Franciscan Desert Rose is beautiful dinnerware with a raised flower with stem & leaf pattern. The first of this lovely dinnerware was produced in 1941 by the Gladding McBean Co, Franciscan was the trade name. Franciscan Desert Rose Dinnerware is a very popular seller! Every auction that I have ever attended that featured this vintage dinnerware was highly attended and the pieces went sky high!
In 1979 the Wedgwood Limited Company of England bought Franciscan, that is why you will see some of the earlier pieces with California, U.S.A. and some with England on the back of the dinnerware. In 1984 Desert Rose was no longer be produced in the United States but is it is still being produced today by other countries including china so if you want vintage be sure and study the marks.
The earliest Desert Rose dinnerware made between 1941 to 1948 will have a circular arrangement of the word Franciscan and "Made In California USA" will be in the center. Between 1949 and 1975 there were forty plus marks on the backs of these plates, there were also paper labels which in most cases washed off if the dinnerware was used at all.
There are reference books for fine dinnerware, Gadding McBean and Franciscan Desert Rose at both bookstores and libraries so do a little research if you are buying them for a collection.
Franciscan Desert Rose is the most popular pattern ever sold. Both the Kennedy Administration and the Nixon Administration picked this dinnerware for special use. There is a huge display of Franciscan Desert Rose in the Smithsonian and is considered the the most purchased pattern in history.
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