There are actually two companies that have the Capistrano name - the first is Capistrano Ceramics and the second is Capistrano Mission Potteries. While Lehner’s Marks lists the two companies separately, looking at the two marks between the two companies, they are nearly identical. This is too much of a coincidence - one must have come from the other, merged into, or was taken over by the other. This happened often with these California potteries.

It makes it difficult that there isn’t much information (as usual) to go on. John R. Stewart was listed on the actual name of the company and they made figurines and giftware - according to the entry in Chipman’s Encyclopedia they had a lot in common with Kay Finch’s products. Lehner lists the other Capistrano Mission Potteries as producing mostly dinnerware, so perhaps it was an offshoot of the original company that produced different types of items. The dates of production aren’t nailed down, but most likely occurred between 1945 and 1955.

The companies were based in San Juan Capistrano, made famous as the place where the “swallows come home to” in March. I’ve visited the area a number of times, but never during the festivals that take place.

Note: We've tried to provide as much info as possible on this pottery maker or artist. For further info, you may want to research the items they have on Ebay listed under this name. We've tried to hand tailor the searches below so they will bring up the most accurate results. If there are no results, it will list general California pottery.