John D. Peters and Adam Reed opened Peters and Reed Pottery in 1899. They used the local, Zanesville, Ohio red clay to create functional, and later decorative, art ware. In 1921, their name was changed to The Zane Pottery Company, and ownership was transferred to employee Harry S. McClelland. Many of the Peters and Reed Pottery lines produced by were continued by Zane Pottery until 1941 when the company was sold.
In 1912, Peters and Reed began their first line, the Moss Aztec, developed by Frank Ferrell. Their other lines include scenic Chromal, colorful blended Landsun, the copper-brown and green iridescent Montene, and the green, orange, and blue Pereco. Under Zane Pottery, McClelland added the colorful, semi-matte Sheen and double-glazed Drip lines to the repertoire. While Peters and Reed Pottery from 1912 to 1921 are unmarked, Zane Pottery was impressed with “ZCPO” and “Zanes Ware, Made in USA.”
