Published: December 27, 2016
When tested with an XRF instrument this Franciscan Apple vintage (c. 1950s?) china was positive for 80,700 ppm Lead.
These usually also test positive with a reactive agent swab test.
Items intended for children are required by current legislation to be under 90 ppm lead in the glaze, paint or coating. Dishes are not regulated for total lead content (as detectable with an XRF instrument.)
The reason this vintage Franciscan Apple china is scary for me personally is because I have seen it in so many homes! So many people have held onto it and cherished it (because it was Grandma’s) and it is highly collectible (check out eBay!) and people are also using it as their every day dishes (eating off of it – not just collecting it.)
Please avoid any vintage dishes from the Franciscan Potteries of Sonoma, CA. It just takes a microscopic amount of lead to poison a child – and eating off these plates could very likely do the job! They are very high lead and it is chalking off the surface into the food.
Click here to see some lead-free dishware options!
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Tamara Rubin
Lead Safe Mama
Hello,
I inherited a large amount of Franciscan Apple pattern dishes. On the back it says Franciscan and Made in California. I am in my 60’s and remember these in my mother’s hutch in my childhood so they must be the original ones made. (she only used them on very special occasions, not every day.) The ARE beautiful dishes I was planning on giving to my daughter, however….this lead thing isn’t good news for me! She has two children under age 6 and another baby on the way. I don’t believe these should be used at all, do you???
Oh well….
My dad use to work for Franciscan in Glendale California. He worked there for 40 years. I still have the apple vases and my sister has the apple dish set. We use to have all mis matched dishes growing up
Hi,
I am glad you are working to make people aware of lead in everyday household items. I have looked into doing lead test on various items. I am wondering do you use a control group to test the validity of the lead test itself. Many lead testing kits aren’t that reliable. May be you have addressed this in a post I have missed?
Hi Amy! Thank you for commenting!
Please read this post for context for the test results reported here on the blog: https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/ask-tamara-what-do-you-use-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara
What do I do with my mothers Franciscanware Dessert Rose dishes? I cannot sell or give to a thrift store in good conscience.
Personally that particular pattern is so toxic I recommend that it be destroyed so that no one might use it in the future.
Here’s one example of that pattern:
https://tamararubin.com/2018/06/leaded-franciscan-desert-rose-earthenware-china-made-in-usa-c-1941/
Here’s a newer example of that pattern:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/07/1995-franciscan-desert-rose-china-made-in-england-47800-ppm-lead-on-the-food-surface-90-ppm-is-unsafe-for-children/
Remember – it is a toxic mass manufactured product (even though it looks like a piece of art). It might help to put it in that context.
This article has more thoughts on that too:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/12/what-should-i-do-with-my-lead-contaminated-dishes-to-toss-or-not-to-toss/
Tamara
Specifically, what awards have you won, and what is your education that backs up your expertise?
Specifically, what awards have you won, and what is your education that backs up your expertise?
This is NOT a duplicate comment. In fact, this is the first I have ever heard of you, but okay. Don’t answer my questions.
Please read the “about” page linked at the top of every page of the site – or the “consumer reports magazine” profile piece on my work from earlier this year (also linked at the top of the page.)
Is responding to your question within 10 minutes (at 7 in the morning) not sufficient for you somehow? Lol. I published both of your duplicate questions so people can see that it is a duplicate question. Lol.
There are millions of readers here on this website. Sometimes it takes months for me to answer questions… you just caught me at a moment where my disabled lead poisoned kids are sleeping. All the questions you have are either answered here on this website or in my documentary film – which is also here on this website.
I am in my 80’s, as is my wife, and have been using the Francisco ware Apple design for years as our evert day dishes. After reading this I am very nervous about them. How will the lea effect us, Will I have a problem. The set that I have was my mothers with a few add own’s. It is over 55 years ld. What I don’t understand is if it is so toxic why are they still being sold. I am concerned about health.
Thank you