Fall 1943
In the late autumn of 1943 Homer Laughlin eliminated all the special Fiesta promotional items. These items, introduced in 1939 and 1940, are difficult to find today because of their short production life. And usually command high prices, especially the French Casserole and Refrigerator Set.
Promotional Items
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- Fiesta promotional juice set and carton.
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- The 1940 promotional Fiesta salad set, with the red and green Kitchen Kraft spoon and fork.
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- Fiesta promotional yellow French casserole, 1940.
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- Typical promotional sugar, cream and tray set. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com
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- 1940 – 1943 Promotional Kitchen Set. Standard color combination. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com
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- The standard refrigerator set, bowls of yellow, green and cobalt with a red lid. Image from Pintrest.
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- 13 inch chop plate in old ivory with metal and raffia handle. Second to last promotional item, 1940. From the collection of the author.
Fiestaware special promotional items 1940 advertisement detail.
Early 1944
Elimination of Fiesta Red
Uranium 235 oxide was one of the ingredients of the red-orange glaze of Homer Laughlin and other pottery companies. The United States Government restricted the sale of Uranium oxide for civilian use in 1943. The government restriction came about because of the need of U-235 for The Manhattan Project’s creation of the atomic bomb. Without this compound Homer Laughlin had to cease production of the popular red glaze.
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- The Red Juice Pitcher made for the Old Reliable Coffee special promotion.
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- Ring Handle Creamer in Red.
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- Red Fiesta Sauce Boat.
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- 11 3/4 inch Fruit Bowl in Red.
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- Deep Plate
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- Red Relish Tray
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- Plates in 6 through 10 inches.
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- 12 inch Comport
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- Mixing Bowls No. 1 – No. 7.
Mixing Bowls
Around the same time of the elimination of red from the Fiesta line, production of mixing bowls ended. As discussed in the last Fiesta post, mixing bowl production saw a drastic cut in 1942. Instead of offering each size bowl in all six colors, each size would be available in only one color. In early 1944 all mixing bowl production ended. Available for only about eight years, a mixing bowl in excellent to mint condition will have a premium price today.
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- A complete set of Fiesta mixing bowls. Image from Facebook Vintage Fiesta Pottery page
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- Fiesta mixing or nesting bowls. Showing rings on the bottom of the bowl. Inside rings are only found on bowls made before the early months of 1938. Image from Facebook Vintage Fiesta Pottery page.
Our next Fiesta installment will focus on the massive deletions that occurred in 1946.
For Fiesta 101: Part Nine Click Here
