 In the early 1960s, Homer Laughlin crated Sheffield Imperial Blue Dresden, or simply, Dresden. It was a special line of dinnerware based on the Virginia Rose shape. Many of the standard items were used such as plates, platters, teacups, the sugar, and the creamer. Bowls and saucers were restyled, and several new items were added to complete the line. They were given an underglaze blue onion design and were generally unmarked except for the larger plates.
Items created specifically for Sheffield Dresden were made from early May to late August 1963. They include: cereal bowl, chop plate, shakers, coffeepot, butter bottom, and an ashtray. (A sugar and creamer were also created, but the regular Virginia Rose shape was used instead.) The cereal bowls measures 7" and has a rim whereas the older Virginia Rose small bowls are coupe shaped. The butter bottom has the standard Virginia Rose embossings, but the plain top came from the Orbit shape. While Virginia Rose picked up plain Swing and Jubilee shakers during its run, the Dresden shakers were made in the Virginia Rose style. Even the ashtray has the familiar embossings surrounding the cigarette rests.
A teapot was created in February 1967. In May of the same year, a special mug was created for the Sheffield Amberstone line and was also used with Dresden along with a plain shape coaster. Since Dresden was discontinued shortly after 1967, the teapot, mug, and coaster are rather hard to find today.
Other special items made for Dresden that were not part of the original Virginia Rose line include the chop plate, demitasse cup and demitasse saucer.
See also section on Virginia Rose.
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