RUSSEL WRIGHT YAMATO

Q: Can you give me any information about my Russel Wright platter? The pattern is called "Theme Formal." The mark, as you see, says "Russel Wright, Yamato porcelain, designed in Japan." The platter is 15 1/4 inches long.

A: Russel Wright (1904-1976) was an American industrial designer. He designed domestic and industrial wares, including furniture, aluminum, radios, interiors, glassware, and dinnerware. Wright's dinnerware designs were made by several different companies. Theme Formal was made by the Yamato Porcelain Company of Tajimi, Japan. It was one of the last two dinnerware patterns designed by Wright. In 1964 Theme Formal and Theme Informal, a stoneware line, were announced as part of a line of tableware that included lacquerware, glassware and wood. When the lines were shown at the New York Gift Show in 1965, buyers did not like them and not enough orders were placed to go into full production. Some pieces were sold, but they were the prototypes for what was supposed to be a complete line. Some pieces of Theme Formal are in museums, but few are sold at shows or sales. The platter might bring over $500.