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The Raspberry Presentation Bowl was created in 1997 to celebrate the production of the 500th million piece of Fiesta®. It was modeled by Joe Geisse under the direction of Jonathan Parry.
Raspberry Presentation Bowl, 11 ½" by 2 ⅜" |
Raspberry Presentation Bowl, special marking |
The following appeared in local newspapers in December 1997 regarding the production and initial release of the bowls:
The Homer Laughlin China Co. adds another milestone to its rich history today as the 500th million piece of its timeless and classic Fiesta rolls off the production kilns.
According to a press release, it is believed no other product in dinnerware history has ever come close to that figure.
To celebrate the achievement, the company has designed a special commemorative piece - an Art Deco-style centerpiece bowl produced in a raspberry glaze color which will not be used again.
Just 500 pieces of the raspberry piece will be produced, and the commemorative production run will be numbered individually with most pieces distributed to company shareholders and members of the Aaron and Wells families, owners of the company since 1897.
Marcus Aaron, president, and Joe Wells III, chief executive officer, as well as the board of directors, were on hand to view the 500th million piece of Fiesta roll out on the kiln cart [snip].
Fifteen of the 500 commemorative pieces have been reserved to be sold at auction, with the proceeds donated to charities selected by Homer Laughlin management. These pieces will be the only ones available for public purchase.
Five pieces will be offered at each of the following locations:
- Fourth Annual East Liverpool High School Alumni Association Pottery Auction to be held in June 1998.
- Sixth Annual East Liverpool Pottery Collectors' Convention at a time and place to be announced.
- Fourth Annual Fiesta Club of America National Convention at a time and place to be announced.
The charities slated to benefit from the auctions include The East Liverpool High School Alumni Association, Tri-State Area Citizens Scholarship Foundation, and Davis and Elkins College Scholarship Fund.
Fiesta is one of the most collected china products in the world. According to Jonathan Parry, director of design/merchandising, and designer of the special commemorative centerpiece bowl, "Interest in Fiesta ware as a collectible continues to be very strong. The commemorative Raspberry piece will absolutely be taken out of production at 500 numbered pieces. The glaze color will not reappear, and all non-perfect pieces will be broken. The fifteen bowls that will be available for public sale should be very desirable to the serious Fiesta collector and should serve the designated charities very well."
The Homer Laughlin China Co. remains one of the largest domestic potteries employing more than 1,100 skilled workers in a 37-acre facility. According to a company release, computerized kilns, state-of-the-art forming, and decorating equipment and timeless style and elegance of the designs provide the perfect combination that is the hallmark of The Homer Laughlin China Co.
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Raspberry Presentation Bowl press photo |
Left to right: Joe Wells III, Marcus Aaron, and Joe Wells, Jr. |
The original model of the presentation bowl had three feet with each foot having three "steps" as shown below. When the first test batch was made in turquoise, a production flaw became apparent. The weight of the top of the bowl was too much for the three feet to hold. As a result, most of the bowls were warped. It was decided to redesign the bowl with three extra feet to provide stability.
The second version was given the extra three feet, but with two steps. A test run was made in periwinkle and the bowl was approved with an additional modification: the added feet had to be made with three steps so that all six feet would match.
Presentation bowl, first design,
three feet with three steps |
Presentation bowl, second design,
added feet with two steps |
The thrid and final model of the presentation bowl with six feet, all of which have three steps, went into production.
Besides being made in raspberry, it has been made in many other Fiesta glazes, some of which were exclusives. For example, black presentation bowls were made for the factory outlet. Presentation bowls were made for Macy's in Heather (2006) and in Evergreen (2007). Roughly 200 Christmas presentation bowls were made for salaried employees in 1998.
Presentation bowl, third and final design,
six feet, each with three steps |
Christmas presentation bowl
with box, 1998 |
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