Anyone have Fiestaware?

16 years ago

I have a mishmash of cheap made-in-China dishes and want to replace them with something a little nicer, but still casual, in white. Preferably not made in China, a pattern that I can easily add to of something breaks and that fits in the dishwasher :)

I love the Apilo pieces at William Sonoma, but would prefer something a little less expensive. I've always liked Fiestaware and am wondering what people think of it. The price is right but I'm wondering how heavy it is and if it stacks okay in the cupboard?

Any thoughts?

Sue

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Comments (16)

lindac
16 years ago
Mikasa makes several very very nice made in Japan plain white patterns or their casual dinnerware....think they call it everyday china or something. I bought my son and his wife a set a couple of years back....they have 3 boys 12 thru 15 and still have a dozen! LOL!
Fiesta was chippy....and while the newer stuff is less chippy, it's still not porcelain like the Mikasa is.

Here is a link that might be useful: china
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stacy3
16 years ago
SUe I have white fiesta - with some other colors thrown in for "interest" - lol. All of it's 20 years old or newer.

I love it. I haven't broken any of it and I am a horrible "clutzy" person with dishes. I'm constantly clunking them into the side of the cupboard or something. They stack nicely, too.

Stacy
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I bought four sets back in September. I was hesitant to buy a complete set because I was afraid maybe the corners would chip or break. I have the red set and so far so good. The plates are kind of dipped around the edges. So it's hard to rest a knife on the edge when eating. The bowls can only be stacked by two's. They won't set straight on top of each other. I see a few small scratches from someone being too aggressive with cutting their food. I do prefer the mugs to my old "non fiesta" set. I also have the smaller square salad plates and the oval bread plates. All in all I am happy with the square sets. The red really shines on my dark granite. They have a heavy feel which I like in dishware. The fact that they're made in the USA is a plus. I plan on buying more and just doing away with my old everyday dishes. But I can't decide if I want a different color.
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I have old (a.k.a. "1936") and new (a.k.a. "Post 86") Fiesta. At first the new stuff was neutral (black, white, gray) or pastel (peach, rose, light yellow, light blue). Since then, the colors have become much more saturated and the focus is on bright or deep. Most of the colors are translucent (you can easily see the concentric circles of lighter color), but some are opaque (the lines are obscured). Some of my lighter plates/bowls have abundant unsightly utensil marks on them - not sure if this is a problem inherent in the light color or maybe a problem with the dye they used twenty years ago that they've since corrected. Some colors have been permanently "retired," while others have been "discontinued," which means they could be reissued as color trends in design change. All colors are available on eBay, but some sellers are (inadvertently? unscrupulously?) identifying discontinued colors as retired, so do some research on Fiesta collector sites before buying. What you buy just depends on what calls out to you. Some colors look spectacular together; some look ghastly. As I obsessively page through kitchen idea books/mags, I see TONS of Fiesta in glass-fronted cabinets. I notice that the professionally designed photos (magazines, retailers) show cabinets filled with only one or two colors of Fiesta, which looks very attractive...and makes me a tad regretful. The photos of REAL kitchens reflect the riot of often visually discordant colors that we long-time-collectors-with-little-self-control own. But it's a fun look. If you buy it retail, never pay full price; it frequently goes on sale. Also, I now buy separates instead of the 5-piece place settings. (For example, we prefer a bowl that is smaller than the one that comes in the place setting..and we have QUITE ENOUGH cups and saucers, although they've recently started offering a place setting with the way-cute mug instead of the cup/saucer.) Since the issue of black came up (albeit mistakenly), I'll add this: Homer Laughlin has been trying to retire black forever; however, they continue to get huge orders from restaurant chains for it. Sorry for the ramble. As a recently joined (but obsessive) lurker, I've learned so much here, so I'm happy to finally contribute!
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My marks are little 1/2" cuts in the glaze, not a silvery rubbing, but an actual cut. I tried a photo but the shiny glaze will not show the cuts. You can feel them with a fingernail however, and actually see them in the kitchen light. Now we are trying to be oh-so careful when cutting meat while eating... this is stupid! They are plates for eating food.
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I have two little Fiestaware bulb candle holders. They are turquoise, but I've read that turquoise is common and produced for many years. I'm trying to figure out if they are vintage, or more recent. I've read about the imprint, that in vintage pieces the name "fiesta" should be in all lower case letters. Well, they are, but these pieces look brand new which makes me think they aren't old. Anyone have an opinion?
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seagrass_gw Cape Cod
16 years ago
I have lots of dinnerware. I don't know what's wrong with me. Anyway, I have some Fiestaware that I fell in love with at a restaurant supply store - I have a set of really big "chop plates" in persimmon which are great for serving steaks, corn on the cob, stuff from the grill. And I couldn't resist the jumbo mugs with saucers, also in persimmon. I haven't had any problems with chipping, but the chop plates are too big for my diswasher lol!

The color goes with a lot of pottery I've collected and it's so much fun to set the table. I'm looking forward to seeing it again when we get back home.

seagrass

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a good place to start looking
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girlsingardens
16 years ago
Our "good china" that we registered for when we got married was fiestaware. We got 45 place settings as wedding and shower presents. We kept 24 place settings and took the others back. I love them even though we don't use them much now. My only problem is I need another bridal shower to catch up on all the new colors:)

Stacie
girlsingardens
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seagrass_gw Cape Cod
16 years ago
Wow Stacie - 45 place settings - I can't imagine how much that weighed!

segrass
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doucanoe
16 years ago
I have a fiew pieces, but they are the original cobalt blue. I should get rid of them, haven't used them in forever....

Linda
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leel
16 years ago
I have one piece: a huge, sort of cream-colored bowl which I use for proofing bread. It belonged to my mother, who had a large assortment of Fiesta ware from when I was a child. She used to pick up seconds for a nickel or a dime (don't ask how long ago that was!).
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lindac
16 years ago
My mother also had Fiesta....it chipped like mad! Obviously the new is stronger stuff! LOL! I love the brightly colored look! Waechestersbach also makes some solid colored stuff....love that! But don't NEED anything else in my already jammed full cupboards!
Linda C
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jimster
16 years ago
Possibly not everyone is aware that uranium was an ingredient in some Fiestaware glazes, most notably the red but also the cream color. I have not done enough research to know the level of potential danger from radiation. I'll leave that to those who are interested in Fiestaware or who have it. The link below contains information which is authoritative but which I am unable to interpret.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Fiestaware Uranium Glazes
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anotherlinda
16 years ago
I got a nice big set of Fiestaware about 7 years ago and absolutely love them.

I don't have white but do have items in persimmon, shamrock, sunflower, black, plum, turquoise and cinnabar. Love the ability to mix and match. Used to change out our previous (inexpensive) tableware sets after 3 to 4 years because I got so bored with them.

Only broke one piece so far though I've dropped several of them. No chips, no cracks. Still a very nice finish on them.
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dlundin
16 years ago
I have about 15 place settings in most of the colors. Love them. I like a colorful table. They wear like iron. I've dropped them and have only lost a couple of minor pieces through the years. They haven't been earthquake tested... not that I'm asking for that. They are solid and cute. Not a real formal look... nice for casual dining and entertaining.
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Ideefixe
16 years ago
I have vast amounts of dishes/china/pottery, but I greatly like my Emile Henry pottery. It's not as easily chipped as Fiesta ware, and I like the shapes. The colors are a little more subtle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Emile Henry.
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Lars
16 years ago
Red is a difficult color get get in a ceramic, and they now use gold instead of uranium, but this makes red ceramic very expensive.

I have blue dishes that look like Fiestaware, but I don't know if that's what they are. I've had them since the 80s, and so they seem a bit dated to me, but since they wear well, I'm not replacing them. When I lived in San Francisco in the 70s, we had real Fiestaware, but it was very cheap back then.

Lars
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jimster
16 years ago
Uranium was a more expensive ingredient than other colorants, too. But that wasn't the only reason to stop using it. Copper can create a red glaze too but it is a different kind of red, more crimson, not like the persimmon color of uranium. Gold, if I recall correctly, gives a scarlet hue which is closer to, but not the same as, uranium.

Jim
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sigh
16 years ago
Ah, Fiesta. The first thing that you've gotta be aware of is that the dishes are addicting. I started with chartreuse because I needed to replace my chipped dishes & that color was on sale...I now have something in just about every color.

The original (pre 80's) Fiesta has lead in the glaze. The original red (more of an orangey red) does in fact contain uranium & is known as radioactive red. The Ivory does as well, but not as much. A lifetime among the original red will expose you to about a single X-ray's worth of radiation. I wouldn't use the stuff in the microwave. But I do use the vintage stuff as well as the new. Just like leel, I have a big Ivory mixing bowl that I use for proofing bread.

The new, vitrified, Fiesta is pretty much bullet proof. I'm a klutz & haven't managed to chip a single piece in nearly 10 years of slipping & dropping my way around the kitchen. It's oven/micro/dishwasher safe & lead free. I've cooked in it & it cleans up easily.

Handily enough the new color, Ivory, is coming out this month. It looks like a shinier version of the original Ivory and should be easy to dress up or down at the table. Be warned that any light color of Fiesta is prone to silverware marks- they look like grey pencil lines on the dishes. These can easily be removed with Comet or Pfaltzgraff cleaner. But Ivory sounds like it's exactly what you're looking for.

Lars- if you're really curious about your blue dishes send me a picture & I can tell you if they're Fiesta. But most of the "new" fiesta is marked. Sometimes if the glaze is really dark you can't see the stamp. But the shapes are usually unmistakable (at least to the Fiesta obsessed).

Any Fiesta questions, just ask. I love the stuff & they just came out with a set of true nesting mixing bowls! heaven.

Nina

Here is a link that might be useful: Homer Laughlin China
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sofyschoice1936_gmail_com
15 years ago
I know this is an old thread but just in case you are looking for Fiesta ware - vintage or post 86 we have booth dedicated soley to this. Feel free to come visit anytime or ask questions! :) http://www.bonanzle.com/sofy_schoice

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonanzle
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Anyone have Fiestaware?

Comments (16)

lindac

stacy3

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