Color is all-important when determining value of Fiesta dishes

By Terry Maurer, What's it Worth

Before the spread of photography, about the only way people could carry pictures of their loved ones was with a miniature portrait. Some very famous artists worked in the miniature field and they are pricey antiques today. In this What's It Worth? we'll look at a miniature that's not painted.

There's also a question to answer about what may be the most successful line of dinnerware ever made in America.

Q. This small yellow Fiesta pitcher came into our family as a wedding gift back in 1946. It is still in excellent condition. I've always heard that Fiesta was a collectible. Is it still? What might the value be? -- Grace in Kennewick

A. Bright and streamline shaped, Fiesta was introduced by the Homer Laughlin Company in 1936. It rolled out at the annual Pottery and Glass Show, an industry event in Pittsburgh. No one had seen anything quite like the solid colors and simple design of concentric rings. Trade buyers were enthusiastic and the new line soon was a hot seller and a favorite in American homes.

Designed by Frederick Rhead, Fiesta was first made in only five colors -- red, blue, green, yellow and ivory. A sixth color, turquoise, was added in 1937. By 1938, it was available in at least 50 different items, ranging from juice tumblers to mixing bowls.

The various pieces were priced differently, but color had no effect on the price. Red was just as expensive (or cheap) as ivory or blue. Today, collectors usually value original Fiesta by color and then shape.

Fiesta is one of those collectibles that should be approached with care.

The line was modified greatly over the years, with some pieces and colors being dropped and others added. In 1973, production ceased.

In 1986, marking Fiesta's 50th anniversary, the West Virginia company reintroduced the line. Now called "Fiesta Ware," it comes in different colors and has different marks than the original.

People can get confused and some new pieces do look like the old, so you have to be on the alert as a collector. Most of the newer colors and shapes are easy for an advanced collector to identify; others can be a bit tricky. None of that is a concern with this pitcher, as you know the history.

Yellow is not the most collectible Fiesta color. Collectors favor red -- which to many people looks orange -- and the original cobalt blue.

Today, a new production disk juice pitcher, as this is called, costs about $50. The older version in yellow can generally be found for between $60 and $80. One in red is worth $450 or so and the rare gray color can bring as much as $4,000.

Q. My little framed picture is about 4 inches high. It can be used as a pendant. Any background would be appreciated. Thanks -- Betty in Kennewick

A. Miniature portraits like yours generally were watercolors and painted on either enamel or a very thin slice of ivory. They were framed and used as jewelry or mounted in cases that could be opened. The first known portrait miniature was done in France in 1450.

The form became very popular from about 1600 until the invention and proliferation of photography.

The Spanish painter Francisco Goya is known to have painted miniature portraits. So did Englishman Sir Edwin Landseer, who is better known as a painter of dogs and children.

In pre-revolutionary America and up until the Civil War, hundreds of painters made their living doing portrait miniatures. They worked in minute details, using brushes having as a few as one or two hairs.

Excellent public collections of miniatures can be seen today in museums from the Smithsonian in Washington to the Gibbes Museum in Charleston.

In the early 20th century the art continued but the number of painters working in miniature was much smaller. Everyone could now afford a photograph and Kodak was popularizing photography.

We've had the opportunity to examine this little miniature in person and discovered that although it looks like a fine period painting, its not a painting at all. Rather, the image is a high quality print, probably done on paper and made within the last 50 to 100 years.

Printed miniatures like this are not uncommon, but they can have good value. We see them selling at retail for between $75 and $100.

w E-mail: whatsitworth@ clearwire.net

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Sunday, Oct. 04, 2009

Color is all-important when determining value of Fiesta dishes

By Terry Maurer, What's it Worth