CLASSIC VINTAGE "FIESTAWARE"

OVAL-SHAPED SERVING DISH

ORANGE COLOR, 1936-1943

"RADIOACTIVE RED" ORANGE COLOR

EXCELLENT CONDITION

NO CRACKS OR SERIOUS IMPERFECTIONS

$88.00 Plus $19.75 Shipping

The Homer Laughlin Co. of West Virginia

used 14% uranium to produce the "Radioactive

Red" orange color in the ceramic glaze. This

was only done from 1936 to 1943; in 1943,

the federal "Manhattan Project" confiscated

all the uranium ore that had been stockpiled

for these ceramic plates. The uranium ore

was needed to produce the atomic bombs

that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

during August 1945.

Using a Ludlum 2200 geiger counter (see

photos) and a Ludlum 44-9 pancake probe,

the top dish surfaces were measured for

their radiation. The two surfaces gave

identical measurements:  38,400. CPM,

a radiation response in the middle range.

This serving dish weights 36.6 ounces.

IS IT SAFE TO EAT FOOD SERVED ON

THIS OVAL FIESTAWARE SERVING

PLATE ?

I will enclose a discussion of the food

safety topic, prepared by the National

Radiation Museum at Oak Ridge TN. The

federal EPA (Environmental Protection

Agency) stated that the main danger from

eating on uranium-based serving plates

arises from any imperfections the plates

might have. These imperfections would

include cracks or small breaks in the 

glazed surface, such as chips, or small

glaze-chunks that fell off the surface.

None of these small pieces of the colored

glaze should be swallowed, which could

result in DNA injury to the body's cells.

In a written report, the EPA reported a

long-term follow-up study on medical

effects; they did NOT find injury among

workers who made these FiestaWare

plates by hand. The radiation levels 

measured in the plates varied, because

the thickness of the orange glaze material

varied because the plates' glaze was hand-

applied, yielding varied radiation

measurements.

I am also selling orange Fiestaware

cups ($25.00 + s/h), 6" plates ($25.00

+ s/h), and 9" plates ($40.00 + s/h)

The radiation measurements are similar

across these vintage products: Most

radiation measurements fluctuate from

25,000 cpm to 40,000. cpm, varying 

with the glaze's thickness on the

ceramic.

For this FiestaWare serving dish:

$88.00 plus $19.75 s/h

It will be mailed via USPS Priority

mail, which includes $100.00

insurance during shipping.

Stephen Buggie, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Univ. of New Mexico, Gallup

705 Gurley Ave.

Gallup NM 87301