| Biography/History: |
J. H. Spear founded Washington Brick in 1893 to take advantage of Clayton’s high-quality clay deposits. By 1911, it had grown into Washington Brick, Lime, and Sewer Pipe, and had established a reputation for its terra cotta sewer pipe and handcrafted decorative panels. Leno Prestini (1906-1963) rose from terra cotta apprentice to the position of chief modeler. By 1931, Leno was fashioning personal pieces alongside the sunbursts and floral patterns required by the architects. His creations ranged from Christmas tiles sent out as holiday cards by company president A. B. Fosseen to three-dimensional figures. http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9571 |