San Jose Mission Tiles, ca. 1940
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GUEST:
They belonged to my mother's mother. And I remember them hanging in her kitchen when I was just a little, bitty girl. And I'm knocking on 80 right now. And they've been hanging in my kitchen for about 25 years.
APPRAISER:
And you have all kept them pristine. Now, your grandmother's house was where?
GUEST:
Well, it was in San Antonio.
APPRAISER:
And that's where these were made.
GUEST:
Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
These were made by the San Jose Mission, which was really a group of different workshops and potteries that were headed by Ethel Harris. It started around 1934, and it went on until 1977. These particular tiles here would have been done 1934-1945. Because often they're not marked, it's easy to not know who made them. It's also easy to believe that these were done in Mexico, because the style is very Mexican. Ethel Harris' main designer, Fernando Ramos, was the one who would probably have helped doing these. And I have never seen the one with the lady at the oven there. These are quite collectible. These days a retail value on each of them is probably in the $700 range.
GUEST:
You're kidding. Whoa! Each one?
APPRAISER:
Each one.
GUEST:
Oh, that's amazing. That just takes my breath away.
Appraisal Details
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