Trays by Bennington Potterys for Lexington Hotel, Hawaiian Room, 1960s

Please help identify the maker of these pieces.  So far I've had no luck.  

The box is 15.5" long and 6.5" wide.  The platter is 14.5" long by 8.5" wide.  

The box and the platter have incised marks.  The box is marked "RA 5024" and its' lid is marked "RA 5024T" - the platter is marked "RA 2."  

Can you post photos of the bases and marks, please.

Sorry about forgetting the bottom photos.  Here they are, first the box bottom and top, and close-ups of their marks, then the tray:

Still hoping to hear from somebody who may recognize this maker's mark.

I don't think that RA is a person just the first part of the number that has been assigned to what appear to be mass produced items.

The mark looks handwritten. Not convinced they are factory produced. Folkware or Native American pieces? Reminds me of Haida pottery.

I don't think the mark looks handwritten, especially the relief marks on different elements that match so exactly as shown in the first photographs above.

Haida? I was thinking Finnish, likely 50s, for some reason I can't quite put my finger on yet.

As for mass production, these do not look anything like any mass production I've encountered before, but my knowledge of pottery is limited, so this aspect is of interest to me. Would you expound, studio-pots?

Some background is in order, at least the little I know. Found them, filthy, at a huge Salvation Army, the lid and bottom to the box had been separated, and aisles away I saw the platter, backtracked and picked up the box pieces. Soaked them in hot water to clean off the years of dust, and cooking grime on the rectangular box, which appears it may have been used to cook casseroles, perhaps lasagna. Wasn't there a period in the 50s when it was popular to have a dish to back lasagna in?

Hope to hear more from you all. Think I'll try to get some better pics, as these are quite old and my photography has improved a bit since they were taken.

The type of clay body reminds me of that used in the past for ovenware so the background you have added Susi fits.

When I said mass produced, I was just meaning factory made rather than individual one off pieces by a single potter.

I know that you are in the States but they do remind me of something I have seen here in the UK some time ago. I'll ponder!!

So like the French ovenware that turns up in big quantities over here.
That flat base with a few numbers or letters.
Did they export to the US?

denbydump wrote:So like the French ovenware that turns up in big quantities over here.
That flat base with a few numbers or letters.
Did they export to the US?

That's what I was thinking of but not remembering - French!

I have the "Fish Platter" (RA2) as well as an additional Fish Dish (RA1). I have not been able to identify the artist. A green version of the RA2 Platter sold on ebay in March 2016 out of Indiana. I have also seen an instagram photo of the RA1 fish dish by@ellenbulger who was also trying to identify the artist.

I'm not going to pretend I know who made these but I do buy and research a lot of ceramics. When I get stuck on an origin and a signature that confuses I mentally do a check list to narrow down my search.

1st thing is there something about it that excludes a large amount of countries? For this one yes the Roman alphabet is used to mark followed by numbers. So it's European, American (N&S) or Astral Asian (Australia and neighbours).

Next is the design and it's use, is there something that narrows my search?
Its a fish dish and a pretty common style. Sitting in the middle is a clear cross and it's a design known as the Greek cross. But it's also the cross of the Greek church and that carries you through all the Nordic states. Along side that we have very stylised seeds and trees and that is indicates a very different culture to Christianity.  

So if you combine all that you have an item with a very Christian design and but with pagan accents. That indicates a northern European origin.

My guess would be a Nordic country Norway/Denmark, produced for export with a stylised traditional design Christianised for sale abroad.

It could be French they do produce a lot of cook ware but I would go north if I was guessing.

I know about these! I would love to find a fish dish and platter for sale if anyone is interested.

They were made by Bennington Potters for Restaurant Associates venue the Hawaiian Room at the Lexington Hotel in NYC and sold through their catalog "Designs for R/A". Circa 1960, the Hawaiian Room closed in 1966. The covered dish came with a folder of recipes. The pieces were produced in three colors (green, orange, brown) with off-white.

Yay! I love it when a mystery mark is solved. Many thanks for the information