Metlox Pottery
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Ceramics, Housewares |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Founder | Theodor C. Prouty, Willis Prouty |
| Defunct | 1989 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | Manhattan Beach, California , United States |
| Products | Ceramic housewares, dinnerware, pottery collections (Poppytrail, Nostalgia, Red Rooster, California Provincial, Colonial Homestead, Homestead Provincial, Colorstax), ceramic horses and carriages, planters ("Poppets") |
Metlox Pottery, officially known as Metlox Manufacturing Company, was a producer of ceramic housewares located at 1200 Morningside Drive in Manhattan Beach, California, United States. The manufacturing facility ceased its operations in 1989.
History
Established in 1927 by Theodor C. Prouty along with his son Willis Prouty, Metlox began its business by creating outdoor ceramic signage. Following the death of T.C. Prouty in 1931, Willis rebranded the enterprise as Metlox Pottery—a name derived from the combination of "metal" and "oxide," which referred to the pigments used in their glazes—and redirected the company’s focus towards producing dinnerware. The company was officially incorporated on October 5, 1933. In 1946, ownership transferred to Evan K. Shaw of American Pottery in Los Angeles; after Shaw passed away in 1980, Kenneth Avery took over as president.
Metlox’s initial pottery collection, named "Poppytrail," became well-known for its vibrant glaze colors made with metallic oxides sourced locally. Subsequent product lines included "Nostalgia," "Red Rooster," "California Provincial," "Colonial Homestead," "Homestead Provincial," and "Colorstax."
During the 1950s, Metlox introduced modern dinnerware designs characterized by organic shapes and square plates under brand names such as "California Contempra," "California Modern," and "California Freeform." In addition to kitchen items, the company also manufactured popular large-scale ceramic horses and carriages throughout this era. Prominent designers associated with Metlox included Carl Romanelli, who specialized in vases, figurines, and miniatures, and Helen Slater, who began producing the collectible "Poppets" planters starting in 1970.
In March 1971, the FDA initiated a recall involving approximately 400,000 pieces of Metlox pottery due to elevated lead levels detected in certain glaze series—specifically California Poppytrail Tempo, Mission Verde Series, and select items from Petalburst Metlox Vernonware—following an incident suspected to be lead poisoning. Metlox voluntarily withdrew these products from the market; other product lines were confirmed safe.
The company’s incorporation status was terminated on January 4, 1988. After operating for 62 years, the factory shut down in 1989. The site where it once stood is currently occupied by Shade Hotel along with other commercial establishments.
Following closure, residual lead and various contaminants persisted at the Manhattan Beach location, leading to remediation efforts projected to last around two years. These cleanup activities were financed either by property owners or through state and federal environmental programs.
See also
Further reading
- Gibbs, Carl. Collector's Encyclopedia of Metlox Potteries: Identification and Values, Second Edition. Collector Books (2001)
- Chipman, Jack. Collectors Encyclopedia of California Pottery, Second Edition. Collector Books (1998)
External links
- Articles with short description
- Kitchenware brands
- Companies based in California
- Ceramics manufacturers of the United States
- Manhattan Beach, California
- Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles
- 1927 establishments in California
- 1989 disestablishments in California
- American companies established in 1927
- American companies disestablished in 1989