Pass came to work at Onondaga Pottery in 1875 when his father became superintendent there. He was already a skilled potter who took analytical chemistry at Syracuse University in the evening. He was hired as superintendent after his father's death in 1884 when he began keeping pocket diaries of his formulas, dating codes and clay bodies as well as a record of the work done. This practice lasted until his death.
His "experimental and developmental approach" became the hallmark of the industry. He changed the formulation of the body in 1890 to make it harder and more impervious to stains. In 1888 he championed the birth of the first true chinaware "Imperial Geddo" which was introduced to the public in 1891. The company stopped making earthenware and went exclusively to this first American china body to reach the market.
In 1889 Albert Seymour, an electrical engineer and an officer of the Syracuse Power Company asked Onondaga Pottery to make high quality porcelain electrical insulators. Instead of making them at O.P. Pass formed a partnership with Seymour to manufacture them in Solvay under the name Pass & Seymour which still exists today. This company made Pass's fortune.
In 1901 he hired Adelaide A. Robineau as a consultant and worked with Stickley in the fledgling Arts & Crafts Movement. He designed and patented a tumbling machine to smooth the biscuit surface and built an x-ray machine to look into the clay. Local doctors brought patients to the factory to be xrayed for broken bones.
He founded with Charles Binns the American Ceramic Society, he founded the Mutual Benefit Society for the welfare of the potters in his factory and a Potter's Club for social activities and educational opportunities to keep the potters out of the local taverns.
Pass died in 1913 at the age of 56 from pneumonia complicated by silicosis (potter's lung). At the time there were over 700 employees at Syracuse China, which was the largest producer of vitrified china in America.
Information taken from Cleota Reed's book "Syracuse China" which includes an afterward by James Pass's granddaughter Ruth Pass Hancock.
His "experimental and developmental approach" became the hallmark of the industry. He changed the formulation of the body in 1890 to make it harder and more impervious to stains. In 1888 he championed the birth of the first true chinaware "Imperial Geddo" which was introduced to the public in 1891. The company stopped making earthenware and went exclusively to this first American china body to reach the market.
In 1889 Albert Seymour, an electrical engineer and an officer of the Syracuse Power Company asked Onondaga Pottery to make high quality porcelain electrical insulators. Instead of making them at O.P. Pass formed a partnership with Seymour to manufacture them in Solvay under the name Pass & Seymour which still exists today. This company made Pass's fortune.
In 1901 he hired Adelaide A. Robineau as a consultant and worked with Stickley in the fledgling Arts & Crafts Movement. He designed and patented a tumbling machine to smooth the biscuit surface and built an x-ray machine to look into the clay. Local doctors brought patients to the factory to be xrayed for broken bones.
He founded with Charles Binns the American Ceramic Society, he founded the Mutual Benefit Society for the welfare of the potters in his factory and a Potter's Club for social activities and educational opportunities to keep the potters out of the local taverns.
Pass died in 1913 at the age of 56 from pneumonia complicated by silicosis (potter's lung). At the time there were over 700 employees at Syracuse China, which was the largest producer of vitrified china in America.
Information taken from Cleota Reed's book "Syracuse China" which includes an afterward by James Pass's granddaughter Ruth Pass Hancock.
Pass came to work at Onondaga Pottery in 1875 when his father became superintendent there. He was already a skilled potter who took analytical chemistry at Syracuse University in the evening. He was hired as superintendent after his father's death in 1884 when he began keeping pocket diaries of his formulas, dating codes and clay bodies as well as a record of the work done. This practice lasted until his death.
His "experimental and developmental approach" became the hallmark of the industry. He changed the formulation of the body in 1890 to make it harder and more impervious to stains. In 1888 he championed the birth of the first true chinaware "Imperial Geddo" which was introduced to the public in 1891. The company stopped making earthenware and went exclusively to this first American china body to reach the market.
In 1889 Albert Seymour, an electrical engineer and an officer of the Syracuse Power Company asked Onondaga Pottery to make high quality porcelain electrical insulators. Instead of making them at O.P. Pass formed a partnership with Seymour to manufacture them in Solvay under the name Pass & Seymour which still exists today. This company made Pass's fortune.
In 1901 he hired Adelaide A. Robineau as a consultant and worked with Stickley in the fledgling Arts & Crafts Movement. He designed and patented a tumbling machine to smooth the biscuit surface and built an x-ray machine to look into the clay. Local doctors brought patients to the factory to be xrayed for broken bones.
He founded with Charles Binns the American Ceramic Society, he founded the Mutual Benefit Society for the welfare of the potters in his factory and a Potter's Club for social activities and educational opportunities to keep the potters out of the local taverns.
Pass died in 1913 at the age of 56 from pneumonia complicated by silicosis (potter's lung). At the time there were over 700 employees at Syracuse China, which was the largest producer of vitrified china in America.
Information taken from Cleota Reed's book "Syracuse China" which includes an afterward by James Pass's granddaughter Ruth Pass Hancock.
His "experimental and developmental approach" became the hallmark of the industry. He changed the formulation of the body in 1890 to make it harder and more impervious to stains. In 1888 he championed the birth of the first true chinaware "Imperial Geddo" which was introduced to the public in 1891. The company stopped making earthenware and went exclusively to this first American china body to reach the market.
In 1889 Albert Seymour, an electrical engineer and an officer of the Syracuse Power Company asked Onondaga Pottery to make high quality porcelain electrical insulators. Instead of making them at O.P. Pass formed a partnership with Seymour to manufacture them in Solvay under the name Pass & Seymour which still exists today. This company made Pass's fortune.
In 1901 he hired Adelaide A. Robineau as a consultant and worked with Stickley in the fledgling Arts & Crafts Movement. He designed and patented a tumbling machine to smooth the biscuit surface and built an x-ray machine to look into the clay. Local doctors brought patients to the factory to be xrayed for broken bones.
He founded with Charles Binns the American Ceramic Society, he founded the Mutual Benefit Society for the welfare of the potters in his factory and a Potter's Club for social activities and educational opportunities to keep the potters out of the local taverns.
Pass died in 1913 at the age of 56 from pneumonia complicated by silicosis (potter's lung). At the time there were over 700 employees at Syracuse China, which was the largest producer of vitrified china in America.
Information taken from Cleota Reed's book "Syracuse China" which includes an afterward by James Pass's granddaughter Ruth Pass Hancock.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
