The Vintage Dinnerware Brand To Look For At Thrift Stores

If you're merely a casual thrifter, a colorful set of plates and bowls might escape your notice. But they shouldn't — because they might be from the dinnerware brand Fiesta, and those solid-toned, lightly ridged sets could be some of the most iconic pieces ever made, known as Fiestaware. This dinnerware (as well as serveware, bakeware, and glassware) is easy to spot if you just turn the plate or bowl over and see the words "GENUINE fiesta" or "HLC Fiesta" (the HLC stands for Homer Laughlin China).

If you're truly lucky, you might be holding one of the original five colors: Red, Yellow, Medium Green, Cobalt Blue, and Ivory. In the 1950s, as colors trended toward softer shades, Fiesta released Chartreuse, Forest Green, Rose, and Gray. After the company stopped producing dinnerware in 1973 (before starting up again in the 1980s), people started collecting the pieces in earnest — today, it's "the most collected brand of china in the United States" (via The NYT). If you happen to find a few pieces or even an entire set that ended up in a Goodwill store or a yard or estate sale, it's definitely worth picking up, and not just for its storied history.

Fiestaware is known for its signature colors, which are often bold and cheery, perfect for livening up an otherwise muted kitchen or increasing how delicious your meal looks (though Ina Garten doesn't recommend using brightly colored plates at dinner parties, do what you like). If you grew up eating soup from a Fiestaware bowl at your grandma's house, they can also take you on a trip down memory lane. But nostalgia aside, the vintage pieces — Fiestaware is still in business — are highly collectible and can be worth tens, and sometimes thousands, of dollars. A single plate can fetch up to $50, while a watermelon pedestal cake plate (not vintage — from 2024) can sell on eBay for $800.

If you're in the market for dinnerware that you can actually use in your day-to-day, though, Fiestaware is known for its durability; the pieces can be frozen, they can go into an oven up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and they can also be microwaved and go in your dishwasher. In short, this dinnerware can withstand decades of use. However, some prefer to keep their certain Fiesta pieces and colors, specifically the very pretty Lilac, out of rotation because it's on the rarer side and is a much sought-after color.

When Fiesta began selling its wares in the 1930s, it was common practice for ceramics companies to use a glaze that contained uranium oxide to give the color a boost. This led to what is known as the "radioactive" red hue from Fiesta, where the orangey rust-colored pieces contained far more uranium than any of the other colors released at that time. Production of radioactive red likely would have stopped at some point later in the 20th century, but as it happens, it halted in the 1940s because the government needed Fiesta's uranium stores to build the atomic bomb.

You might have also heard that Fiestaware contains high levels of lead — and it did, up until 1971, when the FDA began regulating the levels in ceramics. However, a representative from that same government body did tell Smithsonian Magazine that, unless the dinnerware is chipped, cracked, or "pitting," the plates and bowls, etc., are still considered safe to use (unlike some vintage dinnerware). The same is true for the radioactive pieces — the levels are so low that they don't pose a risk to your health (if you prefer to err on the side of caution, go ahead and just display your pieces). That said, all Fiestaware made after the company went into production again in 1986 is uranium- and lead-safe.