Hollywood Craftsmen - Potteries of California

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”. I figured 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”.

Hollywood Craftsmen  - Potteries of 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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2 Responses to ““Hollywood Craftsmen” Not Calif Pottery?”

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  1. Cindy Abrams Says:

    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.

  2. Admin Says:

    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…

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