Chiquita Akro Agate Jadeite Green Toy Dishes

Chiquita Akro Agate Jadeite Green Toy Dishes. This set was made for Chiquita by the Akro Agate Company in 1936 and has four dinner plates, four cups and saucers, cream and sugar and the lemonaide pitcher with the lid. Akro Agate was founded in 1911 and first located in Ohio, in 1914 the company opened a large factory in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The Akro Agate Company is best known among collectors as a manufacturer of marbles. Increasing competition in the marble industry in the 1930s prompted Akro Agate to expand. In 1936, following a major fire at the Westite factory, Akro Agate purchased many of Westite’s molds which enabled Akro Agate to offer a large line of children’s dishes, floral wares, and household accessories. The company also produced specialty glass containers for cosmetic firms, including the Mexicali Pick Wick bath salt jars and a special line made for the Jean Vivaudaou Company. The Clarksburg Glass Company bought the factory in 1951.
This set is found in the green jadeite color, blue, lavender and turquoise, some pieces bear the mark, J. P., embossed on the bottom, because it was made for the J. Pressman Company of New York. The box lid artwork has a Mexican theme with a man wearing a sombrero and playing a guitar while riding a donkey in the center of the border motif on the bottom of the lid.
This set is in overall excellent condition, apparently it was never played with. All the pieces are in excellent condition except for one dinner plate and one cup which have been broken and glued. The box is in good condition, bottom does not have any taped spots but have some normal shelf wear, the top is complete but the sides have been taped. A nice set, rather hard to find with the box intact.