Historical Timeline of Franciscan Ceramics

1875

• Gladding, McBean & Company founded in Lincoln, California by Peter McGill McBean, Charles Gladding, and George Chambers.

 1893

• First terra cotta garden pottery produced in Lincoln and sold in San Francisco.

 1903

• Full line of glazed terra cotta garden pottery, including vases, flower pots, benches, tables, fountains and bird baths introduced and produced in Lincoln.

 1906

• Atholl McBean, the son of Mr. Peter McGill McBean became active in the Company’s management.

 1923

• Atholl McBean becomes President of Gladding, McBean & Co.
• Gladding, McBean & Co. purchases Tropico Potteries, Inc. located at 2901 Los Feliz Blvd. in Los Angeles.  The former Tropico Potteries property became Gladding, McBean’s Glendale Plant.  The Gladding, McBean & Co. had other plants and facilities in Los Angeles so the former Tropico plant was named the Glendale Plant, as the property bordered Los Angeles and Glendale, California.
• Pottery Sales Yard opened on Los Feliz Blvd.  Full line of Lincoln Garden Pottery sold wholesale and retail.
• Upon acquiring Tropico Potteries, Gladding, McBean & Co. expands into the production of ornamental tile for residential and commercial use.

 1928

• Dr. Andrew Malinovsky developed for Gladding, McBean Co.  a high talc one-fire body using an amorphous flux.  Body was intended originally for one-fire tile but was not used for this due to the later purchase of Prouty patents from the American Encaustic Tiling Co. for the manufacture of a high talc tile body. 
• U.S. Patent #320539 issued to Gladding, McBean & for Dr. Maninovsky’s one-fire body. Name of body registered as “Malinite.”

1932

• Experimental dinnerware made at the Lincoln Plant, using a semi-porcelain clay body that was used for smaller Lincoln garden pottery shapes.  Ware was shipped to Glendale for testing but crazed badly in autoclave tests. Ware never put on market.  By December 1932 experimental work began in the Glendale Plant aimed at producing a pottery line using the “malinite” body. Dinnerware and art ware were to be produced in solid colored glazes. Three California firms had solid colored dinnerware in production for approximately two years. Those firms were: J. A. Bauer Pottery, Co., Pacific Clay Products Co., and Catalina Clay Products Division of Santa Catalina Island Co.

1933

• The first “Prouty” tunnel kilns were acquired by Gladding, McBean when the company purchased the West Coast Properties of American Encaustic Tiling Co. The Prouty tunnel kilns were used for the manufacture of dinnerware.
• On February 17, 1933, J. E. Stanton approved nine colors for proposed dinnerware line:
  • Pigeon Blood Red – Gloss
  • Ming Red – Gloss
  • Celestial Ivory – Matt
  • Yellow – Gloss
  • Apple Green – Gloss
  • Verde Green – Semi-Matt
  • Turquoise Blue – Gloss
  • Mexican Blue – Gloss
  • Autumn Brown – Gloss.
• In November, 1933, Frederic J. Grant called on Atholl McBean in San Francisco and suggested Gladding, McBean & Co. start making dinnerware in a small way, if plant room were available. Mr. Grant, a chemical engineer, had been President of the Weller Pottery Co. in Zanesville, Ohio, but had retired. 

 1934

• January 15, 1934: Frederic J. Grant was hired as the manager of new Pottery Department in the Glendale Plant.
• Mr. Grant’s wife, Mary K. Grant, had been, before her marriage, Art Director at Macy & Co. in New York City. It was agreed that Mrs. Grant would style the pottery lines, but would hold no official position in the Pottery Department, and would not be on the payroll.  Mrs. Grant was not put on the payroll until March 16, 1938.
• In April only art ware and flower pots were in production and were marked with the trade name of Tropico Pottery.  By 1937, the use of the Tropico Pottery mark  was dropped.
• By August, the first mimeographed price list is published. Trade name of “Franciscan Pottery” was chosen to be emblematic of California. The “El Patio” pattern was only dinnerware listed; available in six solid colors.  Pottery Mixing bowls and casseroles were also available.
• First exhibit of Franciscan pottery in a museum.  The Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City invited Gladding, McBean & Co. to manufacture two special art ware pieces for their exhibit of modern industrial contemporary art.  Gladding, McBean was the only American pottery invited to exhibit. The company submitted a large glazed pottery bowl, satin grey on the outside, lined with salmon gloss, and a lemon yellow vase lined with gloss grey, with a gloss gray band at the foot.

 1935

• First picture catalogue published on “Franciscan Pottery” measuring 4″ x 7,” containing 23 pages. The accompanying mimeographed price list showed three dinnerware lines — El Patio, El Patio Nuevo and Coronado, totaling 133 pieces and available in up to 7 colors per pattern. Fifty-nine shapes of art ware were listed in 6 color combinations, including a beautiful ruby red and 2 two-tone color combinations. The “Cocinero” cooking ware line listed 25 pieces in 4 colors including casseroles, custard cups, pitchers, and nixing bowl sets. In addition were listed 66 items in “Tropico Garden Pottery” in 8 colors. Most of the garden pottery items were the smaller pieces that had been formerly made at the Lincoln Plant. The molds had been shipped to Glendale and production was now in the malinite body. All of the larger garden pottery items continued to be manufactured in Lincoln in the terra cotta body. In total, the Glendale Plant Pottery Department now had in regular production of 233 separate items.

 1936

• Name of line changed to “Franciscan Ware” from “Franciscan Pottery.”
• Gladding, McBean & Co. invented the dinnerware “Starter Set,” being packed in an individual carton.

 1937

• Gladding, McBean & Co. introduces the company’s first hand-decorated earthenware, “Padua,” decorated underglaze on the “El Patio” shape and glazed with a clear glaze.
• Gladding McBean & Co. purchases “Catalina Pottery,” (the Catalina Clay Products Division of Santa Catalina Island Co.) Included in the purchase were all cases and molds, the complete inventory of dinnerware and art ware, much of the plant equipment and the right to the name “Catalina Pottery.” This purchase added 174 pieces of dinnerware and art ware to their lines.
• Operations for the production of Hermosa tile moved from Gladding, McBean’s Hermosa Beach Plant to the Glendale Plant.  The trademark “Hermosa” for tile was acquired in the purchase of the American Encaustic Tiling Co. in 1933.

 1938

• First hotel ware produced. “Chinese Oxblood” glaze was introduced on 15 items of art ware.

 1939

• First production of vitrified hotel ware. First production of special earthenware shapes for the Max Schonfeld Co.  Work begins on developing fine china.  In August, 1939, the decision was made to produce a few items in blanks for the Max Schonfeld Co. in fine china.
• First large special order for earthenware.  The Toastmaster Division of McGraw Electric Co. of Elgin, Illinois orders 25,000 pieces of a special “toast and jam” set.

 1940

• “Apple” pattern introduced. This was the Company’s first hand-decorated embossed underglazed pattern.
• First exhibit of Franciscan Dinnerware in a Museum for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.   Morris B. Sanders, a New York Industrial Designer had submitted the drawing to the museum which won the dinnerware award. The museum commissioned Gladding, McBean Co. to make the ware for display. The company later bought the design from Mr. Sanders and included it in tea and coffee sets in its catalogue for January 1, 1941 under the name, Metropolitan Pattern.

 1941

• “Desert Rose” pattern, the second hand-painted embossed dinnerware developed by Gladding, McBean was introduced.
• Fine china in nine patterns on the Merced Shape introduced.
  • Arcadia Blue
  • Arcadia Gold
  • Arcadia Maroon
  • Dainty Bess (renamed Cherokee Rose Green)
  • Cherokee Rose Palomino
  • Del Monte
  • Laguna
  • Mountain Laurel
  • Gold Band 302

 1942

• All art ware discontinued.
• Wildflower, Gladding, McBean’s third hand-painted embossed dinnerware introduced and discontinued in the same year.

 1948

• Two hand-painted embossed dinnerware patterns are introduced, Ivy and Fruit.
• The Fine China Encanto shape, designed by Mary Grant, is introduced.

 1950

• Hand-painted embossed pattern California Poppy introduced.

 1951

• The Encanto shape in Fine China was chosen by the Museum of Modern Art for its 1951 Good Design Exhibit.

 1952

• Frederic and Mary Grant leave Gladding, McBean.
• A new dinnerware and tile design team for Gladding, McBean & Company (GMcB) was assembled.  Designers hired were Mary Jane Winans, George T. James, and Otto Lund.  Max Compton, hired by GMcB in 1937, becomes manager of the glaze department.  Sheridan Stanton becomes manager of the tile and architectural products department.

 1953

• Anthol McBean resigns as the Chairman of the Board of Gladding, McBean.  Anthol, son of co-founder Peter McBean, was the last founding family member active in the company.

 1954

• Millard Sheets for the Los Angeles County Fair exhibition The Arts of Daily Living designed tiles manufactured by GMcB.  Millard Sheets continues his relationship with GMcB through Sheridan Stanton and Max Compton in the production of tiles for various architectural projects.
• The Eclipse shape dinnerware designed by George T. James and the Flair shape dinnerware by Mary Jane Winans are introduced. 

 1955

• The Art ware line Franciscan Contours by George T. James was introduced and discontinued in 1956.

 1958

• The Family China dinnerware designed by George T. James was introduced.  The Family China line was later renamed Discovery.

 1959

• Cosmopolitan China dinnerware designed by Mary Jane Winans and Whitestone dinnerware designed by George T.  James were introduced and manufactured in Japan by Toyo Toki Kaisha, Ltd.
• Gladding, McBean & Co. received a contract in 1959 for the installation and erection of equipment for production of ceramic nose cones for the Sparrow II missile.

 1961

• Jacqueline Kennedy orders Masterpiece China for use on Air Force One.  Otto Lund designs the pattern with the Presidential Seal.

 1962

• West coast based GMcB merges with East coast based Lock Joint Company forming the national and international corporation Interpace.  The former GMcB’s Los Angeles dinnerware and tile plant becomes the Ceramic Division of Interpace.   The Ceramic Division continues to produce Franciscan dinnerware and tile.

 1963

• Millard Sheets hired as consultant for the Ceramics division of Interpace.
• Elliot House hired as the manager of the dinnerware design department.
• George T. James resigns.  Mary Jane Winans remains as head stylist and designer, Otto Lund as a dinnerware designer, and Sheridan Stanton as manager of the tile and architectural products division.
• Richard Petterson hired contract part-time for the design team.
• A new tile design department was created under the direction of Sheridan Stanton and Millard Sheets.
• Dora De Larios hired as a contract part-time tile designer.
• Henry Takemoto hired on a contract basis for the glaze department joining Max Compton.
• Planning begins for ceramic tile wall mural for the reception area of the Interpace Corporate Headquarters – Parsippany NJ titled “The Four Elements” designed by Millard Sheets.  Created as a prototype for ceramic wall tile murals, the mural was completed in 1966.

 1964

• Rupert Deese hired for the dinnerware design team.
• Jerry Rothman hired as a contract consultant & designer for the dinnerware and tile teams.
• Harrison McIntosh hired contract part-time for the tile design team.
• Helen Watson hired as a contract part-time designer for the dinnerware design team.  Designs the innovative Tahiti & Emerald Isle patterns for the Discovery dinnerware line.

 1965

• Francis Chun hired as a dinnerware designer.

 1966

• George T. James returns as the manager of the design & development departments replacing Elliot House.
• Harrison McIntosh resigns.
• AT&T Circle Vision 360 building, Disneyland TomorrowLand, ceramic tile wall mural designed by Mary Blair completed.
• Prototype 7000 Masterpiece china designed by George T. James developed.
• Ceramic wall tile mural for Jules Stein Eye Institute Outpatient Clinic, UCLA designed by Mary Blair completed.

 1967

• Innovative Madeira dinnerware introduced.  Shape designed by Rupert Deese, decal designed by Jerry Rothman.
• Ceramic tile wall mural designed by Mary Blair for Monsanto’s Adventure Thru Inner Space Building, Disneyland TomorrowLand, completed.

 1968

• Jerry Rothman resigns.
• Mineo Mizuno hired as trainee designer.
• Elsa Rady hired as a trainee designer.
• Ceramic tile wall murals for the north and south facades designed by Millard Sheets completed for the Honolulu Hilton Rainbow hotel.
• Coco Palms Hotel, Kauai Hawaii, ceramic wall tile murals “The Birth of Hawaii,” “From the Advent of the Missionaries,” and “The Races of Hawaii” designed by Millard Sheets completed.
• Interpace acquires Shenango China, owners and makers of Castleton China.  Shenango had acquired Mayer China in 1964, so Interpace acquired both plants.  Shenango operated as a separate division from the Franciscan Ceramics Division.

 1969

• Henry Takemoto hired as a full-time designer.
• Interpace purchases Tiffin Glass Company of Tiffin, Ohio.
• Interpace purchases Myott & Sons pottery in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. George T. James travels to England to coordinate the retrofitting of Myott’s equipment to accommodate Franciscan patterns designed in the United States to be sold in the European market.

 1970

• Madeira glassware, made by the Tiffin Glass Division, introduced.
• Disney World Contemporary Resort – Orlando, Florida, Grand Canyon Concourse – Fourth Floor Lobby ceramic wall tile murals designed by Mary Blair completed.

 1971

• Los Angeles City Hall East, “Family of Man” West & East facades ceramic tile wall murals designed by Millard Sheets completed.  Installed in 1972.

 1973

• Ceramic tile wall mural “The Southwest and the Northwest” designed by Millard Sheets for Sunset Magazine’s dining room, Menlo Park, completed.
• Millard Sheets resigns as consultant for the Ceramics Division of Interpace.
• The Masterpiece China “Ondine” shape, designed by Francis Chun and Rupert Deese, is introduced.

 1974

• Interpace acquires Alfred Meakin, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England in 1974. By 1975, Myott and Alfred Meakin merge becoming Myott/Meakin.
• The Franciscan Ceramics Division introduces stainless flatware to their product line manufactured by Amefa of Holland.

 1976

• Stainless flatware discontinued.
• Interpace sells the tradename Gladding, McBean and the Lincoln, California plant to Pacific Coast Building Products.

 1977

• George T. James, Otto Lund and Mary Jane Winans retire.
• Fine china production ends. No further orders of fine china can be made after June, 1978.
• October is the first embossed hand-painted pattern to be introduced since Franciscan Poppy in 1950.

 1979

• In July of 1979, Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, Ltd. acquires the Franciscan Ceramics Division of the Interpace Corporation. The former Franciscan Ceramics Division becomes a subsidiary of company of Wedgwood and incorporates as Franciscan Ceramics, Inc.
• Interpace sells Myott/Meakin to a group of investors.
• Tiffin Crystal sold to Towle Silversmiths.  All Franciscan glassware discontinued.
• Interpace Corporation sells Shenango China Company to the Anchor Hocking Corporation, and Mayer China to a group of private investors.

 1980

• Two new embossed hand-painted patterns are introduced. Fresh Fruit, designed by Francis Chun and Strawberry Fair designed by Henry Takemoto.

 1983

• Twilight Rose was the last embossed hand-painted pattern to be introduced.
• On Halloween, 1983, the entire design department staff was terminated.
• Decision made to close the Franciscan Ceramics division and move all production to Wedgwood’s factories in England.

 1984

• All operations cease at the Franciscan Ceramics Division’s plant in Los Angeles.  All patterns discontinued except for Desert Rose, Apple, and Fresh Fruit. Production of Franciscan products is relocated to England’s Johnson Brothers division of the Wedgwood Group.
• All Franciscan tile products discontinued.

 1987

• Wedgwood merges with Waterford Crystal becoming Waterford Wedgwood.

 1997

• Franciscan Fresh Fruit discontinued.

 2003

• Johnson Brothers moves production of all products, including Franciscan Ware patterns Desert Rose and Apple, to China.

 2009

• Waterford Wedgwood placed in receivership.  All assets, including the brand Franciscan Ware are acquired by KPS Capital Partners and transferred to a new company WWRD Holdings, LTD.  WWRD is an acronym for “Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton.

 2011

• Franciscan Apple discontinued.

 2013

• Franciscan Desert Rose discontinued.

 2015

• WWRD acquired by the Finnish company Fiskars.  All Johnson Brothers and Franciscan products discontinued.

 2019

• Pacific Coast Building Products’ Gladding, McBean division in Lincoln, California continues to produce terra cotta sewer tile, architectural building products, and garden ware under the trademark of Gladding, McBean.