Laura Taylor met Robert J. Hughes when she was demonstrating her pottery at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Together they founded the Wahpeton Pottery Company in 1940. The company name was changed to Rosemeade Potteries in 1953.

Distinctive lustrous glazes created by Howard Lewis, production manager, set Rosemeade apart. Metal oxides painted under the glazes fired into colorful hues. Lewis also threw swirl pottery vases and pitchers. He learned the swirl process while working at Niloak Pottery and previously produced “Dakota Badlands” swirl pottery for the Dickinson Clay Products Company.

Joe McLaughlin succeeded Lewis as production manager. McLaughlin introduced decorative decals, including those of wildlife artist Les Kouba, and accelerated advertising specialties sales. Rosemeade Potteries closed in 1961.

This 4.5″ tall Rosemeade Donkey is fantastic! It sold for $1176 in June 2009.

This pottery mark is from the University of North Dakota School of Mines in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

This mark also includes the name of the artist D. Patton, and is dated of 1/31/1941.

North Dakota had very high quality clay. Margaret Kelly Cable supervised the production of ceramics and pottery from 1910 to 1949. The pottery department ceased to exist in the 1960s.

Small pieces from lesser students sell in the $100 range. Large pieces with exceptional decoration go for over $20,000.