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Fiesta is a line of
ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
glazed
dinnerware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
manufactured and marketed by the
Fiesta Tableware Company The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
of
Newell, West Virginia Newell is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northern Hancock County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Ohio River. The population was 1,203 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Weirton–Steubenville met ...
since its introduction in 1936, with a hiatus from 1973 to 1985. Fiesta is noted for its
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
styling and its range of often bold, solid colors. The company was known as the Homer Laughlin China Company (HLCC) until 2020, when it sold its food service divisions, along with the ''Homer Laughlin'' name, to
Steelite Steelite International is a British ceramics and tableware manufacturer for the hospitality industry. It is based in Middleport, a district of Burslem in Staffordshire, England, with offices in New Castle, Pennsylvania and showrooms worldwide. ...
, a British tableware manufacturer. HLCC in turn rebranded itself as the Fiesta Tableware Company, retaining its retail division, prominent Fiesta line, factories and headquarters in Newell, West Virginia. Fiesta's original shapes and glazes were designed by
Frederick Hurten Rhead Frederick Hurten Rhead (1880–1942) was a ceramicist and a major figure in the Arts and Crafts movement. A native of England, worked as a potter in the United States for most of his career. In addition to teaching pottery techniques, Rhead wa ...
, Homer Laughlin's art director from 1927 until his death in 1942. Fiesta products before 1986 were semi-vitreous pottery, and after 1986 were
vitreous china Vitreous china is an enamel coating that is applied to ceramics, particularly porcelain, after they've been fired, though the name can also refer to the finished piece as a whole. The coating makes the porcelain tougher, denser, and shinier, an ...
allowing marketing it for food service applications. Several of the original shapes had to be modified due to this change in material and other new shapes were added by Jonathan O. Parry, who became Homer Laughlin's art director in 1984. Since its inception, Fiesta has been sold in sets or from "open stock," where customers can select, mix and match pieces from the entire color range. Notably, certain early glazes resulted in pieces that were slightly radioactive.''Radon, Health and Natural Hazards'', Editors: G.K. Gillmore, F.E. Perrier, R.G.M. Crockett, pp. 50-52, 2018,
Geological Society of London The Geological Society of London, known commonly as the Geological Society, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest national geological society in the world and the largest in Europe with more than 12,000 Fellows. Fe ...
, , 9781786203083
google books
/ref> According to the Smithsonian Institution Press, Fiesta's appeal lies in its colors, design, and affordability. In 2002, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' called Fiesta "the most collected brand of china in the United States".


Popularity and marketing

Fiesta was introduced at the annual Pottery and Glass Exhibit in
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
in January 1936. It was not the first solid color
dinnerware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
in the US; smaller companies, especially
Bauer Pottery J.A. Bauer Pottery is an American pottery that was founded in Paducah, Kentucky in 1895 and operated for most of its life in Los Angeles, California. It closed in 1962. History In 1885, John Andrew "Andy" Bauer bought out Frank Parham's Paducah ...
in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, had been producing
dinnerware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
, vases, and garden pottery, in solid color glazes for the better part of a decade by the time Fiesta was introduced to the
market Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: *Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand *Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market Geography *Märket, an ...
. However, Fiesta was the first widely mass-promoted and marketed solid-color
dinnerware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
in the US. When it was introduced, the decoration of
dinnerware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
and
kitchenware :'' For a record label, see Kitchenware Records'' Kitchenware are the tools, utensils, appliances, dishes, and cookware used in food preparation, or the serving of food. Kitchenware can also be used in order to hold or store food before or aft ...
ceramics A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
was still inspired by the
Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
, based on full, predetermined sets of dinnerware, all decorated with the same
decal A decal (, , ) or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper, or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water. The word is short for ''decalcom ...
designs. With its solid color glazes and mix-and-match concept, Fiesta represented something radically new to the general public. The forms and surfaces expressed an
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
influence. At introduction, the Fiesta line of dinnerware comprised some 37 different pieces, including such occasional pieces as candle holders in two designs, a bud vase, and an ash tray. A set of seven nested mixing bowls ranged in size, from the smallest at five inches in diameter up to a nearly twelve-inch diameter. The company sold basic table service sets for four, six and eight persons, made up of the usual dinner plate, salad plate, soup bowl, and cup and saucer. But, the promotion and presentation of Fiesta from the start was as a line of open-stock items from which the individual purchaser could choose to combine serving and place pieces by personal preference and need. As an early Homer Laughlin Company brochure said:
"COLOR! that's the trend today ..." and it went on to say, "It gives the hostess the opportunity to create her own table effects ... Plates of one color, Cream Soups of another, contrasting Cups and Saucers ... it's FUN to set a table with Fiesta!"
The Homer Laughlin Company quickly added several additional items to the line. During this period some items were modified, and several items were eliminated, including the covered onion soup bowl, and the mixing bowl covers. In the years up to 1940, the line was expanded by the production of more new items. At its most numerous, the Fiesta line comprised approximately 64 different items, including flower
vase A vase ( or ) is an open container. It can be made from a number of materials, such as ceramics, glass, non-rusting metals, such as aluminium, brass, bronze, or stainless steel. Even wood has been used to make vases, either by using tree species ...
s in three sizes, divided plates, water tumblers, carafes,
teapot A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves or a herbal mix in boiling or near-boiling water, and for serving the resulting infusion which is called tea. It is one of the core components of teaware. Dry tea is available either in tea ba ...
s in two sizes, five part relish trays, and large chop plates in fifteen-inch and thirteen-inch diameters. In addition, it offered several unique promotional items for one dollar each, available only in a predetermined glaze color. With
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the need for manufacturers to focus on production for that effort, non-war related production and public demand declined. Beginning in 1942, the number and variety of items in the Fiesta line began to be reduced. Over the next four years, the more unusual serving pieces were discontinued, and by 1946, the line's variety of items had been reduced by nearly one third. Overall sales of the more typical place-setting pieces of Fiesta remained strong and reportedly peaked around 1948. The popularity of Fiesta was due to its bright colors, durable construction, stylized
art deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
shapes and designs, and its promotion through mass marketing. From its first introduction in 1936 and for over a decade, Fiesta products were a widespread fad. The dinnerware became something of a status symbol for late 1930s and pre-war 1940s middle-class households. Today, vintage Fiesta trades briskly on auction websites and at other antique/vintage product sales venues.


1936–1969

The line name and design is still owned by the
Fiesta Tableware Company The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
formerly called the Homer Laughlin China Company of Newell,
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
, which was the original company that produced and marketed it. Except for minor adjustments due to manufacturing requirements, the design of the original shapes remained virtually unchanged from 1936 to 1969. As home decorating color styles changed, the company did change the solid color glaze assortment offered. The texture of the original glazes, and throughout the life of vintage Fiesta, was semi-opaque. This is smooth and glossy, but without any shining glare, rather more like an eggshell. The ware sometimes shows "glaze curtains", areas of uneven glazing where a heavier application meets a lighter one. At its introduction in 1936, Fiesta was produced in five colors: *Red (orange red) (1936-1943,1959-1972), *Blue (cobalt) (1936-1950) his color had the same name as a contemporary production color, but was lighter, bluer, less dark *Green (light green) (1936-1950), *Yellow (deep golden) (1936-1969), his color had the same name as a contemporary production color, now discontinued, but was much darker in tone *Old Ivory (yellowish cream) (1936-1950). By 1938, two years into production, a sixth color was added: *Turquoise (
robin Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: **European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') **Bush-robin **Forest rob ...
's egg blue) (1938-1969) his color also had the same name as a contemporary production color but was less greenish With the exception of the Red, this color assortment remained in production until about 1950. The first known company price list showing the new colors is dated 1951. The original Red had been discontinued before 1944 (see below). The discontinuation of red, plus the general changes in society due to the United States' participation in World War II, caused a slump in sales of the larger serving pieces from the early 1940s. Prior to this reduction in the number of shapes offered, only one or two very specialized shapes had been discontinued and those by 1938. These early discontinued items, such as covered onion soup bowls in turquoise glaze and mixing bowl covers in any color, are today quite rare. By 1950, after the end of the second World War and with the housing boom of returning GIs, home decorating styles and colors had changed. The manufacturer decided to retire some original glaze colors and replace them with four new modern colors in keeping with the changing decorative style. The original Yellow and Turquoise of the prior decade remained in production but were augmented by four new colors: *Rose (dark brownish pink) (1950-1959), *Gray (medium) (1950-1959), *Forest (dark green) (1950-1959, *Chartreuse (bright yellowish green) (1950-1959). Thus the company continued to offer six colors as it had done through most of Fiesta's first decade. Through the 1950s sales of Fiesta continued to decrease from its first boom years of the 1930s. The company reduced its offering of items. But when in 1959 the United States government released its block on
uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
, which enabled the manufacturer to once again produce the original bright orange-red glaze (see below), the company saw an opportunity to revive sales. The company discontinued the four new glazes of the previous decade in favor of the re-introduced original bright orange-red color, which along with the original yellow and turquoise colors, and a newly introduced bright green color were the four glaze color assortment offered to the public in 1959. This new shade of green was officially simply called *Green (1959-1969) but has been nick-named "medium green" by collectors to distinguish it from the other earlier greens. The Medium Green is a bright, almost Kelly green. Some have described it as a "
John Deere Tractor Deere & Company, the firm founded by John Deere, began to expand its range of John Deere equipment to include the tractor business in 1876. The Deere company briefly experimented with building its own tractor models, the most successful of which w ...
" green. This final four color glaze assortment of original Fiesta continued in production until 1969. Although this color assortment was available and sold for ten years (1959–1969), the popularity of Fiesta had fallen. Because overall sales of the line had decreased, this newest shade of green is seen as in very short supply on the secondary market relative to the other glaze colors. Both Yellow and Turquoise had been in continuous production since the earliest days, and Red had previously been in production, so on the secondary market those colors were more easily available. The last glaze color, called Medium Green was only produced during that decade, and so with less overall sales of the line, there was proportionally less product sold in this glaze color. As a consequence it has gained almost mythical status and, for certain pieces in this glaze, commands astronomical prices wholly disproportionate to the rest of the line. The Yellow glaze is the one glaze that was in production throughout the life of vintage Fiesta. Turquoise, while not strictly an original color (having been introduced about a year into Fiesta's production) was otherwise also in continuous production until the end of the original vintage era in 1969. Red, while an original color at the line's introduction, was removed from the market before 1944 (see below). Although it was brought back into production from 1959 to 1969, this was after most of the unusual serving pieces had long been discontinued. Red pieces also usually command a premium price in the secondary market, both for its vibrancy in the mix of colors and for its scarcity due to limited years of production. While many collectors love all the colors, some only want those of the "Original 6" or "Fifties Colors".


Radioactive glazes

Brilliant red Fiesta (and indeed the red glazes produced by all U.S. potteries of the era) is known for having a detectable amount of
uranium oxide Uranium oxide is an oxide of the element uranium. The metal uranium forms several oxides: * Uranium dioxide or uranium(IV) oxide (UO2, the mineral uraninite or pitchblende) * Diuranium pentoxide or uranium(V) oxide (U2O5) * Uranium trioxide or u ...
in its glaze, which produced the orange-red
color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...
. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the government took control of
uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
for development of the atom bomb, and confiscated the company's stocks.Fiesta Ware (ca. 1930s)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities 1999
Homer Laughlin discontinued Fiesta red in 1944. The company reintroduced Fiesta red in 1959 using
depleted uranium Depleted uranium (DU; also referred to in the past as Q-metal, depletalloy or D-38) is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope than natural uranium.: "Depleted uranium possesses only 60% of the radioactivity of natural uranium, hav ...
(rather than the original natural uranium), after the Atomic Energy Commission relaxed its restrictions on uranium oxide. In addition to pottery glazing, uranium oxide was used even more extensively in the tiling industry, producing
uranium tile Uranium tiles have been used in the ceramics industry for many centuries, as uranium oxide makes an excellent ceramic glaze, and is reasonably abundant. In addition to its medical usage, radium was used in the 1920s and 1930s for making watch, ...
. Red is not the only color of vintage ceramic glaze that is radioactive; it is detectable from other colors, including ivory. The level of radioactivity of vintage fiestaware has been published and is available online. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns consumers not to use radioactive glazed ceramics for food or drink use. Others recommend against using such pieces for food storage due to the possibility of
leaching Leaching is the loss or extraction of certain materials from a carrier into a liquid (usually, but not always a solvent). and may refer to: *Leaching (agriculture), the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil; or applying a small amoun ...
of uranium or other
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(often present in some colored glazes) into food, especially acidic foods.


1969–1973

By 1969 home decorating tastes had again changed. The company restyled the shapes of Fiesta to try to modernize it. Finials on covers, handles on cups, bowl contours and shapes, were all modified to give Fiesta a more contemporary appearance. The glaze colors were also changed, with the choices being limited to three colors for the place-setting pieces, and one color for the five major serving pieces. These were the remainder of the 64-piece assortment of shapes. Although essentially the same Red glaze as had then been available since 1959, it was renamed Mango Red. Replacing Yellow, Turquoise, and Medium Green, were two new glaze colors. One was Turf Green, which nearly matched the popular
Avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for i ...
color of the day. The second color was Antique Gold, a brownish-yellow which nearly matched the popular Harvest Gold of the era. The line's name was changed to "Fiesta Ironstone". The shape redesigns and color changes did not restore Fiesta's popularity, and in January 1973 the company discontinued the Fiesta line.


Decaled and decorated Fiesta shapes

As is common with many dinnerware shapes, the manufacturers add different decals to the shapes and give them new names. Throughout its long life (1936–1973), the item shapes of Fiesta were often decorated with decals and marketed under other names, or a name variation. One example was "Fiesta Casuals", which consisted of two patterns, one with yellow and brown florals and accented with solid color Fiesta yellow items, the other with turquoise and brown florals and accented with solid color Fiesta turquoise items. As another example, in the late 1960s, the shapes of Fiesta were glazed in a dark 'bean-pot' brown, flat pieces were given an underglaze 'Mediterranean-style' geometric decal in black, and the line was marketed as "Amberstone" in a supermarket promotion. Later these shapes were glazed in Antique Gold, with a different stylized pattern under the glaze. This line was dubbed "Casualstone" for another supermarket promotion.


Collectors and the secondary market

During the 1970s, a new appreciation for
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
designs from the 1920s and 1930s flourished. Along with this, the
baby boomers Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the Western demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964, during the mid-20th century baby boom. Th ...
were establishing their own households. They made Fiesta popular once again. Almost immediately after Fiesta was discontinued in January 1973, collectors began buying heavily in second-hand shops and the newly popular
garage sale A garage sale (also known as a yard sale, tag sale, moving sale and by many other namesSome rarely used names include "attic sale," "basement sale," "rummage sale," "thrift sale," "patio sale," "lawn sale," and "jumble sale".) is an informal ...
s. Another avenue for acquiring pieces, and sometimes entire collections, was through local auctions. Due to the enormous popularity of Fiesta in the secondary market, its prices skyrocketed. By the end of the 1970s and into the 1980s, some Fiesta items once costing pennies were commanding hundreds of U.S.
dollar Dollar is the name of more than 20 currencies. They include the Australian dollar, Brunei dollar, Canadian dollar, Hong Kong dollar, Jamaican dollar, Liberian dollar, Namibian dollar, New Taiwan dollar, New Zealand dollar, Singapore dollar, U ...
s for scarcer items. By the mid-1980s, prices had climbed higher. Certain very rare pieces and colors were being traded for thousands of dollars.


Contemporary Fiesta from 1986

The
Homer Laughlin China Company The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
noticed the activity on the secondary market. After a production lapse of 13 years, in 1986 the company marked the 50th anniversary of Fiesta by its reintroduction. Prior to mass production and promotion, Laughlin used the original semi-vitreous clay body on shapes taken mostly from the last incarnation of vintage Fiesta (1969–1973). The company then changed the body to a fully vitrified clay, to enable marketing to the restaurant and service industry, as this clay was more durable. Many original shapes required a redesign because of shrinkage associated with the new clay. Although old and new runs appear similar, direct comparison demonstrates the newer pieces (made with the fully vitrified clay body) are noticeably smaller. In addition to redesigns, new shapes were added to the line. In 1986, Laughlin offered five colors: *Rose (pink) (1986–2005) his color changed significantly in the post-2000 firings but was still considered the same Rose *Black (black) (1986–2015), *Cobalt (dark navy blue) (1986–2021), *White (bright stark white) (1986–), *Apricot (pale pinkish tan) (1986–1998). The glaze texture on this new Fiesta is very smooth, hard and much more glossy than the original Fiesta. Since its introduction, new Fiesta has remained popular. In addition, it has increased collector interest in all the lines. Many people are collecting vintage pieces, as well as purchasing new items from department stores and catalog retailers. Fiesta collectors often add this new ware to existing collections of vintage Fiesta, while others concentrate on buying only from the new assortment. Early in Fiesta's second incarnation, the Homer Laughlin Company marketed it as a new
collectible A collectable (collectible or collector's item) is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector. Collectable items are not necessarily monetarily valuable or uncommon. There are numerous types of collectables and terms t ...
. The manufacturer has maintained interest in Fiesta and manipulated the collectors' market over the past 34 years by discontinuing glaze colors, and by limiting production quantities on some items, or controlling production time frames. Similar techniques have been used by numerous other housewares, china, silver, toy, ornament, etc. companies. The Homer Laughlin China Company has produced new Fiesta in a total of 39 glaze colors, none of which matches exactly any of the thirteen colors of vintage Fiesta. As of early 2008, many Fiesta shapes exist in a total of 39 color glazes. In addition to the first five glazes, the names of the new color glazes, in order of introduction, are: *Yellow (pale custard/butter) (1987–2002), *Turquoise (more greenish than vintage Turquoise) (1988–), *Periwinkle (slightly lavenderish-blue) (1989–2006), *Sea Mist (pale mint green) (1991–2005), *Lilac (soft purple) (1993–1995), *Persimmon (pinkish-orange) (1995–2008), *Sapphire (medium bright blue) (Bloomingdale's exclusive 1996–1997), *Chartreuse (brighter and greener than vintage Chartreuse) (1997–1999), *Pearl Gray (light gray) (1999–2001), *Juniper (dark bluish-green) (2000–2001), *Cinnabar (brownish-burgundy) (2000–2010), *Sunflower (bright yellow) (2001–), *Plum (dark purple) (2002–2016), *Shamrock (bright deep green) (2002–2021), *Tangerine (bright orange) (2003–2018), *Scarlet (deep true red) (2004–), *Peacock (bright blue) (2005–2015), *Heather (dark reddish-purple) (2006–2009), *Evergreen (dark green) (2007–2009), *Ivory (egg shell/off white) (2008–), *Chocolate (brown) (2008–2012), *Lemongrass (yellowish chartreuse) (2009–), *Paprika (dark rust) (2010–2017), *Marigold (yellowish-orange), HLC's 75th Anniversary Fiesta color - limited 75-week run (2011–2012) *Flamingo (bright true pink) (2012–2013), *Lapis (denim blue) (2013–), announced March 2, 2013 *Poppy (bright reddish-orange) (2014–), announced March 15, 2014 *Sage (earthy green) (2015–2019), announced March 7, 2015 *Slate (charcoal grey) (2015–2022), announced March 7, 2015 *Claret (red wine) (2016–2018), announced March 5, 2016 *Daffodil (vibrant golden yellow) (2017–), announced January 10, 2017 *Mulberry (deep purple) (2018–), announced January 9, 2018 *Meadow (deep mint green) (2019–), announced January 8, 2019 *Butterscotch (orange yellow) (2020–), announced January 12, 2020 *Twilight (deep cobalt blue) (2021–), announced January 13, 2021 *Peony (blush pink) (2022-), announced January 11, 2022 *Jade (dark green) (2023-), announced January 10, 2023


Special edition colors

Since the reintroduction of Fiesta in 1986, Homer Laughlin has introduced three colors which were each available for only two years: Lilac (1993–1995), Chartreuse (1997–1999) and Juniper (2000–2001). Sapphire was sold exclusively at
Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's Inc. is an American luxury department store chain; it was founded in New York City by Joseph B. Bloomingdale, Joseph B. and Lyman G. Bloomingdale in 1861. A third brother, Emanuel Watson Bloomingdale, was also involved in the bus ...
from 1996 to 1997. In November 2008, Homer Laughlin released the limited-edition color, Chocolate. The color of
milk chocolate Milk chocolate is a solid chocolate confectionery containing cocoa, sugar and milk. Chocolate was originally sold and consumed as a beverage in pre-Columbian times, and upon its introduction to Western Europe. Major milk chocolate producers incl ...
, the new shade added a second neutral tone to Fiesta's color palette. It was available for a limited period of time and on a limited number of pieces. In 1997, 500 limited-edition presentation bowls in an exclusive Raspberry (reddish maroon) colored glaze were made to commemorate the production of the 500 millionth piece of
dinnerware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
carrying the name Fiesta produced by the
Homer Laughlin China Company The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
since 1936. In anticipation of Fiesta's 75th anniversary in 2011, Homer Laughlin announced its 75th anniversary color: Marigold. In addition, it introduced the first of a line of specially backstamped annual anniversary items, a set of three baking bowls, at the 2008 International Home and Housewares Show in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, Illinois. This was followed by the introduction of a large serving platter in 2009 and a numbered soup tureen. Dinnerware and accessories were available in 2011–2012, with each introduction marketed for 75 weeks, beginning April 1, before being retired. As an indication of its influence, Fiesta was featured in a design exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in 1988.


Square Fiesta dinnerware

In 2009, a new line of square Fiesta dinnerware was introduced. Square is available as dinner, luncheon and salad plates, 19 oz. bowls and mugs, four-piece place settings, as well as a full line of accessories. Despite square silhouettes, pieces maintain a strong relationship to the company's established 'round' deco offering; coupe shape and height remain the same, along with the brand's signature concentric rings. In October 2016, the Homer Laughlin Company announced the discontinuation of the square bowl (992) and the square mug (923).


In popular culture

''American Fiesta'', a one-man play, refers to the central character's obsession with collecting vintage Fiesta dinnerware.


See also

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Bauer Pottery J.A. Bauer Pottery is an American pottery that was founded in Paducah, Kentucky in 1895 and operated for most of its life in Los Angeles, California. It closed in 1962. History In 1885, John Andrew "Andy" Bauer bought out Frank Parham's Paducah ...
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Franciscan Ceramics Franciscan Ceramics are ceramic tableware and tile products produced by Gladding, McBean & Co. in Los Angeles, California, from 1934 to 1962, International Pipe and Ceramics (Interpace) from 1962 to 1979, and Wedgwood from 1979 to 1983. Wedgwood c ...
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Metlox Metlox Pottery, strictly speaking Metlox Manufacturing Company, was a manufacturer of ceramic housewares, located at 1200 Morningside Drive, Manhattan Beach, California. The pottery factory closed in 1989. History Metlox Pottery was founded in ...
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Pacific Clay Pacific Clay Products, founded 1892, was created by the merger of several Southern California potteries. The company began producing utilitarian pottery in the 1920s, and introduced solid color earthenware dinnerware in 1932. The primary site ...
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Sencer Sari David Judson Sencer (November 10, 1924 – May 2, 2011) was an American public health official who orchestrated the 1976 immunization program against swine flu. Between 1966 and 1977, he was the longest serving director of the Centers for Disea ...
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Uranium glass Uranium glass is glass which has had uranium, usually in oxide diuranate form, added to a glass mix before melting for colouration. The proportion usually varies from trace levels to about 2% uranium by weight, although some 20th-century pieces ...
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Uranium tile Uranium tiles have been used in the ceramics industry for many centuries, as uranium oxide makes an excellent ceramic glaze, and is reasonably abundant. In addition to its medical usage, radium was used in the 1920s and 1930s for making watch, ...
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Vernon Kilns Vernon Kilns was an American ceramic company in Vernon, California. In July 1931, Faye G. Bennison purchased the former Poxon China pottery renaming the company Vernon Kilns. Poxon China was located at 2300 East 52nd Street. Vernon produced cer ...


References


Further reading

*Rowe, Willyum. ''Fiestaware: a booklet.'' Rochester, NY: Press of the Visual Studies Workshop.


External links


Fiesta company historyHomer Laughlin China Collectors Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fiesta (Dinnerware) Art Deco American pottery Collecting Ceramics manufacturers of the United States History of ceramics Articles containing video clips 1930s fads and trends Individual patterns of tableware Uranium