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Soon after the Homer Laughlin China Company began production of the pastel line Serenade in 1939, it was decided to make one of their already existing shapes in the pastel glazes for F. W. Woolworth's five and dime stores.
In September of '39, the following shapes in the Serenade colors were ordered for testing purposes: Wells, Harlequin, Nautilus, Coronet, Republic, Virginia Rose, and Swing Eggshell. After several more trials and samples were made, it was finally settled that the new pastel line would use shapes from Nautilus.
| Nautilus 9" plates in the four Serenade glazes |
pink |
blue |
green |
yellow |
There were only two changes to Nautilus to make this special line. One involved modifying the teacup by making it larger. The other was the addition of a double egg cup. The Kraft Blue shape egg cup was selected and the rope embossing was removed.
Satin Pastels was sold through Woolworth's in early 1940 in the standard Serenade glazes: pink, green, yellow, and blue. Almost every piece is found with a Homer Laughlin/Nautilus backstamp and date code from 1940.
When Sharon and Bob Huxford released the seventh edition of The Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta in 1992, they featured the line as Pastel Nautilus. However, research conducted by Darlene Nossaman in 2003 indicates the factory called the line Satin Pastels and assigned it the Woolworth treatment number W-540.
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