"Sporting Cupids" by Trent Tile Co
New Jersey may be known for many things now, like Jersey Shore, Jerseylicious and The Sopranos, but in the late 19th and early 20th century it was known for its high quality tile. The clay deposits of central Jersey and access to transport hubs made the tile industry flourish. One of these companies was Trent. Based in Trenton, the factory opened in 1882 and employed two of the most talented designers of the time, Isaac Broome and William Gallimore. The quality was high and the company was very successful in supplying a product for all the Beaux Art structures being built at the turn of the century.
These tiles come from a fireplace surround labeled as “Sporting Cupids Facing” in an early Trent catalog. It was a group of frolicking putti floating through the air on a wind blown ribbon. Other examples of this group can be seen in Norman Karlson’s Encyclopedia of American Art Tile, Vol 1 page 185.
You can find these antique tiles for sale at BungalowBILL.com
