The Innovation & Legacy of Syracuse China

No matter what kind of foodservice operation you run, durable china is a staple in late-night diners and Michelin star restaurants alike – and long before it was folded into the Libbey family of brands, Syracuse China was a top choice for foodservice operators all across the industry. A point of pride for the company was the ability to call its dishware "china," as one of its earliest leaders pioneered the production of vitrified china in the United States. Today, the iconic dinnerware made famous by the Syracuse China name lives on under Libbey Foodservice, still providing quality products generations later.

Syracuse China's Origins & Acquisition by Libbey

Founded in 1871 in the village of Geddes, N.Y. – which eventually became part of the city of Syracuse – the company now under the Libbey Foodservice umbrella started out as Onondaga Pottery Company. This company started out producing the same porcelain earthenware vessels and dinnerware as similar companies in the United States at that time. Later, Onondaga Pottery's superintendent James Pass developed a process that produced what the company claimed to be the first true commercial vitreous china made in America¹. In 1893, Syracuse China's revolutionary products earned a medal for translucent china at the World's Columbian Exposition – better known as the Chicago World’s Fair –, earning the brand attention from commercial operators across the country². This innovation in tableware design eventually prompted the company’s name change to Syracuse China in 1966.

In 1995, Syracuse China was acquired by dinnerware titan Libbey Foodservice, as Libbey looked to expand its offerings, which was primarily glassware at the time, into ceramics and china.³ In May of 2023, Syracuse China – along with World Tableware – was officially consolidated under the Libbey Foodservice name, becoming a cohesive part of one of the largest and most recognizable tableware brands in the industry. While the company Syracuse China may not be independently in business, customers can rest assured they can still purchase the recognizable dinnerware now manufactured by Libbey.

Syracuse China: From Pottery to China

The shift from producing porcelain to producing china required the company to follow the steps necessary to transform regular earthenware (meaning made of clay) into china.

The Process: This is truly the most important step, providing the distinction between porcelain and true china.

In porcelain production, the raw earthenware piece is first heated in a kiln at a relatively low temperature – a step called bisque firing – to set the clay. Once it cools, it's dipped in a glaze, then fired again – at much higher temperatures than china – to set the enamel. The process that yields china creates an almost translucent quality in the finished pieces.

The Glaze: The finish on china is called vitreous enamel, derived from a Latin word that meant glass, giving way to the current meaning of "resembling glass."⁴ Vitreous enamel is made of powdered glass and applied to an earthenware piece. When that piece is put into a kiln and fired at a high temperature, the glass melts, fuses to the surface, and becomes a permanent, non-porous layer. The result is a hard, glassy finish that is functional and beautiful, as the glass seals any pores left in the earthenware, meaning it won't absorb foods served on it. Libbey's distinctive process produces a glaze durable enough to be given a lifetime no-chip warranty.

The Finishing Touches: Decorative flourishes are not necessary for a piece to be defined as china. However, to be considered "fine china," most collectors expect a piece to have a distinctive pattern or finish at the very least.

Syracuse China started out manufacturing dishware that was unadorned, but in 1884, a ceramics decorator named Elmer Walter established a shop across the street from the Syracuse factory. His company, Boston China Decorating Works – specialized in adding elegant flourishes to earthenware items and continued to do so until the building was destroyed by a fire two years later. After working closely with Syracuse China for two years, transporting wares back and forth across the street to their respective businesses, Walter and his staff were immediately hired by Syracuse, creating what's believed to be one of the first in-house decorating departments at a U.S. china manufacturer.⁴

Syracuse China & Libbey Set a New Dinnerware Standard

James Pass perfected the process with Syracuse China, and Libbey's china has maintained the standard across the foodservice industry since acquiring the Syracuse China brand and manufacturing methods. Employing the same quality practices that revolutionized Syracuse China, the company produces an incredible variety of pieces now. Its consolidation under Libbey Foodservice has only further broadened the range of products associated with the original Syracuse China line.

Though the name has changed, Libbey Foodservice still offers these high-quality dinnerware pieces in a range of elegant patterns, including popular mainstays such as Cafe Royal™, Slenda®, and Status. Libbey still bases the majority of its dinnerware lines on the classic white china, but has dabbled in color, with some patterns, like Cantina®, incorporating vivid shades of red, yellow, blue, and green, and others, like Terracotta, featuring charmingly rustic pieces in earthy tones and shades of brown.

Libbey Foodservice strives to offer tabletop supplies in a variety of styles to help operators across the industry create memorable table settings, offering the same durability and dependability that drove Syracuse China's popularity for more than a century. In addition to the classic material Syracuse China became famous for, Libbey Foodservice's tabletop offerings include bone china, ceramic, melamine, stoneware, and even wood.

References

• Syracuse China. Cleota Reed and Stan Soczen. Accessed July 2023.
• Libbey Inc. Encyclopedia.com. Accessed July 2023.
• Vitreous. Miriam Webster. Accessed July 2023.
• Keramic Studio, Volume 22. Anna B. Leonard, Adelaide Alsop Robineau. Accessed July 2023.
• Why all the Fuss About the Onondaga Pottery Co.? MSU Campus Archaeology Program. Accessed July 2023.