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Boehm porcelain figures have been made in Trenton, N.J., for nearly 60 years. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.

The world takes note of ‘Made in Trenton’ exhibit

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Boehm porcelain figures have been made in Trenton, N.J., for nearly 60 years. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.
Boehm porcelain figures have been made in Trenton, N.J., for nearly 60 years. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.

TRENTON, N.J. – In an age when the majority of consumer product are marked “Made in China,” it’s refreshing and encouraging to find something special made in America. An exhibit titled Made in Trenton will open June 27 celebrating products currently manufactured in this New Jersey industrial center once known for producing steel, rubber, wire, rope, linoleum and ceramics.

The exhibit will be at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park and is sponsored by the museum and the Trenton Museum Society.

Trenton’s present-day industries produce such specialized equipment as run-flat tires for military use and emergency survival equipment to decorative porcelain figures and candles.          

“This exhibit showcases a small sampling of Trenton manufacturers who have either survived the changing market and continue to grow and thrive – or who have identified their niche recently and produce products and services in the 21st century,” said Museum Director Brian O. Hill.  “The slogan, ‘Trenton Makes, the World Takes’ is as true today as it was when S. Roy Heath, then owner of Heath Lumber, came up with the phrase and won a slogan contest sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in 1910.”

An opening reception for the exhibit will be Saturday, June 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the museum. A members-only preview will begin at 6 p.m.

Boehm Porcelain, which has been making decorative porcelain figures in Trenton since 1950, will present a demonstration on the construction of flowers and eagles on Sunday, June 28 at 2 p.m.

The exhibit will run through Sept. 13.

The following contributors provide a glimpse of what the city offers the world today:

  • Ana Design Corp. – Company founder Frank Weeden designed the machine for producing striped tapers. The company has produced the original striped candles since 1994.
  • Blacksmith of Trenton – Ukrainian-born Sasha Parubchenko is New Jersey’s only full-time industrial blacksmith. As demand for heavy metal work has been declined, Parubchenko has refocused to serve the local homeowner and construction markets with custom-made metalwork. His place of business on North Olden Avenue in Trenton has been a blacksmith shop since 1883.
  • Bolt Welding & Ironworks Inc. – President Chris Hiltey and his staff of seven employees provide gates and other metal products to the builders of high-end homes.
  • E. M. Boehm – Sculptor Edward and wife Helen Boehm founded the company in 1950. Today it recognized as one of the world’s foremost porcelain studios. Boehm fine porcelain sculptures and limited-edition collectibles, as well as historically commissioned pieces are created by skilled artisans in the same Trenton, N.J., studio in which the company was founded. Art from the Boehm studio has been presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II, Mikhail Gorbachev and every U.S. president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.
  • Hutchinson Industries – Founded in 1853, Hutchinson is one of the world’s oldest rubber product manufacturers. It manufactures mobility components for wheeled vehicles, including wheels and runflats for commercial and military use.
  • Modern Metal Work – Artist and furniture designer Peter Abrams likes to refer to himself as a reverse engineer. He culls recycled materials like elevator cables and transforms them into useful objects like fireplace screens and fire bowls.
  • Switlick Parachute Co. – Established in 1920, Switlick no longer manufactures parachutes. Today’s products include inflatable life vests and life rafts for military and the commercial airline rescue operations.
  • Terracycle – Eco-friendly entrepreneurs John Szaky and Jon Beyer head a company that produces organic fertilizer made from the excrement of earthworms. The company also produces packaging from recycled materials.

Museum hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  The Museum is closed on Mondays and holidays. Visit www.ellarslie.org for more information and directions or for additional information, contact Brian O. Hill, museum director, at 609-989-3632.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

A specially-made machine in used to produce Ana striped candles. Frank Weeden founded the company in Trenton, N.J., in 1994. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.
A specially-made machine in used to produce Ana striped candles. Frank Weeden founded the company in Trenton, N.J., in 1994. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.
Historic Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park will be the showplace for ‘Made in Trenton,' including this display for Bolt Welding & Ironworks Inc. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.
Historic Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park will be the showplace for ‘Made in Trenton,’ including this display for Bolt Welding & Ironworks Inc. Image courtesy Trenton City Museum.