Fiesta 101: Part Eleven 1959

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Fiestaware dancing lady logo.

Fiestaware dancing lady logo from a 1937 price list. Image from the author’s collection.

 

By the late 1950’s sales of Fiesta started to dwindle. Homer Laughlin tried to revive interest in their most famous line by changing the colors once again. In June, 1959 the change came. The  bark cloth inspired jewel tone colors, so sophisticated, only eight years before, now seemed passé. Bright colors were once again popular. Now the Fiesta  line offered only four colors. Yellow and turquoise stayed, red returned after a 15 year hiatus and a new green (medium green) was introduced.

 

June, 1959 Deletions

The colors, rose, chartreuse, forest green and gray were retired. Because of the relatively short production life of pieces made in these four colors, along with slowing sales, give 1950’s pieces their generally higher values than ones made in original colors.

 

Fiestaware colors 1951 - 1959.

The bark cloth inspired jewel tone colors of gray, rose, chartreuse and forest green retired in June of 1959. From the author’s collection.

These items were dropped from the Fiesta line in the spring and summer of 1959.

 

15 Inch Chop Plate

15 inch chop plate in rose.

Fiesta 15 inch chop in rose. Image from Etsy.

This very large and heavy plate had been part of the Fiesta line from its introduction in early 1936. This plate is only found in the first 10 colors, no 15 inch chops are known to exist in medium green. In price lists this item is called 15 inches, but actually it measures 14 1/4 inches. It is the widest piece ever made for Fiesta. As of the beginning of 2019 prices for the 15 inch chop plate vary greatly. Book value for chop plates range from $45.00 – $80.00 for plates in the original colors from the 1930’s, while the 1950’s colors have a range of $95.00 – $110.00. Online, in antiques stores or at flea markets the prices can be as low at $10.00 to $150.00 and sometimes more.

 

After Dinner (Demitasse) Cup & Saucer

After dinner cups and saucers in the colors of the 1950's.

Fiesta After Dinner cups & saucers in 1950’s colors. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.

The After Dinner cup and saucer remained in production for seventeen years after the After Dinner coffee pot had been discontinued. A very elegant piece with a hand applied stick handle these cups and saucers are relatively easy to find in the original colors, but very difficult to find in the colors of the ’50’s. Cups and saucers in the original six colors can be found for as little as $25.00 a set, in ’50’s colors they are seldom found for less than $300.00. Although there are rumors of a few sets made in medium green, they were never officially produced in that color. If the rumors are true they are so rare that they have no established value.

 

Coffee Pot

Rare gray Fiesta coffee pot.

The rare gray Fiesta coffee pot. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com

Made in only the first 10 colors, the coffee pot was dropped from the line early in 1959. Therefore none were made in the elusive medium green. Introduced with the line in early 1936, the coffee pot had a 23 year run. But even with such a long run, they are not that easy to find, especially in 1950’s colors. And can be hard to find in excellent condition. Often they have chips to the finial, base or rim. In mint condition they can be found for as low as $100.00 in original colors, and to over $300.00 in rose, forest green and chartreuse. Gray coffee pots are the rarest and are worth over $500.00.

 

10 1/2 Inch Compartment Plate

 

10 1/2 inch compartment plate in gray.

Gray 10 1/2 inch compartment plate. From the collection of the author.

Replacing the 12 inch grill or compartment plate in early 1937, the 10 1/2 inch compartment plate stayed in production for 22 years and ended before the introduction of the medium green glaze. Because of the dividers, these plates do not stack well. So when buying, look them over carefully and make sure the dividers do not have any flea bites or small chips.

 

Cream Soup Bowl

 

Chartreuse cream soup bowl.

Fiesta cream soup bowl in chartreuse. Image from ebay.

 

Along with the after dinner coffee pot and after dinner cups and saucers, the cream soup is one of the most elegant Fiesta pieces. With its two side handles and flared foot it vaguely resembled the casserole, only much smaller. Introduced in early 1936, the cream soup, can be found in all 11 vintage colors. Bowls in the first 10 colors can be found in the $20.00 – $60.00 price range. Dropped from the line shortly after the introduction of medium green in mid-1959, bowls in that color have the second highest price of any regular Fiesta production piece, around $4,500.00.

 

 

4 3/4 Inch Fruit Bowl

This bowl was a January, 1938 addition to the line and stayed in production until mid-1959 making it very hard to find in medium green. The medium green 4 3/4 inch fruit bowl’s value reflects that rarity. Bowls in the first ten colors can be found in prices ranging from less than $10.00 up to $40.00. The elusive medium green bowl is in the $300.00 – $500.00 range.

 

Medium green 4 3/4 inch fruit bowl.

The rare medium green 4 3/4 in fruit bowl. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.

 

Egg Cup

 

Forest green egg cup.

Fiesta egg cup in forest green. Image from worthpoint.com

Introduced to the Fiesta line in late 1936, production of the egg cup ended in early 1959. Discontinued before the introduction of medium green the egg cup is found in only the first ten colors. Fiesta egg cups have retained their pre-recession values and usually sell for around $50.00 in original colors and $75.00 or higher for 1950’s glazes.

 

 

2 Pint Jug

 

Two pint jug.

Two pint jug in rose. From the collection of the author.

Another late 1936 addition to Fiesta, the original intent was to have a series of jugs in five sizes. Only the largest size made it to production. Homer Laughlin dropped the two pint jug sometime in early 1959 so none were made in medium green. Values for the two pint jug have dropped since the recession. Today one can acquire this piece for around $50.00 or less. And glaze color does not make much of a difference in value.

 

June, 1959 Additions

With bright colors being popular again in the late 1950’s, Homer Laughlin changed the Fiesta palette once again.  With the United States Government relaxing restrictions on depleted uranium in the late 1950’s, red Fiesta, discontinued in 1944, returned. And a new, bright, grassy green joined the line, becoming the eleventh and last vintage Fiesta color.

Medium Green

 

Fiesta medium green casserole.

Fiestaware casserole in medium green. Image from worthpoint.com.

Only known as green on Fiesta price lists of the 1960’s, collectors have dubbed this color medium green, to avoid confusion with earlier greens. Because sales of Fiesta were so low in the 1960’s pieces in this color are the most difficult to find today. Values of pieces in this glaze are much, much higher than comparable items in the other colors. After the aforementioned cream soup bowl, the medium teapot is valued around $1,500.00 and the casserole usually sells for about $1,400.00 in mint condition.

 

Medium green medium teapot.

Rare Fiesta medium teapot in medium green. Image from Replacements.com.

All other pieces in medium green generally have 3 to 10 times higher values than those in original or 1950’s colors. For a novice collector determining if a piece is actually medium green and not light green or forest green can be tricky. That is why knowing what pieces were dipped in the medium green glaze is an important starting point. Another trick is to carry around a pack of spearmint Tic Tacs as the color is almost the same as the medium green glaze.

 

Creamer and sugar in medium green.

Medium green creamer and sugar. From the collection of the author.

 

Individual Salad Bowl

 

Turquoise individual salad bowl.

Individual salad bowl, the last piece modeled for vintage Fiesta. From the author’s collection.

 

The individual salad bowl has the distinction of being the last item added to the vintage Fiesta line. Introduced in mid-1959 it is found in only red, yellow, turquoise and medium green (referred to by collectors as the sixties colors). Even though these bowls were made for ten years they are not too easy find. A very similar bowl had been designed for Fiesta in the 1930’s but was added to the Harlequin line instead. The placement of the outside rings at the middle and with no rings at all on the inside of the Harlequin bowl is the easiest way to tell it apart from the Fiesta bowl. The Fiesta bowl will also be marked on the bottom. In mint condition these bowls sell in the $75.00 – $140.00 range.

 

Fiestaware individual salad bowl, red.

Individual salad bowl in red. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.

 

The next and last post of Fiesta 101 will look at the 1960’s, the end of the vintage Fiesta line and its change to Fiesta Ironstone.

 

For Fiesta 101: Part Twelve Click Here

 

Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)

 

Chalk it up to deco

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Chalk it up to deco touches on the history of, and much maligned, chalkware items.  It’s hard to believe that something starting out as beautiful objects with noble beginnings led to a pastiche of kitsch.

Developed in the 18th century as a serious decorative art.  The primary purpose was to imitate more expensive English decorative ware, such as Staffordshire. From the 1920’s through 1940’s, it enabled the average person to own affordable and lovely items to decorate the home.

 

Composed of either plaster of Paris or formed gypsum, chalkware chips easily. They are painted with either oil paints or watercolors and as the colors sits on top of the surface rather than fired on like ceramics, the color tends to fade over time. Early examples are hollow and due to the soft nature of the material used, are difficult to find undamaged. Surviving pieces tend to look dull as they cannot be easily cleaned. Water and humidity are not friends as chalkware reacts unfavorably with moisture.

 

On the cusp of the art deco period, things took a turn for the worse, in my opinion. Because of the low-cost to produce chalkware, “Carnival chalk” became popular. This is what most of us are familiar with and refers to chalkware figures given as prizes at carnival games. Produced in mass quantities, finishing details vary resulting in a bizarre and sometimes questionable array of items.

 

 

Chalkware continued in popularity during WW II and post-war time as an inexpensive means to decorate the home. The items produced for home use ranged from table lamps, figurines, wall decor and tourist memorabilia.

 

There is also a selection representing celebrities and politicians.  Here’s a  couple of charming portrayals.

 

 

Although mid-century and not Art Deco, special mention goes to the most ubiquitous of all. Made in many forms, the chalkware chefs string holder is probably the most recognizable of all pieces.

 

Surprisingly, chalkware remained popular into the 1970’s. Ultimately, the weight and fragility doomed the product. By the 1970’s, good quality and reasonably priced ceramics and plastic alternatives came into being.

 

 

So, the next time you see a piece of chalkware, I hope you appreciate its history more than before.  I know I do!

Chris (half of the Freakin’ ‘tiquen guys)