Where History Comes Home

Hyalyn Porcelain Company

One thing that Catawba County has historically been known for is the combination of their industry and their craftsmanship. One prime example of this is the Hyalyn Porcelain Company. The founder of Hyalyn, Harvey Leslie Moody (Less for short), was raised in the “pottery capital” of Ohio, Zanesville. Less was an academic of architectural engineering at first but his interest was quickly drawn into the ceramic arts. In fact, Less graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Arts. Less’ background in architectural engineering actually helped him in designing the building that would come to house Hyalyn Porcelain. While attending Ohio State, Moody met his wife, Frances Goldrick Johnson, who was also an accomplished artist and sculptor. Her style would also contribute to the Hyalyn brand. In fact, several of Frances’ designs became staples of Hyalyn such as the Owl, the Peasant Girl, the Seagull, and the Madonna and her Child. As we well know, North Carolina is rich in resources and minerals. Due to the abundance of raw resources for ceramics such as Kaolin, Flint, and Feldspar, Moody felt that North Carolina was the perfect place to open up his very own pottery factory. Not to mention, NC was also home to a mild climate and an abundant workforce as well. Moody’s original plan was to open his factory in Morganton, NC. However, WWII thwarted his plans to do so. Hickory was the next logical option. Once his factory proposal was approved, the construction of the Hyalyn factory began. Less Moody never shared his formula that made up the Hyalyn Porcelain composition. We do know that it was composed of 6 individual types of clay from 6 separate sections of the United States as well as Canada. Hyalyn played an important role in cultural significance in the years following WWII. After the pain and devastation veterans and their families witnessed, filling their homes with Hyalyn’s wares helped create a warm and inviting place to come home to. Hyalyn was fully incorporated in 1945 by Less and Frances. In 1989, Hyalyn was sold to Vanguard Studios of Los Angeles, California. Vanguards primarily manufactured household accessories such as framed art prints, lamps, and other porcelain products. The style of the porcelain did change slightly after the purchase due to a change in the type of kiln used. Understanding the significance of our Industry’s past is the way we can remain the place Where History Comes Home.