Geo. F. Trout Gen'l. Merchant, Stewartstown, PA, Advertising Bowl, Calendar 1912

Description

For sale here is a 10 1/2 inch diameter ceramic bowl with a hot air balloon, floral and transfer embellishments, 12 complete monthly calendars for the year 1912, and applied gold lettering and rim edge trim. This American advertising calendar bowl was given to customers by George F. Trout, a Stewartstown, PA - based general merchant, baker and ice cream manufacturer who did business in the early years of the 20th century.  It has manufacturer markings on the base and is a very compelling piece of southern York County history, well worth displaying and preserving.
It is 119 years old and exhibits a terrific display quality.   The gold imprinted lettering and rim trim are still crisp and strong. The transfer images of the balloon and calendars are pristine.
A bit of background on early 20th century advertising calendar places and bowls.
As the name implies, advertising calendar plates and bowls were given away by merchants, mainly in small towns, in the early part of the 20th century as complimentary gifts. They are small (usually around 8-11 inches in diameter) and were intended for display. They were produced using a process similar to lithography by factories in Ohio and New Jersey.  Some examples predate the 1900s, but for the most part, the plates were made from 1906 to 1920, with 1910 being the peak year of production.
As was custom,  calendar plates and bowls were given away by dry goods and hardware stores as incentives to lure customers away from the competition.
The plate designs vary: from flowers, dogs, horseshoes and angels to "Gibson girls" with large hats. Often, the months of the year are displayed around the border. Some of the designs were topical, such as an image of the Panama Canal from 1915.
Merchants could pick a pattern from a catalog, or order from traveling salesmen. A paper decal would be produced, placed on a fired blank plate and then glazed. After a final firing, it was ready to sell.
The merchant's name was placed on top of the glaze, which meant it was not sealed securely. Often the name of the merchant is fully or partially scratched off, making research into its history more difficult.  (Please note: that is not the case with the bowl offered for sale here.)  A shop owner might have paid 10 cents per plate in 1909, which would translate to almost today. That was not an inconsequential cost for a small merchant at that time.