Fiesta Kitchen Kraft label. Image from thepotterypapers.blogspot.com
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Driving For Deco continues its series on Fiesta Kitchen Kraft. Starting with this post we will begin to look at the items individually.
Mixing Bowls
Dates of Production: 1938 – 1944
Available Colors: Red, Cobalt, Green, Yellow *
All three sizes of the Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowls in red. Image from poshmark.com.
Kitchen Kraft mixing bowls production life lasted approximately forty years. Found in white or ivory and are plain or decorated with decals. These bowls originally came with a paper label and no other markings. Mixing bowls in the Fiesta Kitchen Kraft line featured a molded in mark on the bottom as well as special paper label.
While Fiesta mixing bowls came in seven sizes, Fiesta Kitchen Kraft bowls were only available in three. The smallest bowl has a 6 inch diameter, 8 for the medium bowl and 10 inch for the large bowl. And unlike the Fiesta bowls with their concentric rings inside and outside, these bowls were devoid of any decorations. The most notable design trait are the two “stair steps” under the rim which repeated over the bowl’s foot. The foot is another differentiating design feature from the footless Fiesta mixing bowls.
In 1938 the cost of the bowls in blue, green and yellow were: 6 inch bowl $0.35 ($6.50 in 2020) and red $0.50 ($9.25 in 2020).
Fiesta Kitchen Kraft six inch mixing bowl in red. Image from replacements.com.
8 inch bowls in blue, green and yellow cost $0.60 ($11.00 in 2020) and red $0.75 ($13.85 in 2020).
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- 8 inch or medium Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowl in red. Image from ebay.
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- The Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mark on the bottom of the 8 inch mixing bowl in yellow. Image from mercari.com
And 10 inch bowls in blue, green and yellow sold for $0.90 ($16.60 in 2020) and in red $1.20 ($22.15).
10 inch green Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowl with paper label. Image from worthpoint.com
While not terribly expensive, they were not a real bargain either. So finding any Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowl is not easy today. And trying to find one in excellent to mint condition can be difficult. Like the regular Fiesta mixing bowls they were well loved and used and often have chips, fleabites and scratches. Current online values for these bowls tend to be higher than finding one at an antique mall, flea market.
6 inch bowls: Book value: $68.00 – $87.00 **. Current market prices: $35.00 (eBay) – $95.00 (Esty). ***
8 inch bowls: Book value: $82.00 – $100.00. Current market prices: $50.00 (Strawser Auction Group) – $68.00 (Mercari).
10 inch bowls: Book value: $97.00 – $125.00. Current market prices: $130.00 (Strawser Auction Group) – $150.00 (Vintage American Pottery).
* Mixing bowls glazed in Harlequin and other colors will be examined in future posts.
** Book values come from Fiesta, Harlequin, Kitchen Kraft Dinnerwares, Schiffer Publishing 2000. These reflect pre-2008 recession values. And like Fiesta values items glazed in red and cobalt have higher values than those same pieces glazed in yellow and green.
*** These prices reflect what these bowls are currently selling for online in excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Intact paper labels increases the value of pieces up to 25%.
Cake Plate
Dates of Production: 1938 – 1944
Available Colors: Red, Cobalt, Green, Yellow
If there was one item of Fiesta Kitchen Kraft that seemed to sell better than all the others it was the cake plate. There must have been a real need for this piece proven by the relatively easiness in finding one today.
For a short time Homer Laughlin produced a cake plate possibly for the Royal Metal Manufacturing company. These cake plates came glazed in the first five Fiesta colors. Never listed on any Fiesta price list, it was discontinued in less than a year. Today the “Fiesta” cake plate is a very rare piece and commands prices over $1,000.00 on the collectors market.
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- Vintage “Fiesta” cake plate. The view from the top. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.
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- The bottom of the Fiestaware cake plate, showing all the rings. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.
The “Fiesta” cake plate is heavily decorated with rings. On the top it has the same ring configuration as the Fiesta 10 inch dinner plate. But on the underside it is all rings, in fact it has more rings than any other piece of Fiesta.
The Kitchen Kraft cake plate is just the opposite, it is almost devoid of any decorations *. Only one single depressed rim along the edge on the top and three rings in the center on the bottom. The Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake plate is approximately the same size as the “Fiesta” cake plate and the Fiesta 10 inch dinner plate. This piece was reasonably priced. Yellow, blue and green cakes plates sold for $0.50 ($9.25 in 2020) and $0.65 ($12.00) for red.
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- Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake plate in yellow. From the collection of the author.
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- Underside of Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake plate. From the collection of the author.
Cake plate: Book value: $48.00 – $67.00 ** . Current market prices: $20.00 (Green) – $50.00 (Cobalt) on eBay – $60.00 (red) on Etsy.
Red Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake plate on top of a Fiesta 15 inch green chop plate with a yellow Harlequin syrup. From the collection of the author.
* The cake plate in the Kitchen Kraft line glazed in ivory or white featured a variety of different decals.
** Book values come from Fiesta, Harlequin, Kitchen Kraft Dinnerwares, Schiffer Publishing 2000. These reflect pre-2008 recession values. And like Fiesta values items glazed in red and cobalt have higher values than those same pieces glazed in yellow and green.
Cake Server
Dates of Production: 1938 – 1944
Available Colors: Red, Cobalt, Green, Yellow
Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake servers in all the available colors. Image from vintageamericanpottery.com.
Just about a year after Oven Serve was introduced in 1933, Frederick Rhead designed the cake server for the line. Unlike pieces designed later for Kitchen Kraft that did not have decoration, the Oven Serve pieces usually were embossed with floral decorations. And this is true for the cake server. The design of its handle matches the embossing found on Oven Serve casseroles and bowls. No changes were made to the cake server’s design with the introduction of Kitchen Kraft in 1937. But dipping it in bright Fiesta glazes was the only change to the piece to make it Fiesta Kitchen Kraft. Finding the cake server with decals is not too difficult, but the Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake server is hard to find. Cake servers in excellent condition are hard to find as they are prone to have fleabites and chips due to use. And expect to pay a good deal more for it than ivory or white decal ones.
Green Fiesta Kitchen Kraft cake server in mint condition with an intact paper label. Image from ebay.
Cake server: Book value: $130.00 – $190.00 * . Current market prices: $43.00 – $299.00 (This is the current price range on eBay. The high price is for one in mint condition with an intact paper label.) – $155.00 – $185.00 (vintageamericanpottery.com).
*Book values come from Fiesta, Harlequin, Kitchen Kraft Dinnerwares, Schiffer Publishing 2000. These reflect pre-2008 recession values. And like Fiesta values items glazed in red and cobalt have higher values than those same pieces glazed in yellow and green.