Vintage 1930s Bakerite Casserole Dish by Harker Pottery - Amy Pattern

Prepare, bake, serve and store foods in the same attractive dishes... (Harker's ad campaign for their Bakerite line of dishes)

{HISTORY}

In the 1930s, this was how you made a casserole. You pulled out this dish, your favorite one, featuring the Amy pattern with the white, orange, and purple poppy flowers. You gathered all your ingredients. You cut, chopped, sliced, sifted, stirred and mixed everything up in order to form the perfect casserole that your family loved best. Then you popped the whole thing into the oven to bake. When the casserole was hot and bubbly and cooked to a golden brown, you pulled your dish out and took it directly to the table for serving. If there were any leftovers, you left them inside and simply covered the dish with its matching ceramic lid and tucked it into the fridge for another meal on another day. Counter to oven to table to fridge - that was the beauty of bakerite! 

Made by Harker, the oldest pottery in America,  this dish was part of their 1930s Bakerite line.  Innovative and fully functional, this specialty dishware was designed to withstand cold temperatures in the fridge and hot temperatures in the oven all while looking pretty for both food prep and tableside service.  Bakerite came in several different patterns. This one is their Amy pattern, which in addition to the floral design contained a ribbed body and a gold edge around the rim.

At some point during its 90 years of life, the original lid separated from this piece, opening up other possibilities besides casserole making. Today, this almost antique vessel would make a lovely fruit or vegetable bowl for the counter, a holder for flowers, succulents, or centerpieces for the table or a storage holder for items in the fridge or pantry. There is so much cooking history wrapped up in this one dish, it has practically turned itself into an art piece, ready to beautify your space with a gorgeous splash of authenticty and charm. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Hard to find dishware

- Amy pattern featuring poppy flowers in purple, orange and white

- Stamped on back with the Harker Pottery Bakelite mark

{CONDITION}

In well-loved vintage condition, this dish has been a part of a zillion meals over the years. There are no chips or cracks, but there is plenty of lovely crazing and staining throughout on both the interior and exterior. The gold stripe around the rim has worn off in most spots. 

The bakerite mark on the bottom of the dish has almost worn off all the way, but if you hold it to the light you can still make out about 50% of the logo and letters. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.5" inches (diameter) x 3.75" inches (height) and weighs 2.2lbs