Flip For Florence

Raise your hand if you have ever heard of Florence Ceramics. A few months ago, I would have left my hand at my side, too.

Florence Ceramics Abigail

But then I found this little sweetie to the left at a thrift shop, and decided to find out where she came from.

Who is Florence anyway? Since the name on the company is Florence Ceramics, there had to be a Florence.

Florence Ceramics Abigail in a Different Dress

According to Kovels website, Florence was Florence Ward. She created colorful figurines, candle holders and knickknacks for the gift trade.

 

Florence Ceramics Figurine

Her body of work was mainly from the time of WWII to the 1960s. The International Ceramics Directory writes that she began her company as a hobby when her youngest son died. In order to combat the sadness she felt at his passing, she joined a hobby class in ceramics. She became an assistant at the school because she was that good.

Florence Ceramics Vintage Vase Pair

Then in 1942, her oldest son went into the Marines and her husband took a government job that kept him really busy. This prompted her to throw herself into her work and that is when Florence Ceramics started.

Florence Ceramics Cameo Wall Plaques

She is best known for her stylish figurines that were dressed in 19th century clothing. Her pieces were stamped “Florence Ceramics Co.” or “Florence Ceramics Pasadena California” and sometimes “Florence Ceramics Copyright.” She was copied a lot by other companies.

Florence Ceramics Figurine

In 1964 the company was sold but they kept the name. The products produced however, were very different. The new company made mugs, cups and trays (Kovels).

Her techniques of fine painting and high-gloss finishes have been duplicated the world over and continue to be used today.

Florence Ceramics Suzette

 

I hope you have enjoyed learning about the origins of Florence Ceramics with me. If you have a chance, leave me a message or visit my shop, Vintage Eve’s and have a poke around at the vintage treasures I have found for you.

I like to party at Adirondack Girl @ Heart!

 

It’s Atomic!

The Atomic Age in design is attributed to the 1950’s and into the 1960’s. I love the designs that came out of this era.

Atomic Style Clock

I wondered, though, exactly why these colorful geometric shapes that adorned everything from

Eames chair in Fiberglass

furniture and home decorations to plates were called “atomic.” Here is what I found out.

Coming out of WWII, the world had seen the first atomic bomb exploded. It was a scary time. How did this translate into the fun designs that followed? I know, right?! Keep reading, I’ll explain.

Blue Heaven Bowl Atomic Design

As the war ended, the materials that were important during the war such as plastics were transformed into salt shakers and Tupperware containers. According to Humanities Magazine, some of the really cool designs that came out of the atomic era were based on the war. The Eames Chair was based on the molded plywood used for splinting injuries during the war. The iconic George Nelson wall clock of the 50’s was designed to be an atom surrounded by 12 electrons.

Nelson Atomic Clock

How cool is that! and something I didn’t realize.

One of the things I like about writing this blog is the stuff I learn about the stuff I love.

Items began sporting motifs that looked like atomic particles.

Atomic Age Lamp

They showed up on everything from textiles like barkcloth to lighting, dishes, and kitchen counters.

Atomic Barkcloth

There was always the fear that we could annihilate each other now that we knew the atomic bomb existed. In order to face our fears, we surrounded ourselves with hope for the future by using what we feared to make things we loved.

Atomic Space Era Bowls

With the launching of Sputnik in 1957, we were led into the Space Age and design followed suit. It mixed in with motifs of the Atomic Age and the pop culture of the 60’s and mid-century modern until the 1970s came along with its avocado greens and burnt oranges, shifting the look of the American home yet again.That is what I found out about the atomic age of design.

Atomic Design Ice Bucket

I love the look and the designs that came out of this era and on into the space age. They are some of the most unique designs that came from a place of fear, yet gave America perspective and hope.

If you have time, drop by my Etsy shop and take a look at some cool vintage atomic age treasures. If you like this post, leave me a note here and say hi! See you next week.

Where I like to party Adirondack Girl @ Heart !

 

 

What’s the Dish!

As I add things to my shop I find it is getting easier to name the makers of different patterns. I still have to research a lot of my pieces, but as I’m looking through the thrift stores for vintage treasures, I can hear my mind cataloging patterns and the companies that made them

Taylor, Smith & Taylor (TST163 Pattern)

One of those companies which created a number of well-loved and collectible patterns is Taylor, Smith & Taylor. If you try to pinpoint a pattern, be prepared to sift through hundreds of them; they were very prolific.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Covered Casserole in Boutonierre Pattern

Taylor, Smith & Taylor began in business around 1899 in West Virginia. According to Laurel Hollow Park, two brothers, William and Charles Smith who lived in Chester, West Virgina were 2 of the founders. William owned a large lumber yard and was part of the Chester land trust and the East Liverpool Bridge Company. What does that have to do with pottery, you ask? We are almost there, I promise. In 1895 a suspension bridge was started which was to cross the Ohio River. It was opened to the public in 1897.

There was already a pottery, the Edwin M. Knowles China Company, and some smaller plants in Chester but the brothers felt there was room for another.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Reveille Pattern

Now that the bridge was open, there was more business traffic available and more workers and artists for the plant to employ. It started its life as Taylor, Lee & Smith pottery until Lee pulled out in early 1901 and the name was changed to Taylor, Smith and Taylor (TS&T).

At its height TS&T employed around 500 people. Laurel Hollow Park states that TS&T made dinnerware, hotel ware, toilet sets and specialty pieces.

The toilet sets and specialty pieces (spittoons, cracker jars that type of thing) were discontinued in the early part of the century. After that they really stepped up their semi-vitreous dinnerware production which they sold in department, five-and-dimes, hardware stores and in catalogs.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Cathay Pattern

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Daisy Pattern

 

 

 

 

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Lu-Ray Pastels

 

 

 

One of their more famous lines was Lu-Ray Pastels. These were produced from 1938 through 1961. They were very popular and made to compete with Fiesta Ware which was very brightly colored and made by the Homer Laughlin China Company of Newell, West Virginia. The Lu-Ray Pastels line did well.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor pieces were a staple in many households during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. They were bought by Anchor Hocking in 1972 and continued to produce dinnerware until they closed in 1981. The plant was demolished in 2012.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Autumn Harvest Pattern

For excellent information on the Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company please visit the two links in this post by the Laurel Hollow Park website. This was one of the only websites that had any good historical information on this company.

I hope you have had fun tip-toeing through the history of this iconic company. It’s amazing how many companies through the years created memories of a homey kitchen and family dinners. If you liked this post, leave me a message or stop by my Etsy shop and take a look at some of my vintage treasures. Have a great week!

 

Focus on Figgjo

I recently listed a really cool bowl in my Etsy shop, Vintage Eve’s. It is the one shown here.

Figgjo Flint Turi Design Market

What I like about it is the mid-century modern look to it; the 1960s color scheme and the sort of cartoony graphics. I like that stuff. On the back it says “Turi-Design Market Made in F///F Norway.” Not being familiar with Norwegian pottery, I had to find out what F///F was.

Turi-Design Logo

Turns out it is the symbol for Figgjo Flint a rather popular company in Norway that is still making product under a different company name, Figgjo AS. But this bowl is from the 1960’s. It is their “Market” design which was created by a designer by the name of Turi Gramstadt Oliver. A woman designer that created some of the most collectible designs of Figgjo pottery.

Lotte Design Figgjo Flint

According to HubPages Turid “Turi” Gramstadt Oliver joined Figgjo in 1960 and over the next 20 years created some of their most loved and collectible designs.

Tor Viking Design Figgjo Flint

Norsk Design Figgjo Flint

 

These colorful and fun designs are highly collectible today.

 

 

 

 

 

Figgjo Lotte, Figgjo Market (like my piece), Tor Viking, and others. Fun, right? I love these!

Norge Design Figgjo Flint

The Figgjo Flint company was started in 1941 by by Harald Lima and Sigurd Figved near a local clay source (Hubpages). According to the Figgjo website, it went through at least one other name change, Figgjo Fajanse before it merged with its biggest competitor, Stavangerflint AS in 1968. At that point it became Figgjo Flint.

Norway Design Figgjo Flint

That puts the bowl that I bought as being created somewhere between 1968 and 1978. Since the name of the company was at that point Figgjo Flint and I know the designer left in 1980 it has to be within that range.

Folklore Salt Shaker Figgjo Flint

I also know the design had been around for a bit before she left. Also, I know that Stavangerflint was officially closed in 1979 (Heartbeatfaster blog) and that is when the company became Figgjo AS. So this is my best guess based on the information I have about the company and designer.

A la Carte Norway Figgjo Flint

Over the years Figgjo has won numerous awards for design excellence. They frequently get large contracts from hotels and other large businesses all over the world. So many neat things to learn about!

Norsk Saga Figgjo Flint

 

I hope you enjoyed our journey through some Norwegian pottery. If you get a chance, leave me a note and say hi! Have a great week.

Where do I party? At Adirondack Girl @ Heart of course!

Pretty in Prinknash

I was wandering through the thrift store the other day (as you know, one of my favorite past-times), when I ran across this mug. Very simple yet beautiful. The picture doesn’t do it justice.

 

At first I thought it was metal because it was reflective, but it is stoneware with a pewter glaze, actually. On the bottom it was stamped Prinknash Abbey. Having never heard of this kiln, I started Googling and this is what I came up with.

Prinknash Abbey Gloucester

Prinknash Abbey has been around since about the 11th century A.D. The link will take you to their website. According to the Prinknash website, the Abbey is an order of men that live according to Benedictine Rule. Their history is pretty extensive. How did they come to make pottery, though?

Well, turns out that during the year of 1942 the Abbey was undergoing some renovations. During those changes, the monks discovered a seam of red clay that ran through their land.

Prinknash Abbey Mug

They decided to use it as a way to earn some extra money for the Abbey’s good works and to support their community. Their pottery was stoneware (thrown pottery on a wheel), slipware (liquid clay poured into plaster molds), and earthenware (clay pressed into molds). Some good information can be found here.

Blue Prinknash Abbey Mug

They are well known for their black metallic glazes but they had a number of other glazes, as well. Prinknash pottery can be found in blues, greens and earthen colors, too. The kiln was closed in 1997 when it was sold to the Welsh Pottery Company which has since closed itself.

 

Prinknash Abbey Decorated Dishes

Interestingly enough, when I was trying to date the piece above that I found, I emailed the Abbey.

Prinknash Abbey Pottery with Gold Interior

They are still there (apparently they also have some technology) and they were very helpful in helping me date the mug to the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. It took a couple of weeks but they researched it for me and kindly emailed me back with a detailed message giving me more information than I had asked for and which I truly appreciated. So a shout-out to the Monks at Prinknash Abbey!

Prinknash Abbey Red Earthenware Vase

I hope you have enjoyed our foray into a little British history and a pottery that may be new to you. If you have a chance, drop by Vintage Eve’s shop and check out my Prinknash Abbey pottery. Leave me a comment here and say hi. Have a great week!