Friday, February 24, 2012

Harkerware place setting (Status: two for springtime)

I've been on an epic strikeout streak for about 3 weeks now; I have not found a thing in 85 thrift store/ junk shop/ antique store stops.  I found these two place settings of Harkerware "Springtime" about a month ago at the Volunteers of America in Grove City.
Harkerware was formed in 1840 by Benjamin Harker, an immigrant from England.  He had tried farming but the soil had too much clay content; he started to sell the clay to supplement his farming income and eventually decided that it would be much more profitable to sell finished pottery than to farm or sell the clay.

Harkerware was originally produced in East Liverpool Ohio but after one Ohio River flood too many, the company relocated to Chester West Virginia where it lasted until about 1972. 
Harkerware is best known for its intaglio system , called "Cameoware"; this creates the distinctive appearance of the pattern having been cut into the colored surface of the china.  In this process a design is cut into a colored glaze. Early on, the design was applied as a rubber shape to the ware before it was dipped in the glaze and then removed before firing. Later, this was done by sandblasting the design on a glazed item using a metal stencil.

The Springtime pattern on the dinner plates (top) and bread plates (bottom) are Cameoware.
The matching coffee cups and saucers...
and the berry bowls unfortunately are not Intaglio printed.

I'm attending the Cincinnati Modern show Saturday; I will take my camera and see if I can get some shots of tasty mid mod goodies for a post.

4 comments:

  1. I've been seeing a few photos of the Modern show on facebook, it looks amazing! Can't wait to see your photos. Also, 85 antique/thrift shops and nothing?? You need to make a sacrifice to the thrift gods soon... :)

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    1. @The Thriftaholic(Leilani)- I've found a (very) few, very small items in all of those stores but not more than, say, a single fork or orphan berry bowl. This just appears to be one of those dead periods that, like athletes in a slump, we must work our way through;I had one decent find, I'll post it this week.

      Cinci Mod show post coming right up!

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  2. I have a set of Harkerware in this same pattern. Service for 8 in pristine condition. Missing one small plate. Has some serving pieces. I can send pictures if you are interested,

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