1932-42
Seeing the success that their Lincoln Heights neighbor, JA Bauer & Sons, was having with their California Colored Pottery dinnerware, Pacific Clay Products’ pottery department rolled out their new dinnerware line, called Hostessware, in 1932. By the end of its ten year run in 1942, Hostessware boasted eight different colors and an end-to-end line of more than 200 different pieces, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive dinnerware sets every produced.
1934-37
In late 1934, Pacific introduced their “decorated” lines – a series of glazed patterns on the Hostessware shape. More than 30 named patterns (and a seemingly infinite number of unnamed) have been documented, but the designers remain anonymous. Decorated-ware often has a painted notation on the bottom indicating a company pattern ID. However, collectors will often find many one-of-a-kind items or variations on the standard patterns. Decorated Hostessware is highly desirable and commands a price premium.
1937-40
By late 1937 in response to consumer demand and changing tastes, Pacific freshened their dinnerware lines by adding Coralitos. Coralitos came in six new solid colors: Cielito Blue, Coral, DuBonnet, Verdugo Green, Mission Ivory and Dorado Yellow.
1937-40
Reflecting changing tastes for lighter ware and softer color palettes, Pacific joined the pastel bandwagon around the same time with their Arcadia line. Coralitos and Arcadia are both hard to find (not all pieces were marked) and are not very desirable amongst collectors.
1940-41
In the early 1940s, Pacific continued production of Hostessware, Coralitos and Arcadia, and began adding in some complementary patterns. The Dura-Rim line borrowed from Arcadia and featured an embossed forget-me-not flower pattern. Spurred by the success of Gladding-McBean’s new Desert Rose dinnereware line, Pacific launched a series of hand-painted patterns, including California Grape, Hibiscus, Strawberry and Tiger Lily among a few. With Pacific winding down their pottery operations during this time, very little of these patterns were produced. These lines are not popular with collectors today.
While Pacific’s design team is lost to history, we do have information on one designer, Isobel [Baddeley] Darrow, who filed patents for several post-1940 Pacific dinnerware designs. In addition to these lines, she also patented the Dura-Rim pattern on the Arcadia shape. Isobel graduated from South Pasadena High School in 1932 and also worked as an illustrator. I don’t believe Pacific produced the pattern second from the left.
