Franciscan china is one of my favorite vintage wares. I enjoy the warmth, casual charm, and easy Southwestern style of many of these patterns.
Franciscan began in the 1930s, as a brand name of the Gladding McBean & Co. pottery company in California.
The oldest Franciscan dinnerware was made in the USA, and later in Japan. Along the way, the co
mpany was sold or merged with other makers. Later pieces were made in England. The newest pieces were made in China.
Two of the most popular Franciscan patterns are Desert Rose and Apple. These were made for more than 50 years. They are colorful and graceful in shape and style. Many people have these, and collect them, too.
If you want an absolute match between newer and older pieces in these patterns, be sure to check them out side by side on your table.
A mix of newer and older can give texture to your table setting, but you’ll probably notice differences in color.
Franciscan made sleeker patterns during the 50s and 60s.
Patterns like Cloud Nine (plain white) and Fan Tan (understated decoration in earthy colors) from the Whitestone Ware line, and have a smooth, Mid Century Modern look and feel.
This is timeless, classic dinnerware.
Then there’s Hacienda Gold (and its counterpart, Hacienda Green). This pattern has design roots in the funky, back-to-nature 1960s, and was made into the 1980s.
If you’re in the right age group, you know what Harvest Gold and Avocado Green kitchens, were like, right down to the cookware and the appliances.
I like the Hacienda patterns because they are warm and homey, with soft, casual color. They are great for parties like Cinco de Mayo (May 5), or any other casual summer party.
The gold and green can be mixed to create as large a table setting as you wish.
I’ve written about Franciscan several times, including:
Check out these classic Franciscan dinnerware offerings to build your vintage china collection:
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I have quite a bit of the vintage Franciscan Apple going back to mostly the 40’s and 50’s. I am in my early 60’s and this is the pattern I grew up with. I am interested in selling some of it, but not sure where to start. Any recommendations?
Hello Mary!
Selling some dinnerware…where to start depends on a lot of factors. If you have a good consignment shop in your area that handles dishes, that may be a start. No shipping for you, and they interact with buyers. However, there are downsides, too, like any other option. You could sell yourself online, though it’s a learning curve to set up, and shipping can be pricey, especially if you don’t do much of it and have to use retail rates.
The market for a lot of vintage dishes is pretty soft due to so many people downsizing. I think that Apple would be one pattern that holds some value because it is so charming. You could get an idea by looking at listings on sites like eBay or Etsy, to see what people have it listed for (and some listings may give you an idea of whether it’s selling at that price).
If I saw this pattern in my favorite thrift store in this area, I’d expect to find it in the auction case, where shoppers can bid via a paper system. This is an uncommon scenario, but this one-off store does it.
Hope this helps!