Mosaic Tile Company
Zanesville, Ohio

Mosaic Tile Company, founded in Zanesville in 1894, grew to be one of the largest tile manufacturing companies in the United States, outlasting its cross-town rival, American Encaustic, by over 30 years. From its inception the company was known for its decorative output, and in 1918 it embarked on the production of “faience” tile to compete with the many colorful, handcrafted tiles that were growing in popularity throughout the country. From the company’s 1929 catalog,
Mosaic Faience Tiles:

Most modern writers use “Faience” as a collective term for all the well-known varieties of highly glazed ware, except porcelains. As a classification for modern tiles, however, the term “Faience” applies both to the rich quality of the glaze and to the body over which the glaze is laid. Thus, the body of a Faience tile is infinitely heavier and stronger than, for instance, the body of a white wall tile.

Mosaic Faience Tiles are, we believe, among the most noteworthy accomplishments of modern ceramics and their glazes, colors and decorations will bear comparison even with the finest Faience ware of the ancient potters. The effect of the color is greatly enhanced by the fact that the tiles of each series are made with variations of both shape and texture. Certain glazes have, of course, a greater variation than others and have, consequently, greater softness and beauty.



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