Marblehead Pottery began as a small studio pottery in 1904. Marblehead Pottery originated to teach ceramics as a convalescent therapy to sanitarium patients. From that humble beginning, Marblehead Pottery grew into one of the most sought-after and respected small studio potteries of the 1900s. Arthur Baggs became the director of Marblehead Pottery around 1905. Baggs brought to Marblehead a decorating style that focused on hand-incised or surface painted geometric designs on grounds of slightly contrasting colors. In 1915, Baggs became the owner of Marblehead Pottery.
During the 1920s, as with many of the American art pottery companies, Marblehead began to focus almost exclusively on production art pottery. However, Marblehead's production pottery still maintained the high quality seen on the hand-decorated items. The production art pottery Marblehead produced was finely thrown and glazed in hard, pebbled matte finishes. Typical glaze colors are blue, green, pink, yellow, brown or gray. It is estimated that 95% of Marblehead's output was production art pottery. Pottery was marked with the "M.P." cipher and, in some cases, with the artist's initials. Marblehead Pottery ceased production in 1936.
Even at its high point, Marblehead remained a small studio pottery never employing more than six people. The company received many awards for their work, from The Arts & Crafts Society, Boston medal in 1925, to first place in the Robineau Memorial Exhibition, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts in 1933. To this day, Marblehead continues to be among the most sought-after arts and crafts style pottery ever produced.
