Vintage Florence Ceramics Porcelain Victorian Shoe Rare Pasadena California

Vintage Florence Ceramics porcelain shoe. Bottom of shoe is marked Florence Ceramics, Pasadena California. Florence Ceramics is most commonly known for creating intricate figurines. The shoes are more rare. This beautiful white porcelain shoe is embellished with delicate raised flowers on the front and back of the shoe. The following is information about Florence Ceramics from Pasadenahistory org: Pasadenan Florence Ward (1898-1991) began taking art classes as a way of coping with the death of one of her sons in 1939. Encouraged by a professor, she began making ceramics out of her garage in 1942. Most of these early “garage” pieces were of children. Initially begun as a hobby, it turned into a business when Florence received a surprising order for eighty-four figurines. Her husband Clifford and oldest son Clifford, Jr. joined the business after they returned to Pasadena following World War II. By 1946, the business outgrew her garage and moved to a facility on the east side of Pasadena. The business moved again in 1949, this time to a modern factory at 74 South San Gabriel Boulevard in Pasadena. Following the death of Clifford Ward, Sr. in 1964, the production plant—but not the copyright to any Florence figurines—was sold to the Scripto Corporation, which specialized in advertising ware. That company closed in 1977.