Franciscan Ware

It was May 12, 1875 when Peter McGill McBean and George Chambers along with new partner, Charles Gladding went to Lincoln, California bringing with them skilled craftsmen in the pottery trade.

Gladding, McBean and Company was born and they soon began manufacturing and shipping sewer clay pipes to cities and towns throughout the state of California.

The company built a two-story office building in 1884 on Market Street in San Francisco using terra cotta trim that was made at their Lincoln plant. The architectural design used in their office building attracted enough attention and soon the company became the leaders in producing architectural terra cotta to be shipped around the world.

During the early 1890s Gladding, McBean and Company began expanding into fire brick, roof tile, chimney pipes and ornamental garden pottery. Stanford University became the site of an early clay roof tile project and the school continues to be a recipient of the clay tile for expansions and new building projects.

The company operated through 1962 and merged with Lock and Joint Pipe Co. forming the Interspace Corporation. In 1972 Interspace decided to conclude operations at the Lincoln plant. Fortunately, Pacific Building Products purchased the company and restored the name of Gladding and McBean.

Franciscan ware was first offered as early as 1934 offering hand decorated designs which were largely floral. Desert Rose became one of the most popular dinnerware patterns in American history. Franciscan remained popular with its California style of ceramics and Spanish –Western styles and was sold to Wedgwood in 1979.

The dinnerware began its development and marketing when Frederic and Mary Grant came to work for the company bringing disciplined styles of American Art Pottery and having been an integral part of Weller Pottery. The Grants remained with the company into the 1950s and had an influence over every Franciscan design.

Originally sold under the name Franciscan Pottery with its bright earthenware colors of the American Southwest the name Franciscan eluded to Franciscan Monks and the style of Mexican folk pottery. Franciscan earthenware was responsible for introducing the “California Style” American ceramics using Spanish names like Montecito and Coronado.

New Franciscan markings were introduced in the 1930s called “Franciscan Ware and their new patterns were hand painted with a raised relief process.

Franciscan Apple quickly became very popular upon its introduction in 1940 followed by Franciscan Desert Rose in 1941 and these early pieces are still popular with today’s collectors. Wildflower designs and other floral motifs were not produced as widely and remain popular with collectors also. Desert Rose is by far the most popular of Franciscan designs.