoot of the Larkin Soap Company, which was founded in 1875. John Larkin and his brother-in-law Elbert Hubbard conceived Buffalo Pottery to make dishes that could be purchased with certificates from Larkin Soap. In essence, the company was a gimmick to sell more soap. Buffalo Pottery produced many different kinds of pottery for commercial use in hotels and railroad dining cars, as well as art pottery that is popular with antique collectors.
These Arts and Crafts designed buildings used to be the home of Buffalo China. They are still in use today but in a bit of disrepair.
When I was doing business at M&T Bank on Friday I took these pictures. Someone yelled down at me from inside one of the building "Hey, what are you taking pictures of?" but I ignored them.
the administration building
One wall of this building stands today. My office is located in the refurbished terminal warehouse which is the only remaining building of the Larkin complex today.
Founded by John D. Larkin in 1875, the Larkin Company started out as a soap factory and became a mail-order house to rival Sears & Roebuck, selling furniture, china, groceries, paint, wallpaper, and dry goods. Largely defunct by the end of the Great Depression, Larkin is best remembered today for hiring a young Frank Lloyd Wright to design its Administration Building, an architectural landmark that was demolished in 1950.
3 comments:
that's community. I love it.
I am a "newer" resident to Buffalo and also have become a small collector of Buffalo Pottery. I stumbled on your blog when searching for pieces. Can you tell me where the building you took photos of is located? I love living in this city (we are near the zoo)and exploring the lovely buildings throughout the area.
I know this is an old old thread as of my writing this, but I feel the need to correct this for future researchers. The buildings pictured are NOT Buffalo China buildings (although BC leased space in one of them at some point), they are actually the Niagara Frontier Food Terminal buildings, at the corner of Clinton St. and Bailey Ave.. Buffalo China was on Seneca St.and Hayes Pl.near Bailey, about 1000 yards to the south.
More information on the NFFT here:https://the-nfft.com/history/
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