Doorknobs - Doorknob Toss Game
Item Number 0481
Introduced 1985
You can find doorknobs in the following glaze colors:
Clear Glazed, Amberstone, White, Black, Rose, Apricot, Cobalt Blue, Yellow, Turquoise, Periwinkle Blue, Sea Mist Green, Lilac, Persimmon, Sapphire, Chartreuse, Juniper, Cinnabar, Sunflower, Plum, Shamrock, Tangerine, Scarlet, Peacock, Heather, Evergreen, Ivory, Chocolate, Twilight
- Yup, you read correctly, doorknob tossing. Why is a doorknob game referenced in a Post 86 Reference Guide? Simple, because they are made at Homer Laughlin China in Post 86 Fiesta® glazes.
- Doorknob tossing, played much like horseshoes, was the pastime game of the early pottery workers. The workers would collect discarded imperfect doorknobs that had been dumped by the local doorknob potteries, along the bank of the Ohio River, into cans buried in the dirt.
- In 1969 the Tri-State Pottery Festival added doorknob tossing as one of their activities for their yearly festival. However, in 1978 the game ended as, organizers of the festival “tired of wading out into the Ohio River to try to find enough old knobs …” *
- On December 2, 1985, a resolution was passed “establishing doorknob tossing as the official city game” The festival offered the game as an activity once again as Homer Laughlin started producing doorknobs, thanks to Harold “Donny” Rayle, an employee of HLC.
*(26th Annual Tri-State Pottery Festival Plate Turners Handbook. June 17, 18, 19, 1993.)
The knobs evolved over time ….
In early 1985 the knobs looked like the version to the left.
HLC’s redesigned knob. The new semi-vitreous clay doorknobs measured 2-1/2” diameter x 1” high.
These doorknobs cannot be use as actual doorknobs however, I’ve heard some people have tried.
- Notice the early version of the games only included 4 doorknobs. Which is what the game requires.
- When HLC started making the sets they increased the number to 6. According to the Official Knob Toss Game rules, “Although these game knobs are very hard, they can break or crack. That’s why we pack two extra in each game.”
Sets were sold in sealed packages with a flier that had the history of local knob production as well as game rules and history. (see below)
Sets could be found in the following combos:
All Evergreen
All Heather
Chocolate / Ivory
Cobalt Blue / White
Tangerine / Sunflower
Apricot / Periwinkle
Rose / Sea Mist Green
Sea Mist Green / Yellow
Amberstone / White
Heather / Cinnabar
Peacock / Black
Persimmon / Scarlet
Scarlet / Evergreen
Cinnabar / Shamrock
They even sold a tri color set – White / Scarlet / Cobalt Blue
You could purchase games with just the doorknobs & instructions ….
Notice the set on the left, it has vintage doorknobs. The set on the right has the doorknobs made by Homer Laughlin China. The later version also came with an extra set of doorknobs in case one of the knobs broke.
Doorknob Toss Game
Or as a basic set ….
Or as a deluxe set, which included the booklet, “Knob Lore of the East Liverpool, Ohio Area” & game instructions.
Fun Fact – Plus an aftermarket gold made for fun.