Mayan-Aztec Shakers
#7HS: 1949-2004
Frankoma introduced the Mayan-Aztec pattern in 1941-42 as a full dinnerware set. The complete line is offered in a 1 Jan 1943 price list and includes the 7H tall shakers. The 7HS shaker first appeared in Frankoma’s catalog in 1949. Frankoma offered the new smaller shaker at $0.80 per pair but did not picture it. The 1950 catalog has the first picture of the 7HS.
The hole set patterns and clays used help to date the early sets. The first hole set used is the big "S" pattern. By early 1953 the hole pattern changed to the double diamond "S". And of course the clay changed from Ada to Sapulpa in 1954. Additional changes help the collector date later sets. Glazed bottoms appeared in the late 1960's and the rutile change of 1970 softened the colors of the glazes made with that chemical.
I believe that Frankoma produced this shaker from the start in 1949 thru early 1953 without a mold for the shape! How could that be done? Close inspection reveals that the early issues are simply "cut-off" versions of the tall 7H shaker.
The tall shaker has a convenient embossed line two thirds of the way down the side running almost completely around the shape. On this line Frankoma simply shortened these shakers with a saw . A worker fashioned a new bottom by hand and pressed it into place prior to applying the glaze. All of the sets with the big "S" hole set should have this feature, and a few of the very earliest double diamond "S" sets will have it also. All sets with this feature are on Ada clay.
Some time after switching to the double diamond "S" in early 1953 and before Frankoma terminated the use of Ada clay John Frank made a new mold especially for the short shaker. I have not found this information in the literature but draw this conclusion from inspection of the early pieces.
This pattern is durable and popular. Because of continuing annual production the shorter 7HS is much more available than the taller 7H. If any rarities exist they would be early production or glaze rarities, perhaps terra cotta rose or sunflower yellow on brick red clay. Like the Wagonwheel design Frankoma produced the Mayan-Aztec shakers on Ada clay, red clay, and light red clay but the design has remained the same from day one.
The Myan-Aztec glazes are limited in the early years. From 1949-1952 the only glazes offered are prairie green and desert gold. White sand is added to the line in 1953. Frankoma started to offer the shakers in other colors after about 1960.
In 1976 when Frankoma for the last time dropped the tall Mayan-Aztec shape (originally 7H, then 24H) they changed the mold number of the short Mayan-Aztec shakers from 7HS to 7H. Clearly they did not intend to bring back the tall design again.