Gladding McBean, Franciscan Art Ware

Gladding McBean got its start 1873 and is still going strong in Lincoln, California producing Terra Cotta Building Products. The Lincoln plant also produced heavy terra cotta garden wares. In 1934 they introduced a complete line of Dinner Ware, Kitchen Wares and Art Ware produced in a new plant located in Glendale, California. They went on to produce 100's of well known Malinate based Dinner Ware lines, Fine China Ware patterns and Art Ware shapes until the sold in the late 80's to Wedgewood China.

Montebello Art Ware, was the only art ware to use the two glaze colors of Ciel Blue interior (almost ivory) and Persion Blue exterior. Persion Blue has an orange peel like finish. Shown here are the shapes of C-284 (mini oil jar like shape), C-275 (double handled vase) and # 116 (known as the bottle shape).

Contours Art Ware, was the only art ware produced on a fine china body. There was 33 shapes offered in 6 different exterior glaze colors, plain or decorated. Shown here are the #24 Bouquet Vase in Black and White Decorated, and #'s 20, 21 and 22 Tube Vases.

Cielito Art Ware, designed with elegant Chinese shapes in mind, was first for sale in 1934. It was offered in several glaze colors and many of the shapes tranfered to other art ware lines. Shown here are the shapes # 115, # 104, # 137 and # 105, all in the highly sought after, and rare glaze color of Ruby Red and Celestrial White.

Reseda Art Ware, had it's own unique glaze colors offered only in this line. Agate, Gold, Matrix Blue and Verde Green, where modeled like satin colors. Shown here is the shape C-449 bud vase, in all four of those glaze colors offered.