This Eva Zeisel Fine Stoneware from Monmouth chop plate in the Pennsylvania Dutch pattern is an excellent example of this difficult to find, mid-century modern dinnerware line. 

The chop plate measures 13.75-inches in diameter, and is in excellent condition, but has some factory glaze pops and dark spots in the glaze that is very typical for this type of stoneware. See the photos for these details.

This piece will be packaged in a 20x20x8-inch box with inner protection to ensure damage-free shipping. Please note that the $3.80 handling charge is for shipping insurance.

Of all Eva’s dinnerware lines, none better exemplified her design philosophy of linking the past and present, combining practicality with fun, or better displayed her virtuosity than Eva Zeisel Fine Stoneware from Monmouth. Consisting of 51 pieces, the line was organized into basic dinnerware, a kitchenware line, and a group of unique, bird-shaped serving pieces, all available in 15 patterns and three solid glazes. It was easily her most comprehensive dinnerware line. Although many of the shapes and patterns were reminiscent of folk art, the line was sufficiently modern to earn a place in the Museum of Modern Art’s 1954 Good Design exhibit.

In the early 1950s, Western Stoneware in Monmouth, Illinois, commissioned Eva to design a line of dinnerware and accessories of fine stoneware. Eva spent almost a year, and a considerable amount of time in Monmouth, developing the line. Gerald Gullota, Eva’s assistant and Pratt Institute design student, traveled with her to work on the dinnerware line patterns with Eva’s direction. During the summer months, Eva’s children John and Jeannie stayed in Monmouth, too. There was much fun and experimentation during the process. Many of the patterns initially were created using a potato stamp method… later translated to rubber stamps for production. Patterns were printed in blue or rust on Cloud Grey so they could be used with the dinnerware in solid colored glazes of Blueberry or Rust.

Despite initial enthusiasm from retailers, and with many orders, a union strike shut down production of the dinnerware line. While the factory was idled, the stoneware kiln burned and was destroyed. When the factory reopened, production of the dinnerware could not continue.

The dinnerware design and molds were owned by Eva (Eva Zeisel Associates was the distributor), and several years later, she contracted with Hollydale Pottery in Los Angeles to produce the line. Unfortunately, Hollydale closed due to financial problems, soon after starting production on the Fine Stoneware line. In the early 1960s, Eva reimagined the dinnerware line with new pieces, and it was produced in Japan for Schmid International. Unfortunately, the third iteration of the line was not a sales success and production stopped within a year or two.