Bibliography
Franciscan, Catalina, and Other Gladding, McBean Wares: Ceramic Table and Art Wares 1873-1942 (2001) by James F. Elliot-Bishop
The early terra cotta, garden wares, tiles, Franciscan line, and Catalina art ware produced by the prolific Gladding, McBean and Company from the late 1800s to 1942 are covered and beautifully displayed in this fascinating book. The Franciscan pottery table and art ware line, so named to honor the Franciscan Friars who established Spanish Missions in California, was one of the most successful product lines produced by California’s Gladding, McBean and Company. Among the dishes displayed here are their most popular patterns, including El Patio, Coronado, Metropolitan, Apple, and Desert Rose. Also featured are the colorful wares made after the firm acquired the Catalina Island Pottery in 1937. The history of Gladding, McBean covers its establishment in Lincoln, California, in 1873 to its closure in 1984. Values included. This is a wonderful guide book for everyone who loves twentieth century pottery!
Franciscan Hand-decorated Embossed Dinnerware (2004) by James F. Elliot-Bishop
California-based Gladding, McBean & Co. began producing Franciscan dinnerware in the 1930s. Their introduction of Franciscan Apple in 1940 heralded a new product line featuring heavily sculpted, embossed dinnerware hand-decorated in brilliant colors. Desert Rose, introduced a year later, became the top selling dinnerware pattern in the world. Many additional patterns were produced through 1984, when the Franciscan plant in Glendale, California was closed. This comprehensive guide focuses solely on Franciscan hand-decorated embossed dinnerware manufactured in the United States and includes Apple, Desert Rose (and its three variations), Wild Flowers, Ivy, Fruit, California Poppy, October, Forget-Me-Not, Strawberry Fair, Strawberry Time, Fresh Fruit, Bountiful, Rosette, and Bouquet. Over 430 color photos illustrate these highly collectible pieces while the captions provide values, sizes, and other information for each pattern. An extensive company history and detailed shape listings are included. This is the complete reference for collectors of Franciscan hand-painted embossed dinnerware.
Franciscan Ceramics Tableware, Art Ware, and Tile 1943-1984 (2022) by James F. Elliot-Bishop
Franciscan Ceramics, Tableware, Art Ware, and Tile 1943-1984 continues where the book Franciscan, Catalina, and Other Gladding, McBean Wares 1873-1942 ends.
This historical review of the companies who produced Franciscan ceramics begins in 1943. After WWII, the Company met the demand for consumer goods by creating new earthenware and fine china patterns, shapes, and lines. In 1962, Gladding, McBean & Co. merged with Lock Joint Pipe Company forming the International Pipe and Ceramics corporation, later renamed Interpace.
Millard Sheets, the well-known California artist was hired as Interpace’s design advisor for Interpace’s dinnerware and tile Franciscan Ceramics Division. Sheets directed the hiring of ceramists to create innovative tableware, tile, and tile murals. Murals were created for Disneyland and Disney World. The largest tile murals were designed and created for the Hilton Rainbow Towers in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Interpace in the 1960s bought Shenango China, Castleton China, Mayer China, and Wallace China. Expanding internationally, Interpace bought Myott Son & Co. and Alfred Meakin (Tunstall) Limited in Staffordshire, England. After Sheets left Interpace in 1973, the recession and high inflation of the 1970s took their toll on the ceramics industry. Interpace sold their Franciscan Ceramics Division in Los Angeles to Wedgwood in 1979. In 1984, Wedgwood moved all production of Franciscan ceramics to England. All products were discontinued except for Franciscan Desert Rose, Apple, and Fresh Fruit. By 2013, all Franciscan branded products were discontinued.
In this historical review, the author includes executives, personnel, facilities, products, design, production, and marketing of Franciscan ceramics. Included are biographies of the designers; Fridolin Blumer, Mary Chalmers Brown, Francis Chun, Donald Clouse, Dora De Larios, Rupert J. Deese, Mildred Downing, John Eustice, Margo Findlay, Rey Forsum, Frazier-Hauge & Associates, Robert Glover, Mary K. Grant, Annette Honeywell, Elliot M. House, Esta James, George T. James, Otto J. Lund, Harrison Mcintosh, Mineo Mizuno, C.O. Mouness, Richard Petterson, Elsa Rady, Jay Robinson, Jerry Rothman, Sheridan Stanton, Henry Takemoto, Donna Tousley, Jeff Tousley, Helen Richter Watson, and Mary Jane Winans.
Franciscan fine china was made for presidents, governors, and heads of state. The hand painted Franciscan patterns Desert Rose, Apple, and Ivy are American dinnerware traditions. Franciscan Ceramics created and produced some of the most collected dinnerware today; earthenware patterns including Desert Rose, Apple, Ivy, Fruit, Wildflower, California Poppy, Starburst, Oasis, Autumn, Hacienda, Madeira, Floral, Picnic, and Fresh Fruit and fine china patterns Silver Pine, Encanto Nuevo, Gold Band, Renaissance, and Mariposa.
Collector's Encyclopedia of Franciscan Ceramics: Tableware and Art Ware Lines, Patterns, and Shapes 1943-1984 (2023) by James F. Elliot-Bishop
The Collector's Encyclopedia of Franciscan Ceramics is the companion book for Franciscan Ceramics Tableware, Art Ware, and Tile 1943-1984. This book includes the lines, patterns, and shapes of the dinnerware, fine china, art ware, and specials produced by Franciscan Ceramics from 1943 to 1984.
Gladding, McBean & Co. began production of dinnerware and art ware in 1934. In 1962, Gladding, McBean & Co. merged and became Interpace. The Franciscan Ceramics division of Interpace was sold to Wedgwood Ltd. In 1979. In 1984, Wedgwood closed the Los Angeles Franciscan Ceramics division and moved all production of Franciscan to England.
Franciscan Ceramics manufactured various patterns and shapes made in fine china, earthenware, and ironstone from 1943-1984. Lines, patterns, and shapes covered extensively in this book include Franciscan earthenware, fine china, Masterpiece China, Family China, Discovery, Cosmopolitan, Whitestone, Porcelain, Independence, Sculptures, Gourmet, Homeware, English ironstone, stoneware, Franciscan Myott, crystal, flatware, collector's plates, special orders and notable individuals and organizations special orders. Included are the Franciscan Ceramics backstamp marks from 1943 to 1984.
This collector’s encyclopedia does not include Franciscan hand-painted embossed patterns manufactured by Gladding, McBean & Co., Franciscan Ceramics, and Wedgwood. Hand-painted embossed Franciscan patterns are extensively researched and documented in Franciscan Hand-Decorated Embossed Dinnerware (Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2004).
Popular patterns included are the earthenware patterns Starburst, Franciscan Wheat, Coronado, Daisy, Floral, Sea Sculptures and the fine china patterns Silver Pine, Moon Glow, and Renaissance. The Collector's Encyclopedia of Franciscan Ceramics is a complete resource for collectors of Franciscan ceramics from 1943-1984.
Gladding, McBean & Co., Interpace, and Franciscan Ceramics Tile 1943-1984 (2024) by James F. Elliot-Bishop
Gladding, McBean & Co., Interpace, and Franciscan Ceramics Tile 1943-1984 is the tile companion book to the historical reference book Franciscan Ceramics Tableware, Art Ware, and Tile 1943-1984. The history of Gladding, McBean tile from the acquisition of Tropico Potteries in 1923 to 1942 is documented in the book Franciscan, Catalina, and Other Gladding, McBean Wares. This book documents tile and tile glazes produced by Gladding, McBean & Co., Interpace, and Franciscan Ceramics from 1943-1984 under the brand names of Hermosa and Franciscan. Various tile lines Hermosa Tile, Franciscan Hermosa Tile, Franciscan Tracery Collection, Franciscan Sierra Tile, Franciscan Trend Tile, Contours, Contours CV, Franciscan Terra Tile, Franciscan Promenade Tile, Hermosa Octagon Tea Tiles, Franciscan Tile Trivets, and Specials. Historical documents not included in the book Franciscan, Catalina, and Other Gladding, McBean Wares are included in Appendix I. Glazes are referenced by factory assigned numbers, color name and dates of production in Appendix II. Appendix IV includes various tile marks. As a reference, collectors can identify and date tiles produced by Gladding, McBean & Co., Interpace and Franciscan Ceramics from 1943-1984.
El Patio Franciscan Ware: El Patio, El Patio Nuevo, Taawa, Padua, Del Mar, Art Ware, and Specials (2024) by James F Elliot-Bishop (Author), Bob Miller (Photographer)
Beginning in 1934, El Patio Table Ware was one of the first patterns produced as Franciscan Ware by the Gladding, McBean Company of Los Angeles. El Patio was in production for twenty years until 1954. The El Patio line included a vast array of shapes and glaze colors. The El Patio shape was used for a number of specials made by Gladding, McBean for other companies including Arden Creamery, Sunkist, Carole Stupell, Betty Crocker, Russel Wright, Sperry Flour, and Toastmaster. Other patterns on the El Patio shape included in this book are Padua, Freesia, Taawa, and Del Mar Table Ware.
Franciscan Ware Eclipse: Duet, Eclipse White, Oasis, Pomegranate, and Starburst (2024) by James Elliot-Bishop
In 1954, the Los Angeles Franciscan Ceramics division of Gladding, McBean & Company introduced their Modern Americana line of dinnerware which included the Eclipse shape patterns Starburst, Eclipse White and Pomegranate. Starburst on the Eclipse shape, designed by George T. James with the pattern design by Mary Chalmers Brown, has become one of the most collectible vintage 20th mid-century dinnerware patterns. In 1955, the pattern Oasis was introduced, followed by Duet in 1956. The author includes a history of the Eclipse shape & patterns, all items manufactured in each pattern, pattern brochures, back-stamp marks, and other products made in the Eclipse patterns including tile & linens. This book is a complete reference for the collector of Starburst, Pomegranate, Oasis, Eclipse White, and Duet.