Previous to working for Taylor, Smith and Taylor, Beattie had worked for Knowles, Taylor and Knowles and is credited with the creation of some Lotus Ware items. Even though Belva was not a successful line, Beattie would continue his design career with TS&T creating both the Paramount and Regal shapes. Beattie and his wife were tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1934. (Gonzalez, 2017).

TITLE: Beverly
MAKER: Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company
DATE: 1936
COLLECTION: Greg and Teresa Benkert

Beverly was produced from the mid-1930’s to the mid-1940’s. The teapot has molded flowers around the top, floral decals, and gold lining. The base shape for the Beverley was the Delphian. Several items were added and subtle changes made. (Gonzalez, 2018).

Taylor, Smith and Taylor Company formed in 1901 when Joseph Lee left the original partnership of Taylor, Lee and Smith (1899-1901) leaving John H. Taylor’s sons, Homer and William, along with Charles A. Smith, as proprietors of the company. In 1905, Homer and William Taylor withdrew from the pottery. Charles A. Smith and his brother, William, continued on with the pottery, keeping the name Taylor, Smith and Taylor. The pottery, operating in Chester, WV, was in business until 1981 when the Anchor Hocking Corporation, who had purchased the business in 1972, closed the pottery at the end of that year. (Gates, 2009, Gonzalez 2017).

TITLE: Capitol
MAKER: Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company
DATE: 1929
COLLECTION: Greg and Teresa Benkert

Taylor, Smith & Taylor’s Capitol shape was only produced for a few years in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s.  It is decorated with lavish gold on the handle and decals on the lid and body.

Tea Recipe:
SOUTHERN SWEET TEA: Pour 4 cups boiling water over 6 teabags and brew 15 minutes.  Remove and squeeze bags. Stir in 1 ½ cups sugar and 1/8 tsp baking soda until dissolved.  Stir in an additional 12 cups of water.  Serve in ice filled glasses with lemon garnishes. (Lipton).

Coral-Craft is essentially pink Lu-Ray with white decoration.  Designed by J. Palin Thorley, the line was only produced for about a year starting in 1939.

Tea Recipe:
FOCUS TROPICAL SMOOTHIE:  Pour 1 ½ cups freshly brewed water over 4 Twinings Wellness-Focus teabags and 2 Tbs honey, then steep for 4 – 5 minutes.  Remove bags, cool, and refrigerate.  In blender, mix tea, 1 cup coconut milk, 2 bananas, 2 Tbs chia seeds, 2 Tbs lime juice and 1 cup ice.  Serves 2. (Twinings).

Taylor Smith & Taylor’s Empire line was designed by J. Palin Thorley and introduced in 1936.  The line used newly designed hollowware, but the flatware in the line was from the earlier Laurel shape, also designed by J. Palin Thorley.  The Empire line, in turn, became the basis for TS&T’s hugely successful Lu-Ray Pastels line which was introduced in 1938.

Iona was produced from about 1920 until the early 1930’s. The curvey shape of this pot was sufficiently pleasing and needed no additional embellishments.

Tea Recipe:
SPICY CHOCOLATE CHAI TEA:  Pour ¾ cup boiling water over 6 Bigelow Spiced Chai teabags and steep for 5 minutes.  Remove and squeeze bags.  Place tea in saucepan and stir in 1 ½ Tbs unsweetened cocoa and 2 Tbs sugar, cook until dissolved or just until it comes to a boil.  Stir in 2 cups whole milk and cook just until heated. Pour into cups, place cinnamon stick in each and garnish with whipped cream.  (Bigelow).

TITLE: Lu Ray Pastel
MAKER: Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company
Date: 1948
COLLECTION: Greg and Teresa Benkert

Lu-Ray Pastel shapes were largely based on the earlier Empire shape designed by J. Palin Thorley.  The line was introduced in 1938 and produced until the early 1960’s.  It was Taylor Smith & Taylor’s most successful line. The example here is Persian Cream.

TITLE: Marvel
MAKER: Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company
Date: c 1935
COLLECTION: Greg and Teresa Benkert

TITLE: Navarre
MAKER: Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company
DATE: c 1905
COLLECTION: Greg and Teresa Benkert

Navarre was introduced in the early 1900’s and is one of the earliest shapes produced by Taylor Smith & Taylor.

Plymouth was introduced in 1937 and produced into the 1940’s. The example here is in pattern number 1226 1/2.

Tea Recipe:
EVENING NIGHTCAP:  Pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 Bedtime Bliss Herbal Supplement teabags and brew 4 minutes.  Remove bags and add 1/8 tsp vanilla extract and garnish with nutmeg.  Stir with cinnamon stick, serves1. (Lipton).

Taylorcraft, designed by John J. Gilkes, and pictured here in Bayberry Gold, was a short-lived line introduced in the early 1960’s.  Some of the shapes, however, including the teapot, were used in the Chateau Buffet and Granada lines.  Gilkes became design director for TS&T in 1954 and was instrumental in bringing TS&T into the modern age. Gilkes designed the Versatile, Taylorton, Classic, Shadows, Colorcraft, Heatherstone and several other shapes during his tenure with TS&T. (Gonzales, 2017).

An individual size teapot in the Verona shape used in a children’s tea set.

Tea Recipe:
STRAWBERRY ICED TEA:  Make a basic iced recipe (4 cups boiling water, 2 teabags) and while tea is still hot, pour in 1/6 to 1/3 cup superfine or powdered sugar and stir.  Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup lemon juice.  Puree a pint of fresh strawberries and sieve them to remove seeds.  Once tea is cool, add the strawberry puree and place in fridge for 30 minutes.   (Lipton).

Tea Recipe:
ICED BERRY APPLE TUMMY DELIGHT:  Pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 Lipton “Sooth You Tummy Herbal Supplement” teabags in an 18 to 24oz glass.  Brew 4 minutes.  Remove bags and add 1 cup of ice.  Slice ¼ apple and add along with ¼ cup raspberries.  Garnish with a spring of rosemary, muddle, stir, and enjoy. (Lipton) .

Tea Recipe:
COLD BREW ICE CREAM FLOAT:  In 2 qt. pitcher, pour 3 ½ cups cool water over 3 Lipton Cold Brew Family Size teabags.  Brew 5 minutes, dunking bags occasionally. Remove bags, stir in 1 ½ Tbs firmly packed brown sugar until blended.  Pour tea in 4 glasses and top with vanilla ice cream. (Lipton).