Fruit / Dessert Bowls, Independence, Blue Tulip, Ironstone, Set of 5, Vintage

• Pattern: Blue Tulip -  (Discontinued)
• Made in: Japan 
• Vintage: 1968 - 1976
• Details:  A really beautiful set of blue and white ironstone dessert and/or fruit bowls.  This pattern is called "Blue Tulip", the bowls have an octagonal shape with a large tulip in the center surrounded by other smaller flowers and greenery, all in a deep navy blue.  The verge is not smooth, it has a ridged embossed design.  There's also a laurel-leaves design all around the border, also in deep navy blue,  just beautiful!  These are part of an entire dinnerware set from Independence .  The bowls are stamped in the back: "1776 Independence, Ironstone INTERPACE,  Japan".  Being ironstone, these bowls, although small, will be heavy.  If this is your pattern, we hope these will be a great addition to your collection.  There are some condition issues, please see "Condition" below.  We also carry Dinner Plates in this pattern, if you're interested in both the bowls and dinner plates, please Contact Us for a 20% discount code.
• Materials: Ironstone
• Dimension:  5.5 inches Wide
• Condition:  Vintage - Used.  Good Vintage Condition.  There is crazing and some staining on two of the bowls, No chips or cracks. minor surface scratches as consistent with age/use/wear.  Please review all pictures and make sure you love this item before purchasing, we can't accept returns.  Please remember these are VINTAGE and ANTIQUE items, they are NOT new, every effort has been made to show any scratches, wear  and imperfections. 

Our research has lead us to the following conclusion, however, if someone has different information, we would love to learn more.  Independence Ironstone was originally made by Castleton China. In August 1951, Shenango Pottery Company purchased the outstanding stock of Castleton.  In 1962 Franciscan, (originally made by Gladding McBean), became part of the ceramic house called International Pipe and Ceramics (INTERPACE).  In 1968 Interpace Corporation bought Shenango Ceramics and her wholly-owned subsidiaries, which included the Independence line.  Independence started to be shown and marketed in some of the same places as Franciscan.  Under Interpace's leadership, the staff at the Franciscan Division added new shapes to Independence.  Under INTERPACE, the Independence Ironstone line was manufactured in Japan, by either NTK (a ceramics company in Japan), or by NIKKO (who for years after sold this exact shape/style of the Independence plates and bowls), but we couldn't confirm.   The Independence line last appeared as a part of Franciscan catalog in 1976.