Crownford China Company

   Crownford China Company appears to have been a wholesale /distributing / importing company based in New York City, most active during the period of approximately 1964-1973.  Crownford sold many types of decorative items made of china, pottery and glass.  A variety of souvenir plates,  reproduction milk bottles, glass kitchen canister sets, liquor decanters and other items were sold and are found frequently throughout the United States.

One of the most commonly found items with the name “Crownford China Company” on the base is a reproduction “Thatcher’s”  glass milk bottle, which was produced in several attractive colors including medium cobalt blue, green, amber, and clear glass.

All (or most) of the bottles were, as far as can be ascertained, made for Crownford by an unidentified glass manufacturer located in Italy. Most of the glass items seem to have been made circa 1964-1973.  Many of them have dates and the notation “Made in Italy” embossed on the bottom.


(Note added July 11, 2022): From information submitted in a post by Trina Hiemstra, dated June 30, 2022 (see her post and my reply in the “Comments” section near the bottom of this webpage), this company was evidently in business for much longer than I had previously been aware.  It was originally incorporated in 1946, and the corporation was officially dissolved in 2003.   Evidently there were more items produced for Crownford between about 1974 and 1988, and they are marked “CROWNFORD GIFTWARE CORP” on the bottom of the piece.    I still haven’t seen any indication that this firm sold/distributed marked glassware (or pottery) before 1964, or after about 1988.   If someone has seen ware with the “CROWNFORD GIFTWARE CORP” marking on a piece dated AFTER 1988, please let us know about it!


If you have any information concerning the correct identity of the actual Italian glassmaker (or glassmakers) involved,  please contact me and I can have that information added to this web page, with full credit given to the contributor!


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23 thoughts on “Crownford China Company”

  1. Regarding your “approximate” time frame of operation according to the OPENCORPORATES (https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ny/59164) website Crownford Giftware Corp. filed incorporation papers on June 26, 1946 and dissolved June 25, 2003. Other names included Crownford China Co. Inc. and Crownford China Corp. but their business remained the same throughout. I’m assuming you mean if the mark is Crownford China Company it was made approximately between 1964-73. Would you also assume if the mark was Crownford Giftware Corp. it was between 1946–64 and Crownford China Company between 1964-2003. I’m also wondering how you arrived at the 1964-73 time frame.

    1. Hi Trina,
      Thanks for your interesting post! You bring up some interesting information. Yes, several years ago when I was doing some research for this article I did a number of keyword searches on ebay and other internet sources, browsing through a large number of listings of glass items that were actually marked “CROWNFORD CHINA CO” (or “COMPANY”) on the bottom. It seemed that I could not find any that were marked with a date later than 1973. All the glassware I could find with that mark dated between 1964 and 1973. (BTW, just as an additional point – there was a “Royal Crownford China Company” in Staffordshire, England that produced large quantities of china – dinnerware, stoneware, pottery – but that company is totally unrelated to the “Crownford” distributor in New York City.)
      Anyway, after reading your post I’ve done some more “updated” searching, and I have found that a number of items marked “Crownford Giftware Corp” are out there, but they are all marked with dates ranging from 1974 to around 1988. I suspect (but don’t know for a fact) that subsequent production (assuming there were other items made/sold past c. 1988) were not marked, or else their product line included mostly items that were not made of glass. Honestly, I am not sure.
      But as time goes on I will try to re-edit my text on this page to reflect the information you bring up. If you can find other items that don’t seem to “jive” with these dates, please advise. I’d be interested to know if any items were marked with dates past 1988. I believe that, in many cases, a corporation as shown “on paper” is very much removed from what they are doing in actual production. Thanks again for your post!
      David

      1. I must confess I am not a glass collector, sorry, but I do collect a LOT of ceramics and I was trying to date 7 trinket boxes, all are marked “Exclusive design for Crownford Giftware Corp. New York, NY” and country of origin but none have a date on them. Six are bone china made in England and one is a very delicate little pink rose shaped teapot trinket box, quite beautiful, made in China. I thank you for your response and additional information. I GREATLY appreciate it. Trina

      2. I have a blue cobalt (very dark blue) bail type jar with rubber seal in perfect condition. It says Crownford China Co – This jar made in Italy on bottom. In raised print it says 1 pint 1902. And on other side it says Abigail’s Useful Jar.

        1. Hi Butch,
          Although that jar has the date “1902” embossed on the front, I believe those jars were actually made in the late 1960s or very early 1970s. They were made to emulate the “look” of the wire bail-type canning jars that were very popular in the early 1900s. There are also various types of wire bail jars made and used in Europe today -in fact they seem to be used more often in Europe than in the United States -sold as storage jars, kitchen counter canisters, etc. Thanks for your post!
          David

  2. I have found a piece of pottery, a planter I think. It has a triangle on the bottom with the letters MEC inside the triangle. Under that it has Italy Except the y is a “X”. Under that it says Crownford. The last line has characters I don’t recognize as English alphabet. A guess would be oreintal. The markings all appear hand drawn and are raised from the pottery itself, like the were painted on after the pottery was glazed. It appears you specialize in glass, but I was hoping you could send me in the right direction to see where this came from.
    Eileen

  3. Would you happen to know where I can get the tops for the large blue Crownford China Company salt and pepper shakers? Thank you.

    1. Bonnie, I don’t know, but I would guess the best option would be to search the ebay, etsy and other vintage items websites every so often and see if something comes up for sale there. Perhaps a reader can help.
      Take care, David

  4. Hello, I purchased a set of China, stamped Owens-Brockway Fine China and I can’t find any info on it. The pieces are white with a gold rim stamped with Rx all the way around. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

  5. I have an amber cannister of crownford gift ware 1980(?) With grapes that says NY on the bottom. It’s dated the 1980. Feel like I have a unicorn as it has no cracks or chips.

  6. I just purchased a pair of forest green salt and pepper shakers with black plastic lids at a church sale. They are marked Crownford China Co. 1966 Made in Italy. They are about 6 inches tall with pretty ribbed, fluted sides. Both shakers have a 1 1/2 inch medallion with a military-looking wing spread eagle embossed in the middle. I collect green glass and thought they were interesting. From reading your column and readers’ comments, it definitely seems that Crownford imported an eclectic mix of glassware without regard to establishing a particular look or brand. This might explain why it didn’t remain in business for a great length of time, lol.

  7. I received one of these bottles in the late sixties as a gift. It came commercially filled with milk bath granules.

  8. Hi,
    I just bought a 1965 Crownford China Milk bottle and an orange juice bottle. Do you know if they were food safe or decorative only? Thank You.

    1. Judy, if you are speaking of GLASS bottles, they are food safe. That is the intrinsic nature of ordinary glass, which is one of the many reasons glass is so popular for bottles, jars, dishes, etc. If you come across any Crownford China items that are ‘ceramic’, (china or pottery), it might be better, as a mere precaution, to use them only for decoration, since it is *possible* that the glaze might have lead in it.
      ~David

  9. Hi David,
    I was just given a clear glass 2 quart jar with a heavy wire hanger. On the bottom is says “Made in Italy, Crownford china co 1969 with a circle with a C in it”. On the front is says “good house keeper jar”. There is a raised area with a jug, mixing bowl and utensil under the words? Know anything about this piece?

    Reading peoples comments has been very interesting, feel like I am on a treasure hunt now.

    Thanks,

    Cyndi

    1. Hi Cyndi, Crownford China Company imported gobs of items from Italy in the 1960s, and I don’t know anything about that particular item, other than the self-explanatory markings you have described. Best regards, David

  10. I have a Cobalt Blue Thatcher Bottle which I believe to be original & not a repro,
    On the bottom there is NO marking 1965 or made in Italy, just Crown Ford China Co.
    Can anybody advise

    1. Hi Ben,
      Since Thatcher Glass Company never made any milk bottles in cobalt blue glass, and the bottom of your bottle is marked “CROWNFORD CHINA CO”, then we can know for sure that the bottle is a “fantasy” milk bottle and is of relatively recent production……made sometime in the 1960s-1970s. It was sold as a gift item, souvenir, or “decorator bottle” but it was not sold containing milk. Whether or not the base is marked “Made in Italy” is not relevant in this case. Some variants do and some don’t have that wording on the bottom.
      The bottle was marketed through the Crownford China Company which was basically a company that imported gift items from overseas. The terms “original” and “repro” can be very confusing, and mean different things to different people, but in this case the bottle is certainly not an “original” milk bottle. All of the older authentic, original milk bottles made by Thatcher were made in clear glass. These newer-looking “Thatcher” bottles in unusual colors (pink, yellow, light blue,cobalt blue) are not authentic milk bottles, which is why I call them “fantasy” bottles. I hope this helps,
      David

  11. I have a green, somewhat pear-shaped jar with a canning lid, embossed with”Sarah Simmons Sensible Foods” and “trade mark reg.” below that on one side, and “6 quarts warranted storage 1903” on the other side. On the bottom, it is marked “Crownford China Co. Inc” “Made in Italy 1972.” What was it’s purpose? What is it’s current value?

  12. Very informative site. I appreciate all the effort and hard work that went into this site. I admire your dedication. I have a glass all purpose storage jar made in Italy, Crown Ford China Co, Inc. 1971. Made by Lucas Pouty & Co. Pat.D 1904.

    1. Thanks Ginny for your kind words. Unfortunately I don’t know anything about the jar, other than what is obvious by it’s markings. I’m assuming Crownford China had “subcontractors” (for lack of a better word) in Italy who supplied various items for them to sell/distribute under the Crownford name. The patent number may be referring to a design for the jar being officially registered in Italy (?).
      ~David

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