Vintage bowl stamp
Are you attempting to date your Fiestaware? As you might have discovered, trying to find out how much your Fiesta collection is worth is no easy task.
There are many different markings that were applied to each Fiesta item, and some items may not have any kind of marking at all. Still, there are a couple of ways that you can try to determine the date of your Fiestaware. First, let’s talk about stamps. Some plates have ink “Fiesta” stamps on the bottom of them. The way that “Fiesta” is written is the detail that you want to pay attention to on ink-stamped plates. If the word “Fiesta” is written in all lowercase letters (“fiesta”), then the plate that you have is vintage. If the word “Fiesta” is written in uppercase letters (“FIESTA”), then the plate that you have is newer. Contemporary Fiesta pieces include the word “genuine,” and in some cases the phrase “lead free.”
Next, let’s talk about imprints. Some Fiesta items have imprinted logos on them, but these are especially hard to date. The only way to tell whether or not an item is vintage is to look for the imprinted letter “H.” The “H” was only added to Fiestaware recently, so any piece with this letter is a newer piece. Lastly, let’s discuss circular patterns. Newer Fiesta pieces have a circular logo. Inside of the circle pattern you will see the letters “FIESTA HLC USA.” While this logo can be an indication that an item is contemporary, this is not always the case. Pay attention the word “Fiesta” – if it is part of the circle, then the piece is likely new. You’ll also find that items made after 1992 have date codes etched into them. These codes correspond to certain codes that Homer Laughlin created in 1992 in order to make dating Fiestaware easier.
There you have it – a way, kind of, to determine how old your beloved Fiesta collection is. If you still aren’t sure about the date of a particular piece, bring it to an antique appraiser. Some items are extremely hard to date, while others are easy to date.
were the cups marked on the bottoms and were the salt and pepper shakers marked
I understand if the plates are not marked then they are not fiesta wear