FLORENCE CERAMICS OF PASADENA: April 2013

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Doug Foland of Portland OR. is the author of 2 books.

Florence Ceramics Collectibles An Era Of Elegance.

A Tribute To Edwin Bower Hesser And His Wife Eve.

see info @ edwinbowerhesser.com

edwinbowerhesser.com

Hesser was a front runner in the photo world. His career spanned the Silent Era 1920's through 1940's. HARLOW DAVIS CRAWFORD LOY DAVIES LOMBARD SWANSON They were all seen through this icon. edwinbowerhesser.com I have written the first book. Our family knew his wife Eve. We rescued her after Hesser died in 1962. She more less' had gone over the edge. She was living in a long ago forgotten mansion in Canoga Park CA. Their home was on The Hollywood tour bus. We say the Hesser studio. Pinup Girl Calendars from long ago. Shelves of dusty forgotten Max Sennette movies. Silent Era and Hollywood stars calling out from long ago aged magazines. We brought Eve back to her home town Spokane WA. Her sister was our live in housekeeper for some 15 years. The Book "A Tribute To Edwin Bower Hesser And His Wife Eve".

Florence Ceramics Pasadena, CA

Florence Ward began her ceramic work in her family's garage. This art work served as a form of grief therapy after the loss of her young son Jack. She took ceramic courses at different times in her work artistic work. Her first order of ceramics went to the May's Dept. store in Pasadena. After the the war her husband Clifford and their son Clifford Jr. joined the company. The Florence Ceramics factory at its peak in the 1950's employed 2oo. There were 9 show rooms across the country. These high end ceramics sold in Dept. Stores, Jewelry Stores, and your better gift shops. They sold in the 1940's 50's and into the mid 1960's. They ranged in price from $3.00 to $50.00. (Remembering that $50.00 was a weeks pay and a house payment.) The family went to court 3 times for copyright infringement. They won each time. The cheap copies coming from Asia caused them to sell the company. At the time the company was sold the ceramics figurine molds were destroyed.