Pattern Profile: Blue Cornflower (1994)

Overwhelmingly, the Blue Cornflower emblem is known as the decoration found on Corning Ware cookware since 1958.  Not just a pattern, the "little blue flower" also was adopted as a company logo.  For a short time, Corelle was decorated with a variation of this familiar design, but it did not debut until well after the Corning Ware pattern's 1988 discontinuance. 

(Photo: Cornflower emblem as a Registered Trademark.)

1993 marked Blue Cornflower Corning Ware's 35th anniversary, and to commemorate the event, it was back in stores between March and the end of May that year.  Six individual pieces of cookware ranging in size from 1 Qt to 5 Qt were available with special prices discounted by 30%.  A greater selection of Blue Cornflower Corning Ware appeared again in special offers during 1994 & 1995, and this time matching Corelle dinnerware was offered too.  It was discontinued January 1996.

Corelle dinner plate and side plate.

Cookware with the Blue Cornflower emblem returned again to the North American market in 2009, with the re-launch of real glass-ceramic Corning Ware.  Blue Cornflower was also one of the original Centura Tableware patterns from 1962.  It was available for about five years.  

As a Corelle pattern, it does not belong to any particular product line, but it is comparable to the Images line with a standard rimmed plate style and coupe soup/cereal bowls.  But unlike Images, bowls and platters are patterned.  There are soup plates for this pattern as well, and straight-sided mugs made of Suprema glass-ceramic were included in the sets.

Corning Ware: pie plate and P-21 roaster.

On the Corning Ware side, the largest variety of pieces is available in Blue Cornflower since it is the original pattern and the one with the greatest longevity.  Regular square Corning Ware shapes were made in sizes ranging from 1¾ cup Petite Pans to 5 Qt casseroles.  Other pieces include pie plates, baking pans, roasters, platters, trays, Menu-ette sets, Saucemakers, Gourmet Skillets, Rangetoppers, Grab-Its, Counter Savers, teapots, kettles, drip coffeemakers, and percolators with chrome spouts and with white spouts.

Corning Ware: Grab-It and 3 cup teapot, P-103.

(Photo below right: Straight-sided mug made of Suprema.)

Corelle Dinnerware:

Rimmed Plates:
Dinner Plate (10¼")
Side Plate (7¼")

Suprema Mug (straight-sided, 10 oz)

Soup/Cereal Bowl (18 oz, 6¼")
Flat Rim Soup Plate (8½")

1 Qt Serving Bowl (8½")
Oval Platter (12½")

Others:

Licensed Corelle Coordinates glassware was made by Libbey, or its subsidiary Crisa, with a 'single bulge' at the base and a narrow top.

Manufacturers other than Corning produced their own versions of Blue Cornflower.  The majority of these are unofficial products and close comparison with the genuine Corning Ware pattern will reveal variations in the design.

Most notable among these companies, Gemco produced many popular tabletop accessories in their 'Matchables' product line, using the pattern names 'Delft Blue' and 'Delft'.  Accessory items also can be found by Dispensers Inc. and Dominion Glass as well as by other companies.


Related Articles: 

Plate Styles: Standard Rimmed
Soup Plate Pattern List
Design Images (1986)
Corning Ware Percolator Recall 
Corning Ware Teapots
Corning Ware P-4 Casserole
Corning Ware Petite Pans
Corning Ware Grab-Its, Sidekicks, etc.
Corning Ware: Extra Photos
Centura Tableware Profiles
Centura Gallery: Blue Cornflower (1962)
1963 Corning Ware Advertisement
1968 Coffeemaker Advertisement
1968 Corning Ware Advertisement
What are Pyrosil and Pyroflam?
Most frequent word in pattern names?
What is Suprema?