Hadley Pottery

Hadley Pottery is an American-based pottery and stoneware company started by Mary Alice Hadley and her husband George E. Hadley in 1945.[1] It is located on Story Avenue in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky.[2]

Hadley Pottery
IndustryPottery and stoneware
Founded1939
FounderMary Alice Hadley
HeadquartersLouisville, Kentucky
Websitehadleypottery.com

History

Hadley Pottery had its inception in 1939, when Mary Alice Hadley made a custom set of dishware for a cruiser she and her husband George Hadley had on the Ohio River.[3] She created her own design with a nautical flag motif[4] and painted it on unfired blanks that she fired at the Louisville Pottery Co.[5] When friends saw the design of her dishes, they were interested in purchasing dishes of their own, so Hadley created a few more at the Louisville Pottery Co.[6]

With more interest and demand, the Hadleys finally purchased what became the Hadley Pottery building at 1570 Story Ave. in Louisville in October 1944 as a birthday present for Mrs. Hadley.[7] Mrs. Hadley painted all of the murals on the walls of the building[8] and the Hadley Pottery opened for business in 1945.[9] Hadley created a wide range of designs for the company, often inspired by Louisville motifs such as the fleur-de-lis.[10]

After Mary Alice Hadley died in 1965, nine painters continued to hand-paint pieces which are still signed "M.A. Hadley".[11] In 1979 Kenneth Moore bought Hadley Pottery,[11] and then in 2018 Jerry Day purchased the business and opened up a stash of over 6000 pieces which date to the period when Mary Alice Hadley was still alive.[12] In 2022, the business announced it would close, but later announced that the business would indeed stay open. [13]

Awards

Hadley Pottery was exhibited by the American Craftsmen's Educational Council in 1947, and at the Ceramic National Exhibit at the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts.[14] In 1952, Mary Alice Hadley received an award from the Museum of Modern Art's Good Design program[15] and her winning design, "Brown Dot" (or "Hot Brown Fleck"), was exhibited in New York and Chicago.[16]

Collections

References
  1. Kleber, John E. (2001). "Hadley Pottery". Encyclopedia of Louisville. University Press of Kentucky: 364–365. ISBN 9780813149745.
  2. "Louisville Stoneware". Insider Louisville. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  3. Kleber, John E. (2014). "Hadley, Mary Alice (Hale)". The Encyclopedia of Kentucky. University Press of Kentucky: 397. ISBN 9780813159010.
  4. "Mary Alice Hadley and Her Pottery". Speed Art Museum. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  5. Payne, Warren (2010). Clear as Mud. Paris, KY: Cane Ridge Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 9780615310930.
  6. Payne, Warren (2010). Clear as Mud. Paris, KY: Cane Ridge Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 9780615310930.
  7. "Hadley Pottery Company". Insider Louisville. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  8. "Hadley Pottery History". Hadley Pottery. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  9. Payne, Warren (2010). Clear as Mud. Paris, KY: Cane Ridge Publishing. p. 79. ISBN 9780615310930.
  10. "Mary Alice Hadley and Her Pottery". Speed Art Museum. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  11. "Precious pottery". Globe-Gazette. 2001-07-01. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  12. Menderski, Maggie (2018-06-15). "A taste of history". The Courier-Journal. pp. , . Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  13. Aulbach, Lucas (March 29, 2022). "After more than 80 years in business, a historic Louisville pottery shop is closing". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  14. Payne, Warren (2010). Clear as Mud. Paris, KY: Cane Ridge Publishing. p. 80. ISBN 9780615310930.
  15. "Mary Alice Hadley profile". artprice.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  16. Payne, Warren (2010). Clear as Mud. Paris, KY: Cane Ridge Publishing. p. 80. ISBN 9780615310930.

See also

38°15′29.8″N 85°43′19.4″W

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