US Navy Wardroom China Saucer Homer Laughlin November 1960

U.S. Navy wardroom china saucer, part of the formal dining set used by officers. 

The stamp “Homer Laughlin Best China USA ZA11” refers to a piece made by the Homer Laughlin China Company, one of America’s largest pottery makers (founded 1871, in East Liverpool, OH, later in Newell, WV).

6" Diameter

Breaking it down:

• Homer Laughlin Best China → Their “Best China” line, introduced in the mid-20th century as a vitrified, heavy-duty commercial ware for restaurants, institutions, railroads, and the military.

• USA → Made in the United States.

• ZA11 → This is a date/manufacturer code. Homer Laughlin used two-letter codes to indicate plant and date.

Dating the code:

• The first letter (Z) identifies the plant or kiln.

• The second letter (A) plus numbers indicate the year and month.

  • In this case, A = 1960s decade, and 11 = November.

So ZA11 = November 1960.

Context:

• By 1960, Homer Laughlin was producing a lot of institutional china for the U.S. military and government contracts, so your piece may well be Navy or Army mess hall china.

• Their Best China line was prized for durability, and many pieces were marked only with the maker’s backstamp, while others carried Navy or USN anchor logos on the face.

Key Features:

• Seal/Insignia: At the top, you can see the U.S. Navy crest, which is typical of wardroom service ware.

• Gold and Blue Trim: The fine gold banding with a blue line along the edge identifies it as officer’s wardroom china, which was more decorative than enlisted messware.

• Shape: It’s a saucer, designed to accompany a matching coffee or teacup. The indentation in the center holds the cup securely.

Context:

• Used in the wardroom, the dining area reserved for commissioned officers aboard Navy ships.

• Part of a full service set that included plates, cups, saucers, bowls, and serving pieces.

• The design you see here was common from the mid-20th century (WWII era through Cold War) and is now collectible Navy memorabilia.