| Fiestaware was designed by Frederick Hurton | | | | he created streamlined Art Deco designs which |
| Rhead in 1936, and is among the most collected | | | | immediately resonated with the public as Fiesta |
| china products in the world. It is shill manufactured | | | | introduced about 1936. In keeping with the Art |
| as originally designed, with art deco styling and | | | | Deco design aesthetic, the simplicity of the |
| comes a wide array of bold & bright colors. The | | | | geometric shapes and the use of bold colors |
| product was discontinued in 1973 reissued in 1986 | | | | were welcomed after the excesses of the |
| with new contemporary fashion colors to mark its | | | | Victorian and Art Nouveau periods. Furthermore, |
| 50th anniversary. | | | | Fiesta was introduced at a price that made such |
| The Homer Laughlin China Company of Newell, | | | | design affordable to the mass market. The |
| West Virginia manufactured Fiesta dinnerware | | | | production included over 30 items including plates, |
| from the middle of the 1930s until 1973. After a | | | | bowls, teapots, cups and saucers, trays, etc. |
| hiatus of about 12 years, Fiesta was once again | | | | Additional and more specialty items were added |
| produced and is still being produced today in the | | | | soon thereafter such as egg cups and vases. |
| colors which have become so popular and with | | | | Fiestaware was marketed by playing on the |
| the durability for which Fiesta is known. Homer | | | | images of Mexican "fiestas" and the phrase "The |
| Laughlin began as Laughlin Brothers pottery in East | | | | dinnerware that turns your table into a |
| Liverpool, Ohio in 1871. They were first known for | | | | celebration" was born as a marketing slogan. |
| making "whiteware", a type of pottery which | | | | Eleven different Fiesta colors were introduced |
| turned a brilliant white when fired and for which | | | | between 1936 and 1959, starting with red (made |
| the local Ohio clay was particularly well suited. This | | | | from depleted uranium oxide), medium green, |
| dinnerware was sold primarily to restaurants and | | | | cobalt blue, yellow, and ivory and, followed by |
| hotels as an inexpensive but attractive substitute | | | | turquoise in 1938, gray and light green in 1943, |
| for more expensive china. The Homer Laughlin | | | | and forest green, chartreuse, and rose in 1951. |
| China Company was incorporated in 1886 although | | | | While new colors were added thereafter and |
| Homer left the company very soon thereafter | | | | some colors were retired, Fiesta remained very |
| and turned management over to others. | | | | consistent in both styling and in the bold use of |
| The company hired Frederick Rhead, a highly | | | | color. |
| regarded Englishman, as the artistic director, and | | | | |