Made on site, of local "wild clay", our tiles are re-issues and inspired by founder, Henry Mercer. The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, a National Historic Landmark, is maintained as a "working history" museum. Handmade tiles are still produced in a manner similar to that developed by the pottery's founder and builder, Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930). Mercer was a major proponent of the Arts & Crafts Movement in America. He directed the work at the pottery from 1898 until his death in 1930.The Tileworks of Bucks County is a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation formed specifically for the purpose of continuing and advancing the mission of the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works as a working history museum. Bucks County will continue to own the entire facility and all of the historical artifacts. The County will exercise robust oversight at all times. Two of the long-time employees continue to make the tile in the tradition that is passed down through the ages. The nonprofit will have a license to operate the museum consistent with its historical purposes and as a National Historic Landmark. The museum will remain open to the public for tours, classes, and educational workshops for public use and enjoyment, and the museum’s historic tiles will continued to be made in the arts and crafts tradition, using the approved historical processes and molds. The nonprofit will be committed, at all times, to exercising museum best practices, employing the industry standard degree of professional skill and competence in managing and using the museum and its historical treasures for public use. We are especially excited to have the opportunity to begin the extensive work of building, for the first time, an online index of the museum’s molds, ephemera and historic objects and to build relationships with other museums and institutions to increase the public visibility and accessibility of the museum’s wonderful historical artifacts and traditions.
