Frankoma Mountain Air Shakers
This shaker design is attractive and fits the hand nicely. I have not applied specific dates because of confusing data. The shape is not in the 1992 or 1995 catalogs I have. I estimate that Frankoma introduced this line about 2000. The shakers are still offered on-line Jan 2009. Current glazes for shakers are black, white, sage, yellow (spring green) and red.
As usual I will depend on observations. I have purchased most of my Mountain Air shakers directly from the factory. Most if not all of the plugs are original. Two plug types appear. First the red plug used by Frankoma since about 1969 then the white plug. I have always guessed that the white plug arrived about 2000, but I have no hard date on that. None have decoration.
Two pour holes pattern also appear and the patterns appear to be associated with plug type. Some three hole shakers have the holes in-line and some have them in a delta shape. The in-line examples have red plugs, the delta examples have white plugs. Two changes at the same time like that would suggest a suspenion of production for a time. With all of the ups and downs for the Frankoma company since 1991 a production stoppage would be no surprise.
I also have some sets with a 2/2 hole set. These have white plugs. I bought these 2/2 hole set shakers directly from the factory. Had these been properly matched at the factory I believe they would have belonged to the delta group.
My conclusion is that the in-line group is older and the delta group is newer.
About 2000 Frankoma shakers started to appear with a label warning not to immerse them in water. After 1991 Frankoma switched from its signature one-fire process to a two-fire process. The more traditional two-fire process is easier to manage. Frankoma also issued several new glazes and in the doing did not achieve the high quality of the glazes prior to 1991. Crazing is now a common problem.