Manufacturer: Carr China
User: Tygart Dam Dedication
Date of plate: 1936

Lavender, a hard-to-find color. One like this sold in March 2019 for more than $1200.

Restaurant ware weight

Rose on white

Closeup showing the initials of the plate's designer, George W. Staton. It is said that Staton embedded his initials in the bottom flourish on the backstamps of the dam plate, Mother's Day plate and Philippi Bridge plate, risking the ire of his Carr employers had they seen the additions.

Blue on tan

Green on white

Blue on white

Black on white

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Notes: A series of plates, ashtrays and compotes was commissioned in honor of the 1936 dedication of the Tygart River Reservoir Dam in Grafton, W.V. These plates were available at the dedication.

The dam is located about a mile upstream from the pottery's location, and it prevented flooding at the pottery. The reservoir is a popular boating, camping and recreation area.

The decals were fired on both white and tan bodies and the designs came in black, blue (light and teal), green (two shades), red and rose, light purple, and multicolor. Given the creativity that the plant put into the ware, this may well be a partial list of decorations.

Compotes are much harder to find than plates, and the plate with red ruffled border (shown above after the compote photos) is one of the more unusual pieces.

The plate following it with plain dark red line is unusual in that it is heavy, restaurant ware weight.

We think the prize for rarest plate must go to the one at the beginning of the slides that shows a multicolored decal. It's beautiful and sold for $673.

In looking at the backstamp for the plate, the monogram GWS is apparent at the bottom of the design. The initials stand for George William Staton, a Carr designer and engraver. See also the plates for the Phillipi Covered Bridge and Andrews Methodist Church, the home of Mother's Day.

The design has a border with flourishes and a central scene that depicts the dam and river surrounded by trees and a wooded landscape.

Contributors:
Restaurant ware weight plate – Ebay seller nightsayni
Rose dam plate photos – Helen Cutshaw
Content – Susan and Ed Phillips