Fiesta Dinnerware

Submitted by Michael Ely December 8th, 2010
Certifikitsch Winner
I love Fiesta china, and as you can see by these photos, I collect it all, old and new, vintage and contemporary. There is just something that is fun and festive about this dinnerware. I love all of the wonderful 1930’s art deco inspired designs (my favorite piece is the little bud vase), but most of all I love all of the colors, from the soft pastels to the bright crayon hues. Over the years, Homer Laughlin has produced Fiesta china in more than forty different colors, and every year they introduce at least one new color, while retiring an older color. How I love playing with all the different color combinations when I set a table. Fiesta was first introduced to the public in 1936 and the original colors were red, yellow, green, cobalt blue, ivory and turquoise. In the 1950’s softer colors were introduced such as rose and gray, as well as medium green and chartreuse, and in the late 1960’s earthtones were the trend, but by the early 1970’s Fiesta had fallen out of favor with the public and went out of production. Then, because the old Fiesta had become so popular with collectors, it was reintroduced in 1986 in a new line of colors such as lilac and periwinkle, and once again, Fiesta was back on top. Today’s popular colors include scarlet, shamrock, sunflower, chocolate, lemongrass and plum.

14 Responses to “Fiesta Dinnerware”

  1. Allee Willis

    This is a fantastic encyclopedia of Fiesta!

    I resisted collecting Fiesta for a long time because it was so collectible and I wanted more obscure stuff. But I always love when someone serves me on it and I’m completely blown away by the extent of your collection!! The vases blow me away. Really STUNNING.

    • Michael Ely

      Allee, I too resisted collecting Fiesta because so many people collect it (including some of my friends), preferring to collect my cowboy china and Stangl thistle china, but I like that I can use the colorful contemporary Fiesta for every day use, that is, I can put it in the dishwasher, and once I began collecting the new, then, of course, I had to start collecting the vintage (which I only use once in a blue moon). My goal was to have at least one piece of Fiesta in every color Homer Laughlin has ever produced over the years between 1936 and the present. I also have a bud vase in every available color (however not all colors were made into bud vases).

  2. denny

    Michael. I am seriously thinking about a pit stop at your place before heading out to LA on my next trip!

    Your collections are amazing! Can we eat pizza on this fiesta ware??!!

  3. Lisa Rios

    You have my favorite piece of Fiesta ware! The art deco candle stick holders. There’s one on the table and a peach one in the cabinet. I love those so much. They look great. Nearly impossible to find for under $100.

  4. k2dtw

    This is a BEAUTIFUL post, my heart… I love Fiestaware, and have collected it for years…and thank you, I love being able to see your collection.
    I love the new, and I feel like it’s my little way to support Homer Laughlin, because they sure haven’t made a dime from all the money I’ve spent on their vintage dinnerware. They are one of the few American China Companies, still working in that Ohio Valley.
    Your chartreuse collection is fab, and I love the Brown Pitcher… and the nested bowls, the Bud Vase collection is to die for.. I just love it all so much…
    It looks like a very colorful Fiesta in Arizonia… smile

    • Michael Ely

      You are right about supporting one of the few American china companies left, and they have improved their china (better body and glaze) while still remaining faithful to their original designs. Also, they keep it fun to collect by constantly adding new colors to their palette. Heck, I’m gonna go out and buy a new piece right now!

  5. k2dtw

    Me again….I’m still staring at the Fiesta…smile
    Have you posted your “Red” Jesus on AWMOK…smile
    Love the colored Aluminum…do you have more in your collection?

    • Michael Ely

      No I haven’t posted the red flocked Jesus bank yet. The aluminum glasses are a set of eight and I have the original 1960’s box they came in (although the box is black and very plain). Because the glasses sweat when cold, they come with knit cosie sock type bottoms / coasters (not sure what you call ’em), numbered and in matching colors, but the glasses tend to fall over when you put them on!

  6. Mark Milligan

    How cool. I love the green with the red Jesus picture. And the cooties.

    My Grandma would serve us kool-aid from those round pitchers, with ice made with those trays with the big lever on top that would shuck ’em out, and we’d drink it out of the Hi-Jacs. Some of them had square-shaped scratches on the top where Grandpa would pull them apart with pliers after Gram stacked them too tight!