“Hollywood Craftsmen” Not Calif Pottery?
National Silver Company pulled a fast one on me.
I’d picked up this extremely heavy duty, cocoa colored mug thinking that it was California Pottery because of the backstamp. It read: “Hollywood Craftsmen, Styled and made in California”. Naively, I thought at first that it might be a variant on Robertson Pottery which was based in Hollywood and known to have the city’s name in their backstamp. It was only a dollar so it was cheap enough to take a chance on.
But when I got home, I couldn’t find the backstamp in any of the California ceramics books. Then I checked for the name in Lehner’s book on marks. Imagine my surprise to find that the stamp was actually from the New York based National Silver Company, sometimes known as Nasco.
They actually have a number of different California based stamps including “Hollywood Silverplate” and “Royal Hawaiian Made In California”.
Actually, it may not be completely wrong to call this item California Pottery. It turns out that a host of different California companies produced pottery, ceramics and dishes that were stamped with the Nasco brand, or as “Hollywood Craftsmen”. Probably done because at the time the name “California” and other related things such as Hollywood were such hot items. Some of the companies who were known to rebrand their products were Gladding McBean and Santa Anita Potteries.
I sort of think the extremely heavy nature of the mug looks like it was from a company like H.F. Coors or Wallace. If anyone knows the company that made this shape, please let me know…
“Hollywood Craftsmen” Not Calif Pottery? items
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June 22nd, 2008 at 11:34 am
I have a matching creamer and sugar bowl that is the same color as your mug. I belongs to my adopted dad who has a home in Los Angeles, CA not far from the old Gladding McBean factory site in Los Feliz. It is also marked Hollywood Craftsman a California Styled and Made in California. Each is about four inches tall and similar in width. The sugar bowl does not look like it was made to be fitted with a lid. I am looking around for information about the company and found your site. Thank you for the information.
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:04 am
cindy - You’re welcome. I really thought that Hollywood Craftsman was the actual company. It was a surprise to see they were from Nasco. I’m still wondering who might be the contract company they hired to make these items…
December 14th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I collect tableware and kitchenware from several of the early California Pottery companies. Gladding McBean made casseroles and a few other items for NASCO. Your mug looks similiar to a Nasco Casserole and some of the early hotelware too.
December 15th, 2008 at 9:17 am
jeffrey - Hi! I think I’ve seen you on Flickr before (i’m palebear). Thanks for that information - I think you may be right about Gladding. I wonder how many other California companies did this. Interestingly, just this past week I came across more of the “Styled in California” type dishes at the thrift. I didn’t pick them up, but I think they also said “Hollywood Ware” on the two plates that I saw. They had a speckled look, sort of like Santa Anita or Laurel Pottery…
May 30th, 2009 at 3:47 am
I did not do my research and recently picked up a yellow creamer and sugar bowl which has the exact same mark as the mug above. Funny you should say that about the sugar bowl lid, Cindy, because the sugar bowl does have a lid, and it obviously belongs with it, however, it is slightly ill- fitting. The ware is heavy and the quality of the glazing leaves a lot to be desired. Oh, well, live and learn - thanks Admin for the information.
May 30th, 2009 at 10:51 am
@marguerite - you’re welcome, these Hollywood Craftsmen pieces are really interesting. Hopefully, we’ll get more info later on which other companies besides Gladding produced them for Nasco.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I think you are absolutely correct that many California companies and probably other USA potteries were manufacturing for Craftsman (NASCO). I have Metlox Autumn Bloom (sometimes misnamed Delphinium Orange) plates that have either Metlox or Craftsman Marks on the reverse (not both). Other than the marks they are identical and certainly could be used together in a table setting. Since this is a registered Metlox Proutyware pattern I feel almost certain that they were contracted by NASCO to put the Craftsman mark on an order for them.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I picked up a bowl last summer. The back side says: Nasco Pottery, Paradise of Roses, 22 kt. Gold, Union Made, U.S.A. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
January 20th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
I bought a 12″ tall drip glazed water pump with a bucket, which is separate from the pump and flooring (all pottery) and has a metal handle. The work that went into this mold is unreal. The detail from the pump, to the drip glaze to the ceramic base made to look like old wood is fantastic. No fly-by-night co. made this novelty piece, no way.
I’m thinking this is from the late 1940’s as the bucket has 3 kiln stilt marks and other signs. It has the original worn decal stating around the top edge is “Hollywood Craftsman” and it has a tulip in the middle and on the bottom of the decal it says “Hand Decorated” under the flower and under that “Made in California”.
Do you have any further information aside from what’s on your website about Hollywood Craftsman? I see there is debate if these items were made in California. I will post the pump ASAP on flickr where the full decal is now.
I don’t see how NASCO could make a statement on a decal in the 40’s that is not true, that the pottery is made in California. Comments? It’s an interesting find. I’m wondering what pottery made these pieces with this mark? There is a partial of the decal in the Lehner book under NAPCO. See decal posts.
(L:ATER POST) The Ohio decals said Made in Ohio so why would we think that a group of companies could use Made in California and not get called on it by the government or other potteries across the USA at that time??? Very unlikely in my book. They’d be called on it I would think as competition was BEYOND fierce and so would attacks on companies lying about where they are making pottery would be just as fierce in my book. They were not into the type of reproduction [fakes] as you see today. These were companies making pottery, period. My thoughts and personal opinions. Regards, Tom
April 25th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
It looks to me like a Santa Anita mug that I have. About 3 and 1/3 inches tall, very thick walled, 3 kiln marks on the bottom. Mine says Santa Anita Ware on it, but as you’ve indicated this could be one that was contracted out. If it is a match for mine, I might be interested in buying it if you still have it.