These figurines were produced in the '40s - 60's in Pasadena, California. The quality of the ware and the attention to details make these lovely ladies & gents stand out!
Examples are evaluated by size, rarity and details in the design. They were designed by Florence Ward, she literally started
out her work in her garage! In 1939, after the death of one of her two young sons, she began to dabble in clay as a means of
overcoming her grief. She was basically untrained in art, and decided to turn her hobby into a business after attending a ceramics class
in 1942. With her husband and other son away during WW2, she established the business on her own. When it had outgrown the family garage, she moved into a modest
plant on the east side of Pasadena in 1946. She had to relocate in '49 because her dream had grown beyond her wildest
imaginings! Florence was one of the first potteries to use actual lace decoration on figurines. The lace was cut to size and then dipped in slip and appplied to the piece prior
to decorating. In firing, the cloth burned away leaving a delicate ceramic replica.
Business slowed in the early sixties, and following the death of her husband, the company was sold to the Scripto Corporation. The Florence trade name was retained by Scripto, but advertising specialty ware
such as mugs, ashtrays and banks were the extent of their production. The company ceased operations entirely in 1977. Florence Ward died in 1991
at the age of 93. |
