The Homer Laughlin China Company first opened stores in the early 1870s. The Wells and Aaron families bought the company 26 years later. Homer Laughlin products quickly became nationally renowned for their craftsmanship, strong temperament, and lead-free glazes. More recent innovations introduced a substance called Alpha Alumina, a state-of-the-art material which added structural protection.

Today, more than 1,000 people work at the Homer Laughlin China Company, which maintains a 37-acre facility. All told, the company has produced more than 4,000 dinnerware patterns. These patterns include Eggshell Nautilus, Riviera, Liberty, Rhythm, Virginia Rose, Eggshell Georgian, and Willow. Of course, the Homer Laughlin China Company is most famous for its Fiesta dishes.

Homer Laughlin Fiestaware was introduced during the late 1930s at the end of the Great Depression. These pieces featured bright colors and simple designs in the Art Deco style. Fiestaware quickly became popular among the middle and upper classes. The red Fiesta dishes contained uranium, which added brightness and sheen to the dishes.

Homer Laughlin had to discontinue the 'radioactive red' Fiestaware in the 1940s due to a national shortage of uranium. While the line was briefly discontinued in the 1970s, Homer Laughlin released Fiestaware in the 1980s to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and it has been selling successfully with an ever-expanding color palette since. To learn more about this fascinating company, you may want to get a copy of Homer Laughlin--Decades of Dinnerware, a 559-page hardbound tome.