Fiesta (Dinnerware) (Paperback)

Fiesta, or Fiestaware, is a line of dinnerware glazed in differing solid colors manufactured and marketed by the Homer Laughlin China Company of Newell, West Virginia, since 1936 with a hiatus from 1973 to 1985. The original shapes, glazes and concept of combining various colors were designed by the company's art director Frederick Hurten Rhead in the 1930s. The dinnerware was introduced for retail sales to great success in 1936. Some of the original shapes were redesigned and other new shapes were designed after 1984 by the late Jonathan O. Parry, who became the company art director that year. As a line of open-stock dinnerware, Fiestaware allows buyers to select by the piece, rather than requiring the purchase of entire sets. Notably, buyers can mix and match from the color range. According to David Conley, the company's director of retail sales and marketing, Fiestaware's current colors derive from home decor and fashion trends. According to the Smithsonian Institution Press, Fiestaware's appeal lies in its bright colors, modern design, and affordability. Fiestaware is well-known for having contained significant amounts of radioactive materials in some of its glazes.