A delightfully colorful circa 1940 six-piece set of early production Fiesta—commonly known as Fiestaware—nesting mixing bowls by the Homer Laughlin Company of West Virginia.
Features a rainbow-like array of original colors introduced in the mid-1930s when the Fiesta line launched, made even more visually appealing by the large and small blue bowls that frame those nestled snugly between them. All bowls have a debossed lowercase “Fiesta” logotype on their bottom with the “F” not having a loop at the top, confirming them to be of vintage origin.
Though it hasn’t been tested, we believe the red bowl to date from the initial production run that used natural uranium in the glaze. This was the first color selected by the company when designing the line—with blue being the second—and has always been the most popular. Since this uranium could be utilized in the production of an atomic bomb, Fiesta red fell victim to the US war effort when the government confiscated the company’s stock of radioactive material in 1943. It didn’t return until 1959, when production resumed using depleted uranium.
Individual bowl production years and dimensions are as follows:
Large Blue (Cobalt) / 1936–1951 / H 6.38 in. x Dia. 9.88 in.
Green (Light) / 1936–1951 / H 5.63 in. x Dia. 8.75 in.
Yellow / 1936–1969 / H 5 in. x Dia. 7.75 in.
Turquoise / 1937–1969 / H 4.5 in. x Dia. 6.75 in.
Red / 1936–1943 / H 3.88 in. x Dia. 5.88
Small Blue (Cobalt) / 1936–1951 / H 3.5 in. x Dia. 5 in.
Condition: Good
Wear consistent with age and use. In great nearly antique condition. Large blue bowl: some tiny chips/fleabites on rim; light scratches. Small blue bowl: a fleabite/scuffs/hard water marks on rim. Turquoise bowl: spots in glaze on bottom. Red bowl: likely utensil marks on interior.