Preliminary identification
Photo reference
4 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a beautifully preserved, large ceramic platter or charger featuring the iconic concentric ring design that defined West Coast modernism. Glazed in a vibrant, satin-matte jade green, it represents the pioneering 'Ringware' line that brought cheerful, casual color to American dining tables during the Great Depression.
Story
In 1930, amidst the gloom of the Great Depression, a Los Angeles pottery company made a radical gamble to sell dinnerware in bright, mix-and-match solid colors. It was a massive hit, instantly transforming gloomy American dining rooms and sparking a nationwide obsession with colorful, casual tableware.
Maker / Origin
Originally founded in Kentucky, J.A. Bauer relocated his pottery to Los Angeles in 1910, initially producing utilitarian stoneware and flowerpots. Under the design leadership of Louis Ipsen and ceramicist Victor Houser in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the company pioneered vibrant, solid-colored dinnerware.
Condition & Value
The platter appears to be in very good vintage condition with vibrant glaze color and minimal surface scratching. The three unglazed spots on the back are original manufacturing stilt marks, not damage. Excellent condition without chips or hairline cracks commands the higher end of the value range.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.