Maria Longworth Storer launched Rookwood in
1880 with a single kiln and an ambition to put American art pottery on the map. As the first woman founder of a manufacturing company in the United States, she quickly made good on her promise – winning a gold medal at the Paris Exposition within ten years, and positioning Rookwood as a key player in the art pottery movement. 

Maria championed the individuality of her artists, and saw in every cup, vase and vessel the chance to bring their art into people’s daily lives. Much has changed over time, but her vision of pottery as a path to beauty in the home continues to shape everything we do today.

For decades, we’ve been perfecting our process and pushing the boundaries of our craft. Innovation has guided us from the start—from pioneering glazing techniques to exploring new materials—but it’s our people who bring each piece to life. Every product we make passes through at least thirteen sets of hands before it reaches yours.

Pottery is a slow, intentional art, where process, patience, and even imperfections become part of the charm. We’re meticulous about our work because in the end, we hope that what we create is more than pottery—it’s something meaningful and lasting, carried from our hands to yours.

Our story began in a former schoolhouse building in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, where Rookwood’s first potters shaped clay from the Ohio river into works of art. What started there became an essential part of Cincinnati’s rich arts and crafts history – a tradition we continue with every piece we make.

Today, you can find our team of over 70 artists and makers in the same neighborhood, keeping our creative heritage alive in the city we still call home.