Of the last two promotional items, one is very colorful and one is very dull. So let’s start with the colorful one, the refrigerator set. This standard Kitchen Kraft (a line of kitchen wares produced by Homer Laughlin) item consisted of three bowls and a lid. This set is not easy to find today and complete ones command high prices. One sometimes finds the individual bowls for a good price. But the lid like most other Fiesta lids is hard to find.
The way a collector dreams of finding any Fiesta, mint in box. This set even has intact paper labels. These are the colors of the standard refrigerator set, bowls of yellow, green and cobalt with a red lid. Image from Pinterest.
The value of the individual bowls range from $40.00 – $50.00 and the much harder to find lid from $80 – $100. When purchasing a complete set expect to pay over $200.00 or more. The set pictured above with original box and intact labels will sell for nearly $500.00.
The Fiesta Kitchen Kraft Refrigerator Set showing the unstacked individual pieces. Image from Vintageamericanpottery.com.
The refrigerator set would be the last promotional item offered by Fiesta. The penultimate item was the “exciting” chop plate with metal handle. The chop plate came in two sizes, 13 inches and 15 inches. The promotional campaign offered the 13 inch chop with an attached metal and raffia handle.
13 inch chop plate in old ivory with metal and raffia handle. Second to last promotional item, 1940. Image from the collection of the author.
According to the Schiffer book Fiesta, Harlequin & Kitchen Kraft Dinnerwares, these metal handles are quite rare and have a value that is almost equal to the plate. I find it hard to believe that the handle pictured above has a value around $40.00. I purchased the set above for less than $20.00, but I think that was a fluke. Since then I have never seen another chop plate with metal handle.
1940 Fiestaware ad featuring promotional campaign items. Image from Pinterest.
The items offered in Fiesta’s promotional campaign marked the end of new additions to the line until one last piece in 1959. Beginning in 1940, Homer Laughlin started to eliminate items. The next installment of Fiesta 101 will look at these 1940’s deletions.
For Fiesta 101: Part Seven Click Here
