MSU Institution Ware

3D Model

Found by CAP in 2015 at the Gunson site, this relatively plain dish was designed to be tough but also cheap. Ceramics of this type are called insitutional wares, hotel china, or restaurant china - perfect for daily use by students.

The maker’s mark reads “O.P.CO. | SYRACUSE | CHINA” - refencing the Onondaga Pottery Company out of Syracuse, a company known for producing institutional wares. This particular maker’s mark was used until 1914. In 1908, a new method allowed for decorations that did not weaken the glaze. This is represented on this dish via the three green stripes to represent the school’s colors. This gives a tight date range for this and other dishes. At this time, the College was rapidly expanding and would have benefitted from cheaper and more durable dishes as the number of students increased.

For more info on MSU institutional wares, check out Jeff Painter’s blog.

Photogrammetry model made by Jack A. Biggs using Agisoft Metashape.