Doorknobs - Doorknob Toss Game
Item Number 0481
Introduced 1985
Backstamp – Embossed
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 the Post 86 Reference Guide? Simple, because they are made at Homer Laughlin China / Fiesta® Tableware Company in Post 86 Fiesta® glazes.
- Doorknob tossing, played much like horseshoes, was the pastime game of the early pottery workers in and around the East Liverpool, Ohio area. To play the game, the workers would collect discarded imperfect doorknobs that had been dumped by the local doorknob potteries, along the bank of the Ohio River. They would bury an old can in the dirt and try to toss the doorknobs into the can.
- 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, the East Liverpool, Ohio city council passed a resolution “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 as illustrated to the left.
HLC’s redesigned knob. The new doorknobs were made from semi-vitreous clay measuring 2-1/2” diameter x 1” high as illustrated to the right.
NOTE: These doorknobs cannot be use as actual doorknobs however, I’ve heard some people have tried.
- Notice the early version of the game only included 4 actual doorknobs (see illustration to the left). Which is what the game requires.
- When HLC started making the sets they increased the number of doorknobs to 6. (as illustrated to the right) According to the Official Knob Toss Game history, “Although these game knobs are very hard, they can break or crack. That’s why we pack two extra in each game.”
- Below shows the vintage doorknobs used in the early years of the game.
Sets were sold in sealed packages with a flier that had the history of local knob production and game rules.
Sets could be found in the following combos:
All Evergreen (illustrated top right)
All Heather (illustrated top left
Chocolate / Ivory
Cobalt Blue / White
Tangerine / Sunflower (illustrated bottom left)
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 (illustrated to the right)
You could purchase games with just the doorknobs and instructions as illustrated above.
- Or as a deluxe set, which included the booklet, “Knob Lore of the East Liverpool, Ohio Area” and game instructions.
Fun Fact –
- There was also an aftermarket gold doorknob produced by Just Dishes Dinnerware. Less than a dozen was made.
- Thank you to Denyse Wentland for the use of her photo.
Fun Fact –
- The illustration to the right (courtesy of Denyse Wentland) showcases a Lilac doorknob.
- Also showcased are two double dipped (lilac and another glaze color) doorknobs.
Fun Fact –
- The illustration to the left showcases two brass doorknobs from the Homer Laughlin building in downtown Los Angeles, California.
- Thank you to Denyse Wentland for the use of her photo.
- To find out more about the building built by Homer Laughlin himself click here.