Established in 1945
Several of the Cash family members got their start at Southern Blue Ridge and when Ray returned from World War II, he joined them. He also purchased pottery and sold it to department stores in the south. However, he really wanted to own his own pottery.
Clinchfield Artware Pottery was the original name of Cash Family Pottery and was so named because the pottery was located on Clinchfield Street in Erwin. In 1945, Ray and Pauline Cash purchased their first kiln and began to make their own molds, baking them in their kitchen oven. They hired mold makers from the area; the most prevalent molds produced wash bowls and pitchers. They also purchased molds from across the country to expand their options.
In the 1950’s, the pottery finally carried the name of Ray and Pauline Cash. Cash Family Pottery was born. The pottery also had “family” in its name as the Cash son, Wayne, and his wife and their children worked at the pottery too. When Southern Blue Ridge closed in 1957, the Cashes bought the Blue Ridge molds for $200. Mrs. Cash shared that at least 1,000 different molds were used by the pottery. Patterns were made unique by each decorator who added their own twist to the designs and changed colors with the same design.
Royalty have been given wedding gifts from Cash Family Pottery. Princess Margaret received a gift in 1960 and Prince Charles and Princess Diana were given a tea set as a wedding present.
The pottery remained in production until the mid-1980s when Ray Cash died and when Pauline Cash had a stroke.