Folia archeologica 20.

Mihalik Sándor: A kassai kőedénygyár

THE "ENGLISH WARE" FACTORY OF KASSA At the turn of the 18th century in several places many attempts were made, almost simultaneously, to establish factories producing a creamcoloured earthenware - the so-called „English ware" -competitive to the products of the big Holies factory. One of these clever endeavours was realized at Kassa. At the time when an accomplished expert, experienced in practical equipment, versed in technical management and skilled in proceedings arrived, in the person of Osvaldo Pivirotti, at Kassa, the preliminaries of the foundation were realized. Pivirotti - born in Vinigo, in the Belluno parts of Veneto - had acquired a practice of some twenty years in equipping and running ceramic factories in Styria, Poland and Hungary; so he was a useful, capable expert. In 1801 three merchants of Kassa: J. Mohl, I. Henszlmann and J. Rumy, as well as the lawyer J. Fedák and the physician I. Wirkner, enter into partnership, concluding an agreement with Pivirotti for the management with the purpose of founding a factory on the ground east of the upper towngate, which area used to be the gun workshop of the gunsmiths. The works of organization having proceeded rapidly, the factory started working in August 1

801 and the eartenware of Kassa came into the markets. A year or so had passed from the foundation and the factory was active and productive to such an extent that the management applied for a privilege and the granting of the title „К. k. Priwilegierte Ungarische Kaschauer Englisch Stein Gut Fabrik". In the first half of 1804 their request was granted by the monarch and the factory with its fifty skilled workers and occasional hands of the garrison - 6 to 8 per day - was progressing on the way of success. In the second half of 1802 there were 5000 Forints taken, in 1803 19027 Fts, to mid-summer of 1804 17053 Fts. That meant a good heap of money gained, for devalvation was not yet imminent. The "English ware" factory of Kassa gained a firm footing on the field of Hungarian industry. Thought a part of its workers had come from other countries, the factory played an important historical role. Its mission was the consolidation of "English ware" in Hungary, the instruction of manufacturers and makers of the Hungarian goods, in order to succeed in the purpose expressed by the founders as follows: "We are driven by patriotism, knowing that it is a waste to squander money on foreign merchandise when an equivalent one can be produced, fabricated, and effectuated in this country, too."