Happy Heidi Vintage Fiesta

The American Potter— NY Worlds Fair, Homer Laughlin Pottery | Circa 1939-1940

With the help of the National Brotherhood of Operative Potters, Homer Laughlin joined rival pottery makers Knowles, Hall, Cronin, and Paden City to form a collaborative exhibit, The American Potter, during the New York Worlds fair. Operating a kiln on the grounds, a wide variety of ceramics were created and sold as souvenirs. Many of the pieces will be marked "The American Potter, 1939 (or 1940) World's Fair Exhibit, Joint Exhibit of Capital and Labor". These whimsical wares will delight the collector of Vintage Fiesta pottery. The six original Vintage Fiesta glazes found their way onto many items and novelties produced at the fair.

Embossed Plaques

Worlds Fair New York 1939 American Potter Exhibit Potters Wheel Embossed Plate Homer Laughlin Turquoise For Sale

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, Turquoise "Thrower at the Wheel" »

Circa 1939: The highly detailed, embossed potters plates that Bill Barrisford and Garvin Miller created for Homer Laughlin's participation in the Joint Exhibit of Capital and Labor for the New York 1939 Worlds Fair are a joyous celebration of talent, technique and artistry.

For Sale: $75

Worlds Fair New York 1939 American Potter Exhibit Potters Wheel Embossed Plate Homer Laughlin Brown For Sale

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, Brown "Thrower at the Wheel" »

Circa 1939: The highly detailed, embossed potters plates that Bill Barrisford and Garvin Miller created for Homer Laughlin's participation in the Joint Exhibit of Capital and Labor for the New York 1939 Worlds Fair are a joyous celebration of talent, technique and artistry.

For Sale: $95

Worlds Fair New York 1939 American Potter Exhibit Potters Wheel Embossed Plate Homer Laughlin in Ivory For Sale

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, Ivory "Thrower at the Wheel" »

Circa 1939: Examples of the potter throwing at the wheel in the original vintage fiesta ivory vellum glaze are harder to find than the other colors and blend in perfectly to create extra interest in your Fiesta collection.

For Sale: $125

Worlds Fair New York 1939 American Potter Exhibit Artist at the Wheel Embossed Plaque Homer Laughlin Vintage Fiesta Turquoise For Sale

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, Turquoise "Artist Decorating a Vase" »

Circa 1939: The embossed plaques came in two scenes, "Thrower at the Wheel"and "Artist Decorating a Vase". Both scenes were produced in the original Vintage Fiesta turquoise glaze, brown, and harder to find tan and ivory.

For Sale: $75

Worlds Fair New York 1939 American Potter Exhibit Artist at the Wheel Embossed Plaque Homer Laughlin original brown glaze For Sale

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, Brown "Artist Decorating a Vase" »

Circa 1939: The embossed plaques came in two scenes, "Thrower at the Wheel" and "Artist Decorating a Vase". Both scenes were produced in the original Vintage Fiesta turquoise glaze, brown, and harder to find tan and ivory.

For Sale: $95

Worlds Fair New York 1939 American Potter Exhibit Artist at the Wheel Embossed Plaque Homer Laughlin original brown glaze For Sale

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, Ivory "Artist Decorating a Vase" »

Circa 1939: The embossed plaques came in two scenes, "Thrower at the Wheel"and "Artist Decorating a Vase". Ivory examples are hard to find and mix in so nicely with your vintage fiestaware collection.

For Sale: $125

George and Martha Washington

American Potter Homer Laughlin 1940 New York Worlds Fair George and Martha Washington Pottery Pitchers

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, George and Martha Washington Mugs »

Circa 1940: 5" Mugs— George Washington was making the rounds of popularity again, as the first president of the United States, celebrating his 150th innaugural anniversary. Homer Laughlin Potter Company celebrated with a variety of portrait mugs and creamers, masterfully carved, with an exhuberance of detail. His steadfast other, Martha, will be harder to find, but was not forgotten and was also given the most exquisite attention to detail.

For Sale: $165

American Potter Homer Laughlin 1939 New York Worlds Fair George Washington Head Bust Pottery Mug

The American Potter, NY Worlds Fair, George Washington Mug »

Circa 1939: 5" MugModeled by Bill Barrisford for Homer Laughlin's participation in the Joint Exhibit of Capital and Labor for the New York 1939 Worlds Fair, the 11 oz. George Washington carved bust exhibits a mastery of sculptural talent. Dipped in the ever popular Homer Laughlin Century ivory vellum glaze, our founding father takes on a mellow lustre.

For Sale: $75

American Potter Homer Laughlin 1939 New York Worlds Fair Martha Washington Head Bust Pottery Individual Creamer

The American Potter , NY Worlds Fair, Martha Washington Creamer »

Circa 1939: 2" Individual CreamerModeled by Bill Barrisford for Homer Laughlin's participation in the Joint Exhibit of Capital and Labor for the New York 1939 Worlds Fair, the 11 oz. George Washington carved bust exhibits a mastery of sculptural talent. Dipped in the ever popular Homer Laughlin Century ivory vellum glaze, our founding father takes on a mellow lustre.

For Sale: $95

Season's Scenes Ashtrays

Homer Laughlin created four exquistely designed, molded embossed seasons dishes for the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair. The four seasons were represented by different scenes, each with a corresponding color (although non-traditional colors can be found on the scenes, those rarieties are highly sought after). Green for new born spring, Turquoise for the clear days of summer, Red for Autumns changing colors and Ivory for snowy winters. These highly detailed dishes were an addition made during 1940 on the New York World's Fair grounds.

1939 1940 New York Worlds Fair Green Spring Scene Ashtray The American Potter Joint Exhibit

NEW ARRIVAL
The American Potter Green Spring Scene »

Circa 1940: Spring in Green— Delightful scenes were skillfully etched into molds, each representing a season. Spring's fresh green color greets an eager fisherman in a stream.

For Sale: $185

1939 1940 New York Worlds Fair Turquoise Summer Scene Ashtray The American Potter Joint Exhibit

The American Potter Turquoise Summer Scene »

Circa 1940: Summer in Turquoise— Delightful scenes were skillfully etched into molds, each representing a season. Summers clear blue skies were perfectly captured in the bright turquoise Vintage Fiesta glaze.

For Sale: $245

1939 1940 New York Worlds Fair Yellow Autumn Scene Ashtray The American Potter Joint Exhibit

NEW ARRIVAL
The American Potter Yellow Autumn Scene »

Circa 1940: Autumn in Yellow— Delightful scenes were skillfully etched into molds, each representing a season. Autumn is still full of sun and golden leaves as a hunter and his trusty friend take off hunting.

For Sale: $210

World's Fair Vases

The variety of vases from the 1939-1940 Worlds Fair in New York City were hand thrown on the wheel at the fairgrounds. Each vase was then run through a special on sight 360 degree round kiln, hand dipped in a glaze color and then fired again. These rare pieces give collectors a unique opportunity to add a piece of hand artistry to their collections. All are rare.

NEW ARRIVAL
Rare New York World's Fair Homer Laughlin Vase in Yellow »

Circa 1940: The hand thrown vases that were made and fired directly on the grounds of the New York Worlds fair are a special treat for advanced collectors. Not made in large quanties they are a unique opportunity to add pieces of hand artistry to the otherwise factory produced Homer Laughlin pottery. This example in the original yellow if a tall 7" with it's lovely ovoid shape and is in excellent, as made condition.

For Sale: $825

Zodiac Cup and Saucer Set

Introduced during the second year of the New York's World's Fair, the Zodiac cup and saucer set made primarily in turquoise was not produced in great quantities and is considered rare and hard to find. It has taken me many years to find this second example that I have owned in over 20 years of collecting!

NEW ARRIVAL
Rare American Potter World's Fair Zodiac Cup and Saucer Set in Turquoise »

Circa 1940: It's not often I refer to a piece as rare, but the Zodiac cup and saucer set produced in very limited quantities during the New York Worlds fair has proved to be one of the most difficult items to find. This recently acquired item has been a unicorn in my collecting endeavors and I'm very pleased to be able to offer it for sale.

For Sale: $450

Bob Zordani and Heidi Kellner: (217) 714-5016, Lexington, Virginia: heidi@happyheidi.com