Dinnerware Diary

Franciscan Desert Rose

When the ground-breaking Desert Rose pattern by Franciscan China premiered in 1941, it became an overnight success. The china pieces featured here include a Desert Rose candlestick, a small figural ashtray, an "open leaf" bell, a 28-ounce pitcher, and a 14-inch round chop platter. The glassware items include a cordial produced by Imperial Glass Co., and a sherbet made by Anchor Hocking.

 
The inspiration for Desert Rose has been attributed to Annette Honeywell, a California freelance artist. Based on Honeywell's designs, Franciscan artist Mary Winans modeled the beautifully shaped Desert Rose pattern that would go on to be touted as "the most popular pattern ever made in America." The pattern features a hand-painted underglaze floral design with a palette of natural pinks, yellows, and greens. The bold earthenware bodies of each piece are accented with serpentine vines that perfectly complement the green leaves and elegant rose blossoms that cascade across each piece. The flower that the Desert Rose blossom is modeled after, the Rosa Rugosa, is an ornamental plant native to Asia. Rosa Rugosa is a hardy plant that thrives in sandy, coastal areas, although in the U.S. it is found most commonly in the Midwest and northeastern regions. The pattern was named Desert Rose in keeping with Franciscan's desire to be identified with California and the American West.

 
Desert Rose stood as a warm, distinctly American contrast to the petite floral designs and gilded accents of traditional European bone china. During the decades after its release, Franciscan created 105 different piece types bearing the hand-painted "Desert Rose" design. Desert Rose pieces produced include salt and pepper shakers, snack trays, tea tiles, oatmeal bowls, tureens, steak plates, cookie jars, mixing bowls, canisters, a variety of pitchers, and many more. The initial strong sales of the pattern naturally led to the idea for the production of matching glassware. Glassware from Libbey Glass Company, Imperial Glass and Anchor Hocking Glass were hand painted to coordinate with the Franciscan pattern.

 
Gladding, McBean & Co., began production of Franciscan dinnerware in 1934 at their plant in Glendale, California. According to Bob Page and Dale Frederiksen in their book, "Franciscan: An American Dinnerware Tradition," Gladding, McBean & Co. formed in 1875 to produce sewer tile for the then expanding American West. Over the years they acquired several regional potteries and expanded their product lines several times to include roof tile, decorative art tiles, garden pottery, and art pottery.

Originally, the dinnerware line was sold as Franciscan Pottery and included solidly colored, bright earthenware in the casual style of Mexican folk pottery. This informal tableware was a warm friendly note in the midst of the Great Depression, and the company selection of the Franciscan name, an allusion to Franciscan monks, further played into the Southwest imagery. With names like El Patio, Coronado, and Montecito, 1930's Franciscan patterns embodied the California casual style and sold well. The name was altered to Franciscan Ware in the late 1930s to allow for a more upscale and broader image. Shortly thereafter, the company introduced raised relief, hand-painted patterns like Apple and Desert Rose that proved hugely successful. Other hand-painted patterns such as Ivy, October, and Fresh Fruit became quite popular during this time as well. Ivy was even featured on the sets of "I Love Lucy" and the "Donna Reed Show." At the pinnacle of its fame, Franciscan pieces were purchased by some of America's most famous families. Noteworthy are the 1961 order by Jacqueline Kennedy for Desert Rose to be used on Air Force One, and the 1969 selection of Franciscan china by President Richard Nixon for service aboard the Presidential yacht. Other orders for special services for royalty from around the world were also filled.

Eye-Catching Tableware From Europe and America

 
The Design Naif pattern by Villeroy & Boch comprises a variety of beautifully rendered folk art designs by internationally renowned artist Gerard LaPlau. Design Naif was chosen as the pattern's name for several reasons. The word "naif" spans a variety of languages. In Italian and Spanish it is translated as "simple" or "naive." In France and Germany, "naif" has been adopted as a cognate to label certain forms of nonspecific and brightly colored folk art. In the English speaking western world, "naifs" are folk artists who lack formal training. Also, the term "naif" was picked to pay tribute to the school of naive artists who emanated from France during the mid-to-late Victorian period. The foremost member of this group was Henri "Le Douanier" Rousseau. By day, Rousseau worked as a tollbooth collector; by night, he worked as an artist. His simple and brightly colored paintings were in stark contrast to the heavily ornate Victorian and Art Nouveau styles of the time. Design Naif is a showcase pattern for Germany's Villeroy & Boch.

While the company is best known for its ceramics, Villeroy & Boch introduced spectacular lines of flatware and crystal in the twentieth century. Retro Country-Blue is a showcase glassware pattern released in 2004. Its stylish crisscross cuts are accented by the crystal's sturdy shape and bulbous, knobbed stem. The bold shape and lovely color of this glassware is a fantastic complement to the equally bold designs of Design Naif china and Flambe flatware. Founded near Luxembourg in 1748, the longevity of Villeroy & Boch is not the only rare characteristic of the company in a modern corporate world. Surviving the ravages and devastation of World War I and the World War II, Villeroy & Boch remains a family owned business; the eighth generation of the founders actively creates and produces tableware designs. Villeroy & Boch is the world's largest producer of ceramics. Its wares include egg cups, bathtubs, the tiles in New York City's Holland Tunnel, and table settings for the Vatican in Rome.

Oneida Flambe is a stylish stainless steel pattern that features a rounded end, a beveled edge design, and a glossy finish. Oneida, Ltd. grew out of the original Oneida Community founded in upstate New York by John Humphrey Noyes in 1848. This Christian communal society was based upon the principles of individual self-perfection and shared property. Many products were manufactured by the Oneida Community, including animal traps, silk, chains, and, eventually, some of the world's most recognizable, high-quality, and beautifully designed flatware. During World War I and World War II, Oneida began producing many products for the U.S. military, including ammunition clips, combat knives, surgical instruments, and silverware for the Army and Navy. When stainless steel was introduced to the market in the early twentieth century, it failed to make an immediate impression on the flatware industry. Oneida, however, decided to shift its focus from sterling to stainless flatware production. Strong research and development greatly improved the quality of stainless steel as a dinnerware material, facilitating Oneida's success in the stainless flatware market. Today, Oneida, Ltd. is one of the world's largest marketers of stainless steel flatware, positioned to continue being a leader in the tableware industry for generations to come.

Striking Summer Patterns

 
Named for the Roman goddess of fruit, the Pomona pattern by Portmeirion features a wonderful palette of colors with life-like depictions of fruits in its designs. The artistic depictions of different fruits are based on illustrations from "Pomona Britannica," a book originally published in 1812 that featured detailed illustrations of a variety of fruits. The "Hoary Morning Apple" plate featured here features a gorgeous red apple and delicate apple blossoms, all surrounded by carefully detailed leaves. First introduced in 1982, the Pomona pattern was designed by the co-founder of Portmeirion, Susan Williams-Ellis, who also designed Portmeirion's most popular pattern, Botanic Garden. Susan's art studies enabled her to design both shapes and surface patterns for Portmeirion (a combination of skills that was rare at the time), and her designs have become very popular.

Royal Pierpont-Pink is splendid crystal made by one of the best-known manufacturers in the world, Noritake. This graceful blown glass pattern features a gorgeous pink color, with a concave bowl that flares at the top, a swirl optic design, a pulled stem, and a round foot. Noritake produces many crystal patterns designed to complement its dinnerware. The company's crystal and glassware collection includes handmade, mouth-blown, and machine-made stems. Noritake's manufacturing supplies were cut off during World War II, but the company's products again became available in 1948. Many of these post-war wares were created specifically with the American consumer in mind. For Noritake collectors, there are many historical ambiguities surrounding the company; destruction of company records during the war years means that some questions will never be answered.

Spring Vista by Lenox Flatware is an 18/8 stainless steel pattern featuring a glossy finish, a sprightly floral motif, and a whimsical, asymmetrical design that perfectly complements the Pomona china and Royal Pierpont-Pink crystal patterns. Lenox China is a great American success story. It was founded in 1889 by Walter Scott Lenox as "The Lenox Ceramic Pottery Company." Born in 1859, Lenox was named for the nineteenth-century Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. Lenox grew up in Trenton, NJ, the "Staffordshire of America" of its time. With excellent transportation and good sources of fuel and clay, the state capital of New Jersey became the nation's leading center for ceramics production. Lenox first organized his company as an art studio, producing one-of-a-kind pieces for a select market. By 1897, examples of the company's work were displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and by 1906 the company was producing complete sets of dinnerware. In 1918, President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson commissioned a set of Lenox for the White House, making it the first American china to grace a U.S. president's table. Lenox added hand-blown lead crystal to its product lines in 1966, and, with the addition of Lenox silver flatware in 1991, Lenox became the first American company to offer the complete tabletop. By the end of the twentieth century, about half the china on dinner tables in the United States was made by Lenox.

A Gift for the Marquise

 
Chinese artists were commissioned by the King of France to create Vieux Chine (Empire, White) by Ceralene as a special gift for the Marquise de Pompadour. The design features magnificent stylized poppies and other flowers, and, if you look closely, crowns, fish, and nightingales. The rim is trimmed with gold. Made by Raynaud for Ceralene, Vieux Chine (Empire, White) is exquisite Limoges porcelain, acclaimed worldwide for its beauty and quality. Founded in 1849 on Monjovis, the hillside site of 11 other porcelain makers, the Raynaud company became famous during the reign of Napoleon III for the technical complexity of its manufacturing process and the depth and harmony of colors the company was able to achieve. Vieux Chine (Empire, White) is a brilliant tribute to the Raynaud and Ceralene tradition of excellence.

With a straight-sided bowl flaring at the top, straight optic designs in the side, vertical cuts at the bottom of the bowl, a multi-sided stem with notched edges, round foot with starburst cuts, and gold trim, St Louis Apollo Gold is cleanly designed crystal that glitters with light. While its shape is light, this crystal has real heft. And you'll love its "Old World" charm! Its maker, St Louis, is acclaimed as the oldest "cristallerie" in France - the firm was founded in 1586 in the Lorrain region, renowned worldwide for the magnificent quality of its crystal. In Lorrain is the town of Baccarat, home to a crystal museum and one of the most famous crystal makers in the world. This rich tradition comes to dazzling life in the beauty of St Louis Apollo Gold crystal!

The lavishly ornate design of Reed & Barton Les Six Fleurs (Six Flowers) sterling incorporates the flowers individually featured in a Reed & Barton multi-motif sister pattern, Les Cinq Fleurs, into one design. Included are the fleur-de-lis, orchid, poppy, wild rose, and peony. Released in 1901, Les Six Fleurs shows the strong influence of Art Nouveau, where artistic, organic shapes were applied to household items. This beautiful pattern was crafted by Reed & Barton of Taunton, MA, a company tracing its origins to a jewelry store founded by Isaac Babbitt in 1822. With new owners, the company began to use the "Reed & Barton" stamp on its silverware in the 1840s. Les Six Fleurs demonstrates the innovative design and premium quality Reed & Barton customers have enjoyed for nearly two centuries.

Delightful Floral Tableware Designs

 
As lovely and serene as its name, Lenox Butterfly Meadow is scallop-shaped, with an embossed edge. This multi-motif pattern features a variety of flowers and flying insects - the dinner plate featured here is called "Dragonfly," and includes a magnificent summer rose.  Butterfly Meadow has been in production for more than a decade. The Lenox Ceramic Pottery Company was founded in 1889 by Walter Scott Lenox in Trenton, NJ, the "Staffordshire of America" of its time. By 1897, examples of Lenox's work were displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. In 1918 President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson commissioned a set of Lenox for the White House, making it the first American china to grace a president's table.

Our featured crystal, like the china, is also from the Lenox Butterfly Meadow pattern.  Floral stems and insect designs are hand-painted in bright colors on the glasses. You can see how beautifully the crystal and china complement each other! The founder of Lenox, Walter Scott Lenox, was named for the nineteenth-century Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. Mr. Lenox was a gifted artist, and had studied with master potters since his youth. Lenox first organized his company as an art studio, producing one-of-a-kind pieces for a select market. His vision created the foundation for a company that has since grown to embrace the entire tableware world, including not only china, but crystal, silver, and of course collectibles and giftware as well.

Gorham Silver Blossom (Stainless) is a gorgeous flatware pattern with a delicate floral design that perfectly complements the featured Lenox Butterfly Meadow china and crystal patterns. Gorham has earned a reputation as one of the pre-eminent design companies in silver tableware. The White House has used Gorham silver services during several administrations; Mary Todd Lincoln purchased an impressive tea and flatware service for use in the White House, and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant asked Gorham to commemorate the United States' centennial anniversary with a spectacular Century Vase that contained over 2,000 ounces of sterling silver. Gorham's reputation for excellence endures today, and their well-earned design pedigree is easily recognized in the gorgeous Blossom (Stainless) pattern.

Libbey Monticello Stemware

 
The beautiful cordial and water goblet in the Monticello pattern featured here were first produced by Libbey Glass around 1942. The Monticello cordial stands 7-inches tall, with a concave bowl that flares at the top, and a ribbed stem design that resembles a classic Doric column. The water goblet features the same elegant design elements, but stands 8 3/4-inches tall. Pieces in the Monticello pattern include iced tea glasses, wine glasses, sherry glasses, luncheon plates, and more. The neoclassical style of this blown glass pattern reflects the architecture of its namesake: Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

 
Construction of Monticello began in 1769, on Thomas Jefferson's 5,000 acre estate located just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. Designed by Jefferson himself, Monticello's architecture is based on the principles of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Its design was also influenced by the classic architecture Jefferson observed while travelling throughout Europe during his time as Secretary of State.

Monticello was one of the first homes in America constructed in the neoclassical style, which typically features Doric columns, balanced proportions, and architectural symmetry. Comprising over 11,000 square feet of living area, the house sits at the summit of an 850-foot mountain in the Southwest Mountain range (the name Monticello means "little mountain" in Italian). Many of the building materials for the construction of the house, including bricks, timber, nails, and stones, were sourced from the land surrounding the house. Monticello served as Jefferson's home for 56 years, and he was buried there after his death in 1826.

 
The Libbey Glass Company was founded in 1818 as The New England Glass Company in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to Bob Page and Dale Frederiksen in "A Collection of American Crystal: A Stemware Identification Guide for Glastonbury/Lotus, Libbey/Rock Sharpe & Hawkes," William L. Libbey and his son, Edward D. Libbey, purchased New England Glass in the late 1870s and moved the company to Toledo, Ohio in 1888, lured there by an abundance of natural gas and other natural resources in the area. The name of the company was changed to "The Libbey Glass Company" in 1892.

 In 1893, Libbey staged a huge exhibition at the Chicago World's Fair in which they constructed an entire glass plant on the fairgrounds. Showcasing the glassmaking process to crowds of up to 2,000 at a time, the Libbey exhibit was one of the fair's most popular attractions, and became a huge marketing success for the company. In 1889, Libbey made a commemorative cut glass punch bowl for President McKinley, and by 1900, Libbey was known as one of the finest cut glass producers in the world. In 1935, Libbey Glass Company merged with Owens-Illinois, another glassmaking company specializing in bottle-making and jar production. In 1948, Owens-Illinois acquired the Cataract-Sharpe Manufacturing Company, which specialized in decorating stemware, tumblers, and accessory pieces supplied by other firms. Libbey is still in operation today, and is currently the second-largest glassmaker in the world.

Eye-Catching European and American Design

 
The elegant Dioranoir by Ceralene features exotic floral designs in rich hues against a striking black background. Produced by Raynaud, Ceralene is "continental" china, the hardest of three main types of china produced today. Fired at nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, Ceralene's thin body is perfectly white and translucent (before decoration) with a fine clear ring when tapped. Raynaud, a manufacturer known and recognized since 1894 as a leader in applied art in tableware design, was established in Limoges, France, a city renowned for its artistry in fine porcelain. According to Ceralene company literature, Ceralene china "... is different from any other Limoges marketed today in both quality and styling. Many patterns are exact reproductions or adaptations of museum pieces of the 18th century. They constitute a truly distinctive china in the best French table tradition." The Dioranoir pattern is a wonderful example of Ceralene's dedication to artistry and quality in applied ceramic arts.

While the company is best known for its ceramics, Villeroy & Boch introduced spectacular lines of flatware and crystal in the twentieth century. Miss Desiree is a showcase glassware pattern released in 1999. Its stylish cuts are accented by the crystal's sturdy shape and multisided, knobbed stem. The bold shape of this glassware is a fantastic complement to the more intricate and flowing designs of Dioranoir china and Chrysanthemum silver. Founded near Luxembourg in 1748, the longevity of Villeroy & Boch is not the only rare characteristic of the company in a modern corporate world. Surviving the ravages and devastation of World War I and the World War II, Villeroy & Boch remains a family owned business; the eighth generation of the founders actively creates and produces tableware designs. Villeroy & Boch is the world's largest producer of ceramics. Its wares include egg cups, bathtubs, the tiles in New York City's Holland Tunnel, and table settings for the Vatican in Rome.

Tiffany & Co.'s Chrysanthemum sterling silver pattern is one of the most magnificent and celebrated designs of the nineteenth century. Originally called "Indian Chrysanthemum," this pattern was designed by Charles Grosjean and released in 1880. The pattern was discontinued in 1934, but, due to popular demand, Tiffany & Co. reintroduced the pattern and offered it until 1955. For more than 150 years, Tiffany & Co. has represented the pinnacle of American affluence, artistry, and luxury. In 1837, Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young began selling luxury goods in their New York City emporium. As New York grew into a large metropolis, the demand for Tiffany's opulent merchandise began to increase. In 1848, Tiffany began producing sterling flatware patterns, and their 925/1000 sterling purity standard eventually became the U.S. sterling silver standard. During the economic boom that followed the Civil War, Tiffany & Co. met the increased demand for high-end items, including tea services, art, and jewelry. Tiffany's sterling patterns like Audubon, English King, Shell and Thread, and Faneuil are regarded as some of the finest in the world. Today, Tiffany & Co. remains a leading maker of jewelry, china, crystal, silver, and glassware.

Ornate Designs, Classic Patterns

 
The stunning Empress Dresden Flowers pattern by Schumann/Bavaria was produced from 1945 to 1981. This gorgeous porcelain pattern features dazzling gold trim, and is adorned with embossed elements and an ornate floral design rendered in brilliant colors. Schumann/Bavaria was founded in 1881 by Heinrich Schumann in the town of Arzberg, in what is now Germany. The design of "Empress Dresden Flowers" was greatly influenced by the "Rococo" style of early eighteenth-century France. During the reign of King Louis XV, Rococo emerged in response to the heavier, highly ornate art of the late Baroque period. The Rococo style comprised elaborate designs with playful swirls, scrolls, and decoration. Schumann produced high-quality porcelain for more than 130 years, until the company closed its doors in 1994. Schumann/Bavaria pieces remain highly sought-after by collectors.

Many of the crystal patterns made by Waterford reflect Irish spirit and history. Charlemont celebrates the history of a village and family in northern Ireland in Armagh County. In 1602, Sir Toby (Charles) Caulfeild, serving under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, established a bridge, and a fort to protect it, at a location on the Blackwater river. The site became known as Charlemont, and for this and other services to the Queen, Caulfeild was awarded a large grant of land, and was eventually named Baron of Charlemont under James I. Gorgeous on any table, Charlemont crystal is a popular Waterford pattern. The company dates back to the Flint Glass Works, founded in 1783 on the quay in the port town of Waterford. When a Waterford crystal service was presented to the wife of King George III, she was so proud of it that she had it displayed in Cheltenham castle. Today "Waterford" is synonymous with fine crystal, and is found in households around the world.

Meadow Rose by Watson Silver features a blocked design in a rose motif, with ornate scrolling along the edge, a cameo/frame design with a rose at the tip, and a glossy finish. Watson literature from 1942 describes Meadow Rose as "made by silversmiths who have spent 68 years recreating museum masterpieces for connoisseurs of fine silver... so superbly designed and faultlessly executed that you will find it unexcelled anywhere else today." The Watson Company was established in 1874, and primarily produced jewelry in its early years. Later, the company shifted focus to manufacturing souvenir spoons before expanding its production lines to include silverplate flatware, hollowware, and novelties. As the company further streamlined in the twentieth century, production was confined to sterling flatware and hollowware. The Meadow Rose pattern was first produced in 1907, and other popular patterns followed, including John Alden (1911), Lotus (1935), Windsor Rose (1940), and Foxhall (1942). In 1956, Watson Company was purchased by Wallace and Sons Mfg. Co. (now Wallace Silver). Meadow Rose remains an enduring example of the exquisite, finely-crafted sterling products produced by Watson Company during its prime.