Marblehead Pottery

HISTORY

Marblehead Pottery was founded in 1904 by Herbert Hall, MD as an outgrowth of the therapy program that Hall had developed in Marblehead, MA.  Dr. Hall believed that the work of craft production could be therapeutic to patients with “nervous disorders.”  He called his center the Handicraft Shop.  Initially, he envisioned that patients would work at weaving, woodcarving, metal work and pottery. Anne Aldrich helped develop a number of different craft programs.  Other craft people were hired to oversee other aspects of the program.

In summer 1905 Hall hired Arthur E. Baggs, a student at Alfred University, to oversee the teaching of pottery to patients.

Though Baggs had not completed his studies at Alfred, he was persuaded to stay on in Marblehead beyond the summer and assume day to day responsibility for the pottery program. Initially, his responsibilities included the education of patients and the production of pottery. As it became clear that few patients had the skill to produce excellent pottery, an employed pottery staff was developed within the Handicraft Shop. Baggs was relieved of his teaching responsibilities in 1908. Hall wrote that two of the original pottery employees learned pottery making as patients at the sanitarium. In 1908 the pottery was reorganized as a separate commercial venture under Baggs’ direction with the name Marblehead Pottery.  The separate Handicraft Shop continued to function, true to Hall’s ideals, teaching patients to produce other crafts including weaving, woodcarving and cement work.

In 1915 Marblehead Pottery was sold by Herbert Hall, MD to Arthur Baggs. 

Beginning about 1923, the pottery was only open during the summer months when the weather brought visitors to Marblehead.  Baggs spent other months in New York, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.

Business sagged during the Depression.  The Pottery was closed in 1936.  Remnants of the pottery operations remained in the building until the building at 111 Front Street was torn down in 1940.