The Economic Depression was a bankruptcy period for most industries. But John Frank’s Frankoma company is the only one that actually flourished during that time!
Well, that’s because Frankoma wasn’t your regular pottery! John, the owner, mixed local red clay and exotic white clay to add a fresh look to his ceramic pottery, jugs, and figurines! And that’s what interests collectors even today!
But the problem lies in pricing! Without knowledge of their right value, sellers price the Frakoma products speculatively. So we’ve created this Frankoma Pottery value and identification guide with a foolproof, expert-verified way to value those items!
Key Takeaways
- Most vintage Frankoma pottery products cost $5-400. Usually, their value depends on age, colors, materials, and rarity.
- You’ll get old Frankoma plates for $5 – 160. Here, the abstract-shaped Platters, Dinner, or Desert plates are worth more than the others.
- You’ll see four types of Frankoma bowls: Dessert, Fruit, Cereal, and Mixing. They usually cost $5 – $75.
- Small Frankoma table accessories like coasters, salt and pepper shakers, cruets, and creamers cost $5 – 200.
Identifying & Valuing Vintage Frankoma Pottery
Old Frankoma pottery dishes are worth around $5 – $200, depending on their type, age, and color. Usually, green or gold-colored dinner plates and platters are rarer and more valuable.
Now, the final value of Frankoma pottery depends on the products – vases, lamps, figurines, and plates. But it’s not just that! Here are some more features that will help you appraise it rightly:
- Use and percentage of local red and white clay from Oklahoma, USA
- Color and finish of their in-office glazes – Prairie Green, Desert Gold, Woodland Moss, and Plainsman Brown
- Hand-carved carvings and motifs like leaves, shells, and animals
- Great South-west inspired designs like wagon wheels, American masks, and boots
- One-step firing process for more durable and lead-free pottery
9 Types of Frankoma Products & Their Estimated Worth
Frankoma company made endless pottery products and patterns over the years. Here is a well-segregating list of all Frankoma pottery products with their average market values for your reference!
1. Frankoma Pottery Plates
Frankoma pottery plates aren’t like your regular clay plates. In fact, most have red and white clay designs, embossed leaf carvings, and rims. Apart from that, you’ll also see some glazes and lacquers that add a unique, warm tone.
Yes, most aged products might have chips or cracks, but that doesn’t matter much if your plate has a mold number. So, rotate the plate and check the mold marks to affirm the make.
And here’s a price guide for all types of Frankoma plates and their colors:
| Type of Frankoma Plate | Key Features | Available Colors | Era | Estimated Price |
| Dessert Plate | 6 – 7 inch diameter with Prairie Gold, Desert Gold, and Brown Satin finishes, groove borders, and whitish cores | Brown, Gold, and Green | 1920s – 1970 | $5 – 40 |
| Candy Dish | Round, Oval, Square, Rectangular, Leaf or Shell – shaped plates with a Flame or Peach Glow finish | Brown, Green, Blue, White, and Yellow | 1920 – 1980 | $10 – 80 |
| Charger Plate | 11 – 12 inches plate with tan-colored Ada or Sapulpa clay walls | Gray or Tan | 1960 – 1970 | $5 – 15 |
| Bread Plate | 6 – 7 inch plates with Flame or Brown Satin finishes | Brown, Green, Blue, Gold | 1950 – 1980 | $5 – 50 |
| Butter Dish | Rectangular dishes with extra lids and Flame red or White finishes | Brown, Green & White | 1920 – 1960 | $10 – 45 |
| Platter | Round, Oval, Square, or Wagon-wheel shapes with Flame or Robin Egg Blue finishes | Brown, Green, Blue, Gold, White | 1970 – 1990 | $10 – 200 |
| Dinner Plate | 10 – 11 inch plates with logos, mold numbers, and Desert Gold or Flame finishes | Green, Brown, Blue, Gold | 1920 – 1999 | $5 – 300 |
Look for Frankoma plates with simple, geometric shapes and a glossy Prairie Green Glaze for more value.
2. Frankoma Pottery Drinkware
Frankoma pottery drinking ware consists of a bunch of products – cups, jars, mugs, saucers, and whatnot! So, each obviously has a different material and era that affects the cost. Let’s see how!
| Type of Frankoma Drinking Ware | Key Features | Available Materials | Era | Average Value |
| Glass – Tumbler & Shot | 8 – 10 oz glasses with Desert gold, Brown Satin, or Flame finishes | Clay, Ceramic & Stone | 1920 – 1980 | $5 – 70 |
| Drinking Water Jars | 3 – 4 quarts jug with cylindrical walls, cork stoppers, and 5D or 5T mold marks | Clay & Ceramic | 1950 – 1990 | $10 – 70 |
| Tea & Coffee Cups | 6 – 7oz cups with leaves, shells, Democratic or Republican carvings | Clay, Ceramic, Stone & Terracotta | 1960 – 1980 | $5 – 30 |
| CoffeePots | Round and elongated pots with short spouts, curved handles, and double rims | Clay & Stoneware | 1950 – 1970 | $15 – 150 |
| Decanters | 2 – 3 quarts decanters with cylindrical lids, stoppers, and opaque walls | Clay & Ceramic | 1970 – 1980 | $10 – 60 |
| Water Pitchers | Round, Rectangular, or Barrel-shaped pitchers with ice guards and cork stoppers | Clay, Glass, Ceramic, Stoneware, Porcelain or Terracotta | 1920 – 1990 | $5 – 450 |
| Mugs | 6 – 7oz mugs with Prairie Green, Desert Gold, Flame & Robin Egg Blue finish | Clay, Porcelain, Ceramic & Terracotta | 1920 – 1970 | $5 – 200 |
Get Frankoma drinking ware with mid-century modern, Victorian, or Colonial patterns for good value.
3. Frankoma Pottery Bowls
You’ll get four types of Frankoma bowls – Dessert, Fruit, Cereal, and Mixing Bowls. Of these, the mixing bowls are a bit large, while the dessert ones are fancy. So, both fetch a good value. Here, you can also look for Mission or Art Deco-style bowls to hike the costs.
And here’s how much you can charge for each Frankoma bowl:
| Type of Frankoma Pottery Bowls | Key Features | Bowl Style | Era | Average Price |
| Dessert Bowls | 4 – 5 inch bowls with logos, mold numbers, and Brown Satin or flame finishes | Art-Deco & Mid-century Modern | 1950 – 1960 | $5 – 25 |
| Fruit Bowls | Round, Oval, Leaf, or Cornucopia shaped bowls with logos and mold numbers | Mission | 1960 – 1970 | $5 – 30 |
| Cereal Bowls | Small, sturdy bowls with Wagonwheel, plainsman, and country charm patterns | Art-Deco & Mid-century Modern | 1960 – 1990 | $5 – 90 |
| Mixing Bowls | Round, Square, Oval, or Nested bowls with 5X or 6V marks | Mission & Modern | 1980 – 1990 | $10 – 100 |
4. Frankoma Pottery Dining Tableware
Now, let’s check the value of the small table accessories like cruets, trays, shakers, and creamers. Well, these are not pricey like the rest, but still grab attention due to their distinct colors and textures! So, let’s check their features and costs!
| Frankoma Pottery Dining Tableware | Key Features | Era | Estimated Price |
| Cruets | Round, Square, Oval, or Tapered shapes with Frankoma, 6J, or 6V marks | 1950 – 1960 | $5 – 50 |
| Trays | Round, Square, Oval, or Leaf trays with 5PS or 6P marks | 1950 – 1990 | $5 – 200 |
| Salt & Pepper Shakers | Round, Cylindrical, Animal or Barrel-shaped shakers with 5HS or 6S marks | 1930 – 1970 | $1 – 200 |
| Creamers | Reddish clay bodies with short spouts, handles, and 5A or 7D marks | 1920 – 1990 | $5 – 60 |
| Coasters | Round, Square, Oval, or Clover shapes with cattle, political, or easter designs | 1990s | $15 – 50 |
Pick Frankoma tableware with handmade clay, bone china, or terracotta walls for an old make.
5. Frankoma Pottery Ashtrays
You’ll usually get Frankoma ashtrays between $5 – 120. Here, it’s so that the round, arrow, or fish-shaped stone models are pricey, while the rest are relatively cheaper. Also, rotate their base and check for a 455, 458, or 469 mark to verify their make!
Look for Frankoma ashtrays with an American Empire, Art Deco, or Mid-century design to hike costs.
6. Old Frankoma Vases
Old Frankoma vases cost between $10 – 250. But here, the price changes with the patterns, shapes, and materials. For example, bulged, abstract-shaped or polished vases cost $100 – 250, while simple ones value up to $120. So, choose rightly!
7. Figurines, Sculptures & Ornaments
Now, Frankoma didn’t limit its collection to cooking bowls and plates. In fact, it started its own line of table & home decor items in the 1940s. But sadly, it didn’t go as well as the kitchen line. So, most of these products are rare and difficult to get!
Here, let’s see the costs and features of each:
| Frankoma Pottery Decor Items | Key Features | Era | Selling Price |
| Figurines | Small and abstract-shaped figures with Desert Gold, Brown Satin, and Flame finishes | 1940 – 1970s | $20 – 400 |
| Sculptures | Solid, human-shaped sculptures with a Woodland moss or Prairie green finish and mold marks | 1990 – 2000s | $40 – 100 |
| Ornaments | Round, 5-6 inch decorations with Christmas, Regional, or Political carvings | 1970 – 1990 | $15 – 50 |
Try to get Frankoma decor items with red Sapulpa clay or yellowish Ada clay bases for more.
8. Frankoma Casseroles
You’ll easily get Frankoma Casseroles between $10 -150. Usually, the ones with inbuilt stands, spouts, and round handles cost more than the small, open-lid ones. Here, you can also look for the 1920 – 1940s pieces to hike costs! You’ll usually get all the date stamps at the base!
9. Rare Frankoma Products
Now, let’s move to the limited-edition or rare Frankoma products. And to spot those, just see if your product has some unique, abstract designs or cork finishes. If yes, it’s a rare piece, and you can hike its total cost by 10 – 40%, as per the age and size.
Here is a list of some rare Frankoma products have a ready list for your reference:
| Rare Frankoma Pottery Items | Era | Estimated Price |
| Nixon / Ford Mugs | 1974 | $500 – 800 |
| Cork Tree Bark Vase | 1960 – 1970 | $350 |
| Round Ink Stamp Vase | 1930 | $600 |
| Frankoma Oriental Man & Woman Mask | 1935 | $650 |
| Original Cornucopia or Planter | 1930 | $550 |
Where Can I Sell My Frankoma Pottery?
You can sell your old Frankoma pottery on e-commerce sites like eBay, Etsy, Live Auctioneers, and 1st Dibs. But you can also document your product and mail it to the Frankoma Pottery sales department to help you out!
Which is the Most Expensive Frankoma Pottery?
Usually, rare or limited-edition, abstract-shaped, or cork-finished Frankoma articles cost more, even up to $800. But you’ll also get good value for larger pottery items like dishes, casseroles, and sculptures.
Frankoma pottery has been insanely popular since the 1930s. Today, collectors pick it for its glazes, shapes, molds, and branded make. Here, you’ll find all the values of common and exclusive pieces you would love to collect! So, just check the tables and pick one right away!
And if you love branded crockery, you might also love Vintage Corelle patterns. So, join us right now to learn about their identification and value!
