John Wallace Cowden Pottery
John W. Cowden began his pottery business in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1861, assisted by his son Frederick until the younger Cowden enlisted in the Union Army for the Civil War. They were known for their utilitarian stoneware with brushed cobalt blue floral decoration. In 1870 Isaac J. Wilcox joined the business and the firm became Cowden & Wilcox. John W. died in 1872 and was followed by his sons in the business.
In the early days of his business John Cowden used the impressed mark of “J.W. COWDEN/HARRISBURG, PA.”.