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MULTI-STONE ... made at Laurel Plant now run by Sylvan

by: laurelfellow( 641Feedback score is 500 to 999) Top 10000 Reviewer
1 out of 1 people found this guide helpful.
Guide viewed: 516 times Tags: Laurel | Sylvan | Multistone


                    

I will eventually post more detailed information regarding this line.

                   .

(carafe showen should have lid - it's missing) (Platters are new -that is not a mold or shape found in previous lines.)

Understand for now that, generally speaking, Sylvan Co takes over Laurel Co plant and then utilizes Laurel molds etc to make Multi-stone.  The molds (shapes) used are mostly recycled from Cerama-stone and LIFE and other patterns by Laurel, and pieces maked Sylvan Multi-stone have been found in other pattern shapes as well, including even Seaside.   Sylvan apparently was rather hodgepodge in approach reusing many molds form many previous patterns and marking them Multi-Stone.  There are at least 4 cup styles, quite different.  Creamers and shakers and probably other shapes from more than one pattern/line, etc, etc.  Manufactured for some months of 1961 and early 1962.  Limited production.  Not common.  (Laurel Co operated the plant since late 1944, and the plant opened (as Joaquin Co) in 1938.  (In Stockton CA.)  They made mostly dinnerwares.  (Early Laurel also made some of the ceramic dolls for Nancy Ann.)  Before 1938 The plant existed to some extent, for certain clay products, but no dinnerwares.  Sylvan was a very breif -and last- chapter in this history of this plant.

(Photo of a Seaside shape tall creamer, marked Multi-stone and glazed in Multi-stone color:)

:

Compare guide for California Contempo.  Sets evidently were sold (have been found entire) comprised with both stamps, that is, pieces within sets found are marked with either the stamp CALIFORNIA CONTEMPO or Sylvan Multi-Stone.  I believe, but remain uncertain (!), that California Contempo was Laurel Stock that Sylvan sold.  The glazes are all (or most) Laurel c. 1959-1960 glazes, and were continued to be used by Sylvan, (even though sylvan renamed the colors, and may have added a color listed as "Stereo-stone")

So: same colors  as for CALIFORNIA CONTEMPO.  Also note that they closely mimick the glazes Bauer introduce in 1960 for Bauer Contempo.  (blue, yellow, and "stereo-stone" colors also  in addition to colors mimicking Bauer.)  (Mimicked name, too, rather, no?)

This is the same Sylvan that previously had a plant in Pasadena, and was more known for gift items (vases, Susan food servers, floral shakers, candy dishes, the like.)  Many records I've found(and interviews) indicate he and his daughter were very unethical business folk, not paying insurance, taxes, some payrolls, or for even the plant purchase from Laurel Co ! ... that just for starters.   I saw the court records.  The Sylvans were apparently just horrid.

Still, the dinnerware is nice stuff.  It is, handsome utilizing some  modern fluid shapes (of LIFE pattern et al), and is durable.  Design credit for shapes originally used in earlier lines goes essentially to Ted Scarpino.

With such short production, and the scarcity of ephemera from the period, it has been difficult to discover everything we might like to know about this line, and its Laurel Co counterpart -CALIFORNIA CONTEMPO.   I write a guide on California Contempo, as well. 

Hope this guide helps abit. 


Guide ID: 10000000004144073Guide created: 08/06/07 (updated 11/03/07)

 
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