Ringed Shakers #26H: 1968-SA
The #26H ringed shakers are part of a canister set introduced in 1968. This design, the most commonly available after the 94H wagonwheels, survived the fire of 1983 and the shakers are still in production today. This large set along with the 25H and the 24H are often referred to as range sets. All three shapes are part of large canister sets.
Frankoma used handled shapes in the early years, but not a functional handle like this. The shaker fits the hand well whether using the handle or not. The pour holes for the salt use the double-diamond design from the start.
The clay was still red in 1968 but by 1974 had turned pink. In 1970 the rutile glazes changed losing their high contrast coloring. The 26H can be found in very beautiful rutile glazes as well as the very washed-out rutile glazes. This shaker will I suspect give us some information about Frankoma’s first use of glaze on the bottoms of the shakers. I have always suspected the date to be 1969 and the 26H supports that. Issued in 1968, these are available but uncommon with a red unglazed bottom with red plugs. In rutile colors the early shakers would always be the high contrast glazes.
All of the modern glazes appear on these. Here is a probable list: white sand, onyx black, prairie green, desert gold, brown satin, woodland moss, peach glow, flame, flat black, coffee, autumn yellow, freedom red, freedom blue, robin egg blue, terra cotta, olive green, wisteria, navy, mountain haze, country blue, peach, mauve, cabernet, forest, bone, cobalt, and plum (up through 1994). That is 27 glazes and more coming, the most ever offered by Frankoma on a single shaker shape.