During the past 100 years, a vital revolution took place in the American dinnerware industry. In the late 1880s, America was dependent upon imports for its fine dinnerware. In 1871, Homer Laughlin took on the challenge of making American china which would rival that imported from Europe. This marked the founding of Homer Laughlin China, which was to grow to become the largest potter in the world. during the first half of the twentieth century, the Homer Laughlin China Company developed a multitude of different china shapes, which appeared on millions of dinner tables throughout America. In the 1960s the emphasis of HLC production began to change from china for home use to institutional china. Today a mere shadow of the fabulous output of this pottery may be found I the antiques stores and in private collections. This book documents what may be considered the heyday of HLC home dinnerware, the period from 1900 to 1950. For the casual collector of HLC china, this book will show the evolution of the HLC designs through the years. It illustrates with many examples the beautiful designs produced by Frederick Rhead, Don Schreckengost, and other art directors who transformed the HLC pottery styles from those which imitated European designs to those that were uniquely American, and which mirrored the changes in tastes over the years. This book provides a quick journey in time from the days when automobiles were a curiosity until the post-war years when Japanese china imports began to displace American china on the shelves of retailers. For this reason, the china shapes are listed chronologically rather than alphabetically.
For the serious collector and dealer, this book is intended to be a reference manual which can assist I the identification of different shapes and decorative patterns. It is especially intended to assist in differentiating between shapes which closely resemble one another. The book also provides specific identifications for many of the patterns found on the HLC china, although the total number of patterns shown here can be no more than a drop in the bucket compared to the fifteen or so new patterns for each different shape that was shown at each china show where prospective customers could see the new wares. In the appendices will be found a price guide as well as other interesting and helpful information.
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