The American-Made Dishware Brand To Look For At Thrift Stores

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Pyrex casserole dishes and rare Lenox china patterns aren't the only high-quality dishware to hunt down at thrift stores. Hidden among dusty books, endless trinkets, and stacks of towering plates and cups lies another popular and highly coveted dishware brand: HF Coors.

HF Coors China Co. was founded in Inglewood, California, in 1925 by Herman Frederick Coors. Currently based in Tucson, Arizona, the ceramics dinnerware company makes everything from colorful mugs and vibrant plates to hand-painted patterned platters and bowls. HF Coors is a popular choice for collectors, restaurants, and hotels. The company makes over 20 patterns for the home, and it also makes more for commercial businesses, which often order specialty items. Special mugs, plates, and other dishware have been made for presidents, used on on Navy ships, in National Parks, and even in the television show "Twin Peaks."

Certain patterns and pieces can be very valuable, especially if they're vintage or discontinued. One light green Ade-O-Matic juicer is listed for $200 on eBay. A baking dish in the original Mimbreño pattern, designed specifically for the Santa Fe dining car service, is listed on eBay for $300. And a single hand-painted platter titled "Sonoran Desert," featuring cacti, is listed for $125 on eBay. However, for those who love the thrill of the hunt and are patient and determined enough, you can track down a vintage HF Coors piece while thrifting.

Like a vintage kitchen stoneware crock, finding an HF Coors ceramics piece at your local thrift store will be a real treasure. Artists hand-paint all the designs, so while similar, each one will be slightly unique, which makes the find even more special. HF Coors also mixes all of its own clay and glazes. This lucky thrifter snagged a 49-piece mixed set for $169. Another in the same thread said they've found several different items in thrift stores. A customer on the HF Coors website mentioned they found the Mimbreno Bighorn Sheep pattern at their local thrift store. If you live near the factory in Tucson, HF Coors often has sales on products with defects, imperfections, or items it no longer produces.

To identify your HFCoors piece and ensure it's authentic, it should have the words "HF Coors Company" stamped on the bottom and/or "Tucson, Arizona." Because they are made for restaurants and commercial businesses, they should be fairly heavy and durable. The dishware comes in a variety of colors, from earthy browns to cheery yellows and turquoise. The hand-painted patterns mostly reflect nature, animals, and the Arizona landscape.