Photography by David B. Moore This handled platter, part of Blakely’s stoneware collection, is a rare find.

History, Highlights and Helpful Hints

Arizona’s history is full of lore—there are Wild West legends of outlaws and tales of cowboys. And if you talk to native Arizonans, many will tell you childhood stories of outings they took with their parents to Blakely gas stations. Doug Patterson is one such person. “My dad would fill up at the Blakely on Baseline [in Phoenix],” he recalls. “They were flashy stations, mostly white with red trim and a neon rocket-ship sign out front with the name.”

Customers would purchase gas to re-ceive the latest collectible glass or plate being offered as a premium. Patterson, owner of Do Wah Diddy—a Dewey, Arizona-based shop and online retailer—also remembers seeing the window displays showcasing the colorful promotional glasses and dinnerware that featured images of desert plants.
 

Blakely dinnerware and glasses sport colorful illustrations of desert plants pictured with other Southwest cultural icons, such as wagon wheels and covered wagons.

Faith Weinberg of Big Bronco says the tableware’s designs represent iconic symbols of the Southwest. Collector Michele Harp agrees, saying the Blakely pieces “are so Arizona to me. They remind me of everything I love about Arizona.”
 
During the 1950s and 1960s, Blakely gas stations offered various promotions. Glasses, which came in frosted and clear-glass versions, often were given away with a fill-up. The dinnerware, as well as assorted accessory pieces, was available in cream-colored stoneware and silver-rimmed china and could be obtained by redeeming Cactus Coupons at the stations, states Patterson. He explains that these stamps were earned in a rewards program, much like the once-popular S&H Green Stamps. Items in the series ranged from juice glasses and tumblers to pitchers, cereal bowls, platters, decanters and cups and saucers.
   
Blakely was a family-owned business with gas stations across Arizona, in Blythe, California, and—Patterson has been told—in western New Mexico. He believes the company started in the late 1940s and was in existence until the late 1960s. Today, Blakely glasses and dinnerware are treasured by many collectors of vintage Arizona memorabilia. “It’s so fantastic,” comments Harp. “It’s worth collecting, even if you can only find a few pieces.”

To see a list of items to look for, go to phgmag.com/home/furnishings.







WHAT TO CONSIDER

• Designs: Blakely glasses and dinnerware feature eight plant designs in the Arizona series, which was available at stations across the state. Look for a barrel cactus, century plant, cholla, ocotillo, organ pipe, prickly pear, saguaro and yucca. Along with a depiction of the plant in a desert setting, wording across the top of the picture identifies it—“Arizona ‘Saguaro’ Cactus,” for example. Doug Patterson explains that glasses offered at the California and New Mexico stations were called Western glasses and included images of a pin cushion cactus or a night-blooming cactus. These are very rare finds.

• Dinnerware stamp: Authentic stoneware bears stamps on the undersides of larger pieces. Look for an image of a saguaro and wording that reads, “Exclusive Arizona Cactus Dinnerware”.

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• Additional pieces: Blakely also offered such wares as wooden serving trays and place mats. Three wood trays were manufactured: a rectangular version that holds eight tumblers and a pitcher, a smaller rectangular tray to carry eight clear glasses and matching pitcher, and a round tray for eight frosted juice glasses and an accompanying decanter. The trays are embellished with miniature branding-iron marks. The laminated place mats have a saguaro in the center and a different desert plant in each of the four corners.

• Price: Cost can vary, depending on quality, availability and whether the items are sold in a set. A single frosted tumbler is one of the easiest pieces to find and typically runs $10 to $20. Stoneware platters are difficult to come by and could range between $50 and $65 per piece. Complete sets of glasses or dinnerware can cost several hundred dollars.