Sewer Tile Sewer Pipe Folk Art Sculpture Spartan for Michigan State University?

The Spartan became mascot of the Michigan State University Football team in, I believe, not long after 1925.  There is no indication this sewer pipe spartan figure was made in Michigan, but the Grand Ledge Pottery mentioned elsewhere on this blog was located a dozen miles from East Lansing, home of the spartans.  Signed on the base "EJE" by the maker, and 4.5 inches tall.  
Collection Jim Linderman

Miniature Clay Boot c. 1900 Akron Ohio American Marble and Toy Company

Miniature clay stoneware boot created circa 1900 by the American Marble and Toy Company in Akron, Ohio. Little more than one inch tall, and produced by the thousands.  My understanding has always been that the factory burned down at some time and boxes of the tiny toys of clay were dug from the ruins.  Sure enough, according to the website American Toy Marble Museum  "...on one unlucky day in 1904, thirteen years after it had been incorporated, The American Marble & Toy Manufacturing Company burnt to the ground. This unfortunate event appeared, to some young pilferers, to be a great day for marble collectors: the next morning, every little boy in Akron came down to scavenge and fill his pockets with marbles. This was no play ground, far from being a safe place for such innocent children to be hanging (and looting) about. The police were called in to keep these treasure hunters from unlawfully appropriating the marbles, and soon after, the city ordered the charred remains of the factory to be buried."
 

Image BLUE SANTA & FRIENDS

Interestingly, the factory was also responsible for the very first SANTA CLAUS toy!  The little fella, known as "Blue Santa" was dug up in 2009...you can hear the story on NPR HERE, and the picture is taken from the BLUE SANTA & FRIENDS SITE which provides the full story.

Tiny Stoneware Boot circa 1900 Collection Jim Linderman
Courtesy Natalie Curley Antiques.

Cannelton Sewer Pipe Company Decorative Ashtray from Frankoma

Cannelton Sewer Pipe Company was founded in 1906 by Henry Clemens in Cannelton Indiana.  They mined clay "from the hill east of Eighth Street" according to company history.  The company lasted some 50 years, until being purchased by an industrial conglomerate called Harsco.  They ran the operation for another few decades, but sold the operation when there were only 20 employees left in 1982.  It is now known as Can Clay and still producing some clay products.  They were known to make some "end of the day" pieces, including a drinking cup with an incised Indian Chief on the piece.

Interestingly, for promotional purposes, the company turned to Frankoma pottery for the decorative ashtray in "prairie green" above.  Likely from the late 1950s, it was created in the "Frankoma 458 series.  

Frankoma Cannelton Sewer Pipe Ashtray with Sewer Pipe raised portion.  Circa 1950 - 1960 Collection Jim Linderman

Sewer Tile Folk Art Pottery Sculpture Large Clay Head of Indeterminate origin

Sewer Tile Folk Art Pottery Large Clay Head of Indeterminate origin.  Turn of the Century.  
Collection Jim Linderman

Sewer Tile Sewer Pipe Folk Art Pottery Incised Man

Incised Man on a length of sewer pipe. (Detail)  Turn of the Century
Collection Jim Linderman