Thery look Mexican or Spanish to me....cute!
Linda C

Hi Linda...you know, I was thinking of writing that they definitely didn't give off a Mexican vibe, because of the thinness of the pieces, the fineness of the glaze, and the numbers underneath--they didn't seem like that Mexican terracotta to me, but I thought the numbers would be enough that I wouldn't have to write it! :) Theoretically, I guess, they could be Mexican, but have you seen anything like that with the numbers on the bottom? And the red clay seems finer than other Mexican pieces I've seen. Any other guesses besides those?

I'm not touching them, so I don't know how thick or thin they are...I don't think the numbmean much, but to the person who put them there likely indicationing some design or glaze to be applied...or perhaps the shape of the piede.
Are they hand thrown? Or molded?
Looking at variations in the foot..I would say there is a lot of hands on tthere.
California?

Yes, I would think they're the shape of the piece--like the numbering on West German vases-the 3 really looked W.G. to me, but why aren't all the pieces numbered? And yes, they're molded. Yes, maybe California, I'd forgotten to check that--thanks. I'll look through a book of mine today.

Nope, not in the book I have on CA pottery...sometimes I like mysteries but not this time...had some nice finds recently, though, that we *were* able to ID: a gorgeous covered casserole by Wishon-Harrell, mint, so cool--DD found it; and a sterling pin/pendant with the initials EC made out of silver ribbon--very mid-century looking--on it, which are mine and DH's, so I got it--but they're also the initials of the maker (her full name stamped into the back), Ella Cone! So much fun to do sleuthing work.

Well....it's made somewhere that they have a goodly supply of red clay. Potteries sprang up where there was a good supply of clay and fuel for the kilns...that says south Jersey or perhaps eastern Pa.....and maybe parts of the Ohio valley....and even in some of the southern states...
I can't think that any pottery would import clay....but rather the potteries sprang up where the clay was.
Linda C

To be sure. It could be Europe; maybe Spain, as you say...I'm stumped.

Italian or Portugal?? ;o)

I can't tell from the pictures if those are suppose to be handwritten numbers or not. If so, then the number 1 is written more American style than European.

I received a creamer awhile back from my brothers SO and wanted to find some matching pieces. It had a name stamped on the bottom and I traced it to the American SW. While looking I ran across some pieces that kinda look like that. I can't remember now if it was New Mexico, Arizona or what. Might be worth a look.

They look American Southwestern to me... Arizona, New Mexico... particularly the mug with the wider base. There are so many potteries there.. where you can go and make your own, impossible to identify, I think.
Di

We're getting a consensus here...American Southwestern...the numbers I'm referring to are stamped into the bottom under the glaze, deke, not the white lines written on the top. One pic shows the 2000 pretty well (on the left), and I meant for it to show the 1830 on the other one, but I can't see it on my monitor, at least.

Portugal, that's a possibility too, thanks patty.

I'll try looking around with search terms concernning the American SW, thanks, pris.

The search continues :)

These look like some italian pieces that we had once except ours were all red with a tiny bit of black drip glaze.

Were there commercial potteries in Arizona or New Mexico? They look very 1970s to me, and the colors are great.

I could see Italian, jaj...the style of the numbers really makes me think European in some kind. idee, I could see 70s, or even maybe earlier if European (in that they always innovate style-wise before we do :)).

I did a little searching earlier and came up with diddly. But you know, now that you pointed it out I tend to agree, those digits don't look like typical U.S. pottery style.

Just saw your post, moon! Thanks very much for looking. I've tried asking on an all-pottery site and no leads so far.

Oh, no problem, you know me, if it's a mystery the adrenaline starts rushing. And you're supplying a steady stream of those lately, ha! I am not into antique (or modern) jewelry really at all. But that writing style flipped a switch. Haven't we seen pics posted here with numbers on piece(s) (for some reason Italian silver comes to mind) and the printed style of the numbers is quite similar?

I don't think it's accurate to say that European design is always more innovative than American-certainly in the boom years of American pottery, the Southern California potteries were far more modern than anything being produced in Europe. Considering how many Europeans had worked in those SoCal potteries, the style of numeral isn't much help as a locator.

Have you sent a photo to the site linked below? They have a Flickr group as well.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/calpotteries/

Here is a link that might be useful: Cal Potteries

Oh, o.k., "obsession" ;), yes, not all things European are ahead of things American, if you want me to be *fairminded* about it :) I do collect PNW studio pottery, and am studying the history of development of the studio pottery movement out in the west, so I know that I was overgeneralizing. Guess I'm just going from a gut feeling which could be completely wrong. Could be European-worker/designerp-produced CA pottery. I'll check that link, too. I remember seeing it once and marking it, but never coming back--nice way to spend a while this evening while watching the Olympics--thanks!