Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Early America Nautilus

Homer Laughlin China Company has been in continuous business since the late 1800's, first in East Liverpool, Ohio and then right across the river in Newell, West Virginia. The company is probably best known for its Fiesta line of dinnerware, but over its many years of production it has produced thousands of different shapes and tens of thousands of decorations/designs on those shapes.

A few years ago I was very lucky to find a service for six in the "Early America"
decoration on the Nautilus shape. It's a style and decoration that is not that
easy to find and is coveted by collectors of Homer Laughlin dinnerware.

The decoration includes red striping and different modes of transportation in the early days of the United States. The set I found included a platter, serving bowl, berry bowls, bread and butter plates, dinner plates and cups with saucers.

A few months after I found the set some dish friends found the matching creamer and sugar for me.
And during the intervening years I have picked up a couple of extra serving bowls and platters in the Nautilus shape, as well as some additional plates, cups and saucers in another Homer Laughlin shape with the same decoration.
Eggshell Nautilus
Note that the red stripe is different on this shape.
This set of china has appeared on TLRT in a tablescape.
Click the image below to see more of the tablescape.
It has also appeared in a tablescape entitled Variations On Red Stripes
Thanks so much for stopping by to visit and see some more of my vintage dinnerware collection.

34 comments:

  1. Oh how pretty and so unique!...Christine

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  2. What a charming set Candy, I don't think I have ever seen this pattern before. Thanks for sharing, Nan

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  3. I just found your blog through the Coloradolady and am so glad I did. What a great post! These dishes are so sweet and unique. They made me smile! And you have them set so beautifully. Really enjoyed this post!
    Patricia :o)

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  4. I've never seen dishes like that before. Very unique with the different forms of transportation. Your table settings looked very nice.

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  5. That is so cute. I have never seen that line before. And I love the napkins!

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  6. Oh wow these are so beautiful! I've never seen this line before. I love Homer Laughlin, and I try to collect them when I find them.

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

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  7. These are really fun collections, and those napkins are perfect with them!

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  8. That's an interesting pattern. I like the plain shape better.

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  9. Extraordinary! I've never seen this pattern.

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  10. You have a very prized possession with those dishes. They are priceless.

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  11. FABU! And I see my red stripped OS Grease Jar in the background! Sigh....

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  12. Oh, boy! Seeing your vintage dishes has me wanting to run to my local thrift shop and sort through their stacks and stacks of vintage tableware!

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  13. What a lovely set of china. I love the ships and trains.

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  14. Wow, what an incredibly beautiful set of tableware! Your blog never ceases to amaze me with the amazing stuff you have. I really like this set of dishes :)

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  15. Oh, now I am a bit envy -- those dishes are a riot!!! Thanks so much for showing them -- just unique and very much my style. :)

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  16. This set is such a treasure! How does it look on the 1850's transportation cloth?

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  17. JDaniel would love all the forms of transportation illustrated on this tableware.

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  18. Oh, what a great set!! I like Homer Laughlin and always am on the lookout at estate sales and the thrift stores. What a treasure you have there in a serving set for 6 :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  19. I am in love with those dishes!!

    Love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

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  20. Love these dishes! The red is perfect. I am having my 100th blog giveaway so hope you will stop by. Blessings, Debbie

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  21. I love Homer Laughlin dishes. I've never seen this pattern! Amazing!

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  22. Girl. You kill me.

    I come here and drool over your dishes and then run out to e-bay and find that I can't afford them at all!

    But I certainly love stocking my china cupboard vicariously in my imagination through your wonderful links to Alphabe-Thursday!

    These are gorgeous!

    I will totally grab them if I see them at a garage sale...along with those apple bowls of yours that I covet!

    Thanks for the wonderful, colorful and informative post today!

    I always love visiting you.

    A+

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  23. You have no idea how this post made my day! I have the platter that my mom gave me for my birthday one year. I had no idea what the pattern was and have never seen a single piece like it. I thought maybe it was not real!!! I had no idea so many pieces were out there, now, I will really keep my eye open.....I so LOVED this post! Happy VTT!

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  24. wonderful... I love the simplicity of the the red lines and design... lovely setting! THS!

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  25. Whenever I see a tablescape I think of my Swedish grandmother "Farmor" who loved nothing better than to take the time to make a table special. I really love this pattern, especially the ship. I've been blessed to inherit three of my Farmor's china sets. I cherish them.

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  26. Great nautical dishes. Those look like they would be perfect in a lake home or for someone who has little boys. Even if they couldn't eat off them, I bet even they would appreciate something in the home decorating scheme. Looks like you really did get a great find!

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  27. Hi Candy! Oh, what a sweet pattern. You have the most wonderful collection of dishes and of course table cloths! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  28. wow!!! this is truly vintage dishes! so many of them your got and all looks good! thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!

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  29. I..want...this...dinnerware.....

    Oh dear, I feel another obsession coming on...

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  30. Love, love, love those dishes! I had never seen this pattern until now. Thanks for showing them.

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  31. Thank you all for your comments on one of my favorite set of dishes! There is something so very charming about the almost child-like decorations. I made the napkins .... which ended up costing close to what the dishes did! Because I wanted the Americas to be on the top of the folded napkin, it took a lot of fabric! LOL Only an obsessed tablescaper would care about how the napkins look when folded. :-)

    Coloradolady! Well you made my day with your sweet comment! So happy that you now have an ID on your lovely piece. And do keep your eyes open, they are hard to find, but worth the hunt.

    I hope you'll all stop back again as I share more of my memories and collections .... I love hearing your stories.

    Candy

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  32. Daphne - I forgot to answer your question.....

    I haven't tried it on my "transportation" cloth yet, I think the colors may clash a bit, there's lots of orange in that cloth.

    http://tableclothsfromthelittleroundtable.blogspot.com/2010/09/1858-modes-of-transportation.html

    Candy

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Thank you for your lovely comments.

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