Fiesta Kitchen Kraft label. Image from thepotterypapers.blogspot.com
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For Driving for Deco’s last installment about Fiesta Kitchen Kraft, we will take a look at the anomalies of the line. These pieces made for special promotions or to match other Homer Laughlin lines are hard to find. And some are quite rare.
Mixing Bowls for Harlequin
Dates of Production: Unknown
Available Colors: 6 Inch Bowl – Green (Spruce) & Fiesta Red; 8 Inch Bowl – Blue (Mauve Blue); 10 Inch Bowl – Harlequin Yellow.
10 inch Kitchen Kraft mixing bowl in the Harlequin Yellow glaze. Image from strawserauctions.com
As mentioned in our previous posts on Fiesta and Fiesta Kitchen Kraft, mixing bowls were an integral part of kitchen ware sets from the 1930s – 1950s. Harlequin, another solid color dishware line produced by Homer Laughlin was introduced in 1936. Harlequin, a Woolworth exclusive, ended up being nearly as popular as their Fiesta line. So it makes sense there should be a mixing bowl set to match the colors used for Harlequin. The two largest bowls were available in one color each, the largest bowl was yellow and the medium sized bowl in blue (today’s collectors refer to this blue as mauve blue). The smallest bowl came in green and red.
The 8 inch bowl in the blue (mauve blue) glaze. Image from Etsy.com
Unlike the Kitchen Kraft and Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowls, the Harlequin bowls had neither an ink stamp or impressed mark on the bottom. While the production dates are uncertain one can surmise when these bowls were available by the colors chosen. Harlequin added Fiesta red to their line in late 1939 and green (spruce) was dropped around 1942. And the scarcity of the bowls seems to indicate a short production life, it is possible that these mixing bowls were only available for a couple of years in the early 1940s. Because of this, Kitchen Kraft mixing bowls in Harlequin colors are harder to find than those in the Fiesta colors.
The underside of the Mauve Blue, 8 inch mixing bowl. Notice there is not mark on the bowl. Image from Etsy.
6 inch bowls: Book value $91.00 – $94.00 for both Red and Green bowls: *. Current market prices: $149.00 (Green – eBay in excellent condition) **
8 inch bowls: Book value: $115.00 – $125.00. Current market prices: $9.95 (eBay in bad condition); $58.00 (Etsy in fair condition)
10 inch bowls: Book value: $130.00 – $135.00. Current market prices: $12.50 (Strawser Auction 12/15/2021 in good condition only minor ware.); $550.00 (Strawser Auction 06/14/2019 in excellent condition).
* Book values come from Fiesta, Harlequin, Kitchen Kraft Dinnerwares, Schiffer Publishing 2000. These reflect pre-2008 recession values.
** These prices reflect what these bowls are currently selling for online in excellent condition with no chips or cracks unless noted.
Mixing Bowls for Jubilee
Dates of Production: Circa 1949
Available Colors: 6 Inch Bowl – Shell Pink; 8 Inch Bowl – Celedon Green; 10 Inch Bowl – Mist Gray.
Following the death of Homer Laughlin’s chief designer, Frederick Rhead in 1942, Don Schreckengost, filled the position in 1945. To celebrate Homer Laughlin’s 75th anniversary, Schreckengost created a new line, appropriately named, Jubilee. The pieces were modern in style, fitting in with decorating trends of the post World War II era. Jubilee was offered in four colors, Cream Beige, Shell Pink, Celedon Green and Mist Gray. And Schreckengost designed the line to work with both formal and informal dining.
Circa 1949 Jubilee price guide. Image from laurelhollowpark.net.
As a promotion for new line, the Kitchen Kraft mixing bowls were dipped in the three Jubilee glazes. The largest bowl was Mist Gray, the medium bowl received the Celedon Green glaze and the smallest bowl came in Shell Pink. Like the Harlequin mixing bowl set, the Jubilee bowls did not get any marks. Judging by how hard it is find these bowls today, the promotion probably did not last long. And the bowls values on today’s collector market reflect this rarity. They tend to sell higher than the Fiesta Kitchen Kraft bowls but are about equal in value to the Harlequin mixing bowls.
The Jubilee mixing bowl set. Image from liveauctioneers.com.
6 inch bowls: . Current market prices: $145.00 (eBay in excellent condition). *
8 inch bowls: Current market prices: $5.00 (Strawser Auction 04/10/2015, bad condition with rim chips).
10 inch bowls: Current market prices: $149.95 (eBay in excellent condition).
A complete set of the three bowls: Current market price: $200.00 (Ruby Lane in excellent condition).
* These prices reflect what these bowls are currently selling for online in excellent condition with no chips or cracks unless noted.
Mixing Bowls for Rhythm
Dates of Production: Circa 1951
Available Colors: 6 Inch Bowl – Dark Green; 8 Inch Bowl – Harlequin Yellow; 10 Inch Bowl – Chartreuse.
Rhythm promotional mixing bowl set. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.
In 1950 Homer Laughlin introduced Rhythm. Originally developed for Woolworth, it eventually was sold through many retailers. Rhythm featured modern, somewhat biomorphic shapes, that were popular at the time. The line also came in white with various decals or solid colors. Unlike the colors of Jubilee, Rhythm’s solid colors were deep, vibrant and jewel like. Dark green, chartreuse, maroon, gray and Harlequin yellow, echoed the current decorating color trends of the late 1940s and 1950s and drew inspiration from floral barkcloth colors popular at the time.
The Solid Colors of Rhythm
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- Items of Rhythm dipped in the Harlequin Yellow, Forest Green, Chartreuse and Gray glazes. Image from laurelhollowpark.net.
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- Plate and bowl in Harlequin Yellow and creamer in Maroon. Image from laurelhollowpark.net
The unmarked bottom of the Chartreuse Mixing Bowl. Image from eBay.
And just like the introduction of the Jubilee line a couple years earlier, Rhythm also offered a set mixing bowls as a promotion. But for the collector today, the Rhythm mixing bowls are even harder to find than those for Jubilee. And because of their rarity, these mixing bowls usually sell for a higher price than those dipped in the Jubilee and Harlequin glazes.
6 inch bowls: . Current market prices: $99.00 (eBay in excellent condition). *
8 inch bowls: Current market prices: $55.00 (Strawser Auction 11/05/2021 with minor surface ware).
10 inch bowls: Current market prices: $134.99 (eBay in excellent condition).
* These prices reflect what these bowls are currently selling for online in excellent condition with no chips or cracks unless noted.
While this concludes Fiesta 201: Fiesta Kitchen Kraft, there will be future posts about two Homer Laughlin dinnerware lines, Harlequin and Riviera.
Anthony & Chris