Founded in 1903, the studio is known for its iridescent glazes, some of which grace notable buildings such as the Shedd Aquarium and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The pottery was founded in 1903 by the artist and teacher Mary Chase Perry Stratton and her business partner Horace James Caulkins.

The company is well known for the unusual iridescent glaze covering the pottery and tiles created in a manner outlined by the International Arts and Crafts movement.

As Michigan's only historic pottery, the center continues to operate in a 1907 Tudor Revival building as a non-profit educational institution.

Noteworthy examples include Herzstein Hall at Rice University in Houston, Texas,[11][12] and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois.

Particularly notable was the company's work at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., consisting of arches outlined with iridescent Pewabic tile, huge ceramic medallions set in the ceiling, and fourteen Stations of the Cross for the crypt.