Tag Archives: Oven Serve

Fiesta 201: Fiesta Kitchen Kraft Part 3 – Mixing Bowls, Cake Plate & Cake Server

Fiesta Kitchen Kraft label.

Fiesta Kitchen Kraft label. Image from thepotterypapers.blogspot.com

CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO

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 *

 

The three sizes of the Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowls.

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).

 

Red six inch Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowl.

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).

And 10 inch bowls in blue, green and yellow sold for $0.90 ($16.60 in 2020) and in red $1.20 ($22.15).

 

The large Fiesta Kitchen Kraft mixing bowl. 10 inches and with its paper label.

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.

 

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.

 

 

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, with a 15 inch Fiesta chop plate and yellow Harlequin syrup.

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.

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 caker server with an intact paper label.

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.

In part four Driving for Deco will take a look at the Fiesta Kitchen Kraft casseroles.

CLICK HERE FOR PART FOUR

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

Fiesta 201: Fiesta Kitchen Kraft – Part One 1933 – 1937

Last year Driving For Deco concluded its history of Homer Laughlin’s famous dinnerware Fiesta. This year we begin Fiesta 201, looking at their other lines related to Fiesta.

Fiesta Kitchen Kraft

A nice addition to any Fiesta collection is its half sibling line Fiesta Kitchen Kraft. These big, bold, colorful pieces look great in any 1930s or 1940s vintage kitchen. Fiesta Kitchen Kraft’s life was a short six years, from the spring of 1938 to early 1944. It ended when Homer Laughlin discontinued their Fiesta red glaze. Because of the short life span, most these pieces fall into the hard to find category. And pieces in excellent condition usually sell for high prices.

 

Oven Serve

 

OvenServe back stamp.

OvenServe back stamp. From the collection of Chris Arena.

 

By the early 1930s, Homer Laughlin, had become one of the United States leading producers of china. Expanding their business they introduced OvenServe in 1933. And as the name implies these pieces were durable enough to withstand the heat of an oven and yet nice enough to be placed on the dinner table.

 

OvenServe sticker.

OvenServe sticker. Image from laurelhollowpark.net

Most of the pieces featured floral embossing and decals over white or ivory ceramic. Pieces in the OvenServe line include, custard cups, pie plates, casseroles, cake server, spoon and fork, nappy bowl and platters.

 

An OvenServe Daisy Chain covered casserole with the clematis decal.

OvenServe Daisy Chain covered casserole with the clematis decal and floral embossing typical of pieces from this line. From the collection of Chris Arena.

 

 

Only pieces with a platinum trim get the Royal OvenServe back stamp. On the bowl pictured above the trim is the thin stripe along bowl’s rim.

 

OvenServe pie plate and cake server.

OvenServe pie plate and cake server decorated with the clematis decal. From the collection of Chris Arena.

 

 

Kitchen Kraft

 

Kitchen Kraft OvenServe back stamp.

Kitchen Kraft OvenServe back stamp. From the collection of Anthony L’Abbate.

Because of the success of OvenServe, Homer Laughlin designer Frederick H. Rhead expanded the line with new pieces and modification to others. Twenty pieces were modeled in March, April and May of 1937. Covered refrigerator bowls and a salad fork were  new additions, while the remodeled pieces gave the line a fresh and modern look. Gone was the floral embossing, the new items would all have smooth surfaces. The only decorations on the Kitchen Kraft OvenServe pieces were two stepped rings under the rim of the bowls and casseroles and one ring on the cake plate and covered jars. Homer Laughlin introduced Kitchen Kraft at the New York Housewares show held between July 11 – July 17 at the Hotel Pennsylvania. The East Liverpool Ohio newspaper The Evening Review had this to say about the new line:

 

Newspaper clipping about the introduction of Kitchen Kraft at the NY Housewares Show, 1937

Homer Laughlin features Kitchen Kraft at the New York Housewares Show. The Evening Review, Pg. 3. July 9, 1937. Clipping from newspapers.com

Soon after the New York show, advertisement started appearing in magazines and newspapers. By autumn of ’37 Kitchen Kraft – OvenServe started selling in stores.

 

October, 1937 for Kitchen Kraft OvenServe from Springville, New York.

Advertisement for Smith Furniture Store announcing the arrival of Kitchen Kraft OvenServe pieces. Springville, New York. Springville Journal, October 7, 1937, Pg. 5. Clipping from newspapers.com.

These pieces were only available in white or ivory decorated with various decals.

 

Kitchen Kraft cake plate, Clematis decal.

Kitchen Kraft cake plate with Clematis decal. Chris Arena collection.

 

Set of Kitchen Kraft Oven Serve mixing bowls.

Set of the three sizes of Kitchen Kraft Oven Serve mixing bowls with the Clematis decal. From the collection of Chris Arena.

 

Kitchen Kraft cake plate in the Harmony pattern.

Kitchen Kraft cake plate in the Harmony (Deco Leaf) pattern. From the collection of Anthony L’Abbate.

 

A very popular series of decals featured Mexican themes, with Mexicana being the most popular. The bright colors of the decal matched well with the colors of Homer Laughlin’s most popular dinnerware Fiesta.

 

 

 

Medium and large Kitchen Kraft Oven Serve mixing bowls. Rim detail.

Medium and large mixing bowls with Mexican decal, showing stepped, two ring detail under the rim. From the Anthony L’Abbate collection.

 

 

Because of the immediate success of Kitchen Kraft, Homer Laughlin decided to create a  subset line. The subset would be even more compatible to their best selling dinnerware.  J.M. Wells, general manager of Homer Laughlin, decided to offer Kitchen Kraft glazed in four Fiesta colors (red, blue, green and yellow).  These pieces would be inscribed with a new mark “Fiesta Kitchen Kraft”. The new line had its introduction at the January, 1938 Houseware shows in Chicago and Pittsburgh. Soon after stores began advertising its imminent arrival.

 

Ad for Donohue's, January, 1938 for the arrival of Fiesta Kitchen Kraft.

Donohue’s announcing the spring arrival of Fiesta Kitchen Kraft. Delaware County Daily Times (Chester, Pa.). January 27, 1938. Pg. 8. Clipping from newspapers.com.

And starting in the spring of 1938 Fiesta Kitchen Kraft was on store shelves.

Beginning in part two, Driving For Deco will start to look at the individual pieces that made up the line.

 

The Fiesta Kitchen Kraft inscribed mark.

The inscribed mark. From the collection of Chris Arena.

CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO

Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’ ‘Tiquen Guys)