Laurel Potteries of Calif. Auction - [Suburbia]?

Submitted by modlectic on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 2:21pm.

I'm a fan of Laurel Potteries of Calif. dinnerware and watched ebay auction #150214578879 awhile back. I thought this set was interesting in that it included the California "Life" pitcher but in an apparently speckled glaze that was not marked California "Life" (according to the Q & A section of the auction). I also noticed that the sugar and creamer shapes were pictured in Mike Pratt's Mid-Century Modern Dinnerware (first book) as probable but unconfirmed Laurel production and given the bracketed name of [Suburbia]. Here they are with a set of Laurel dinnerware. The butter dish shape seen in this set was also used in several lines of Laurel dinnerware -- I've personally seen this shape marked California "Life" and Ceramastone, depending on the glaze treatment. The salt and pepper shakers look to be California "Living" shapes to me, although I had not seen the tall version of the shaker before. I wonder if this auction represents a different line of Laurel dinnerware that clearly included shapes borrowed from several other lines?

 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150214578879

mpratt's picture

Amazing set!

Submitted by mpratt on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 7:02am.

Clyde, I hope you had a chance to purchase that set. It's amazing! Thanks for bringing this auction to our attention.

Assuming that some of these pieces weren't adopted into the set, I think there is the distinct possibility that this set was sold just the way we see it. Which would mean, that--like so many other companies, but Salem comes to mind--as times changed or as a distributor wanted something a little different, a line would evolve or be created from two or more different lines. Sometimes just the cream & sugar would change. In this case, the salt and pepper too.

This, then would answer a lot of questions I've had in my mind regarding those shapes. Great pickup!

To confirm this, I'd like to see some sort of corroborating evidence.

Thanks, Clyde!

Laurel set

Submitted by modlectic on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 12:32pm.

I definitely thought about bidding on this set but talked myself out of it. At the time, I couldn't justify buying another set no matter how interesting. Could have been wrong in this case.