Description: The 1995 set is a three-piece set.
- The two shakers make up the state of California. They split to represent California’s famous earthquakes.
- The Golden Gate Bridge and Lake Tahoe are shown in the northern portion of the state.
- A smiling orange wearing a hat and sunglasses represents southern California.
- The base is the Pacific Ocean coastline with a smiling anthropomorphic sun in the back.
Shaker Manufacturer: Laurie Gates of Los Angeles Pottery
Number Manufactured: 600
Convention Theme: The Big Shake
Convention Location: Buena Park, CA
Hosts: California Shaker Clubs
Original Price: $38
From “The First Ten Years, a History of the First Ten Commemoratives,” by Steve Justin in the February, 1997 Club Newsletter:
The set has a 2 inch deep base of a surf shore with a large yellow setting sun as a backdrop, similar to a convex band shell. The shakers – 3H & 2H – are lying on the base and are in the shape of the state of California in two pieces – And yes, the “Great Shake” earthquake broke em’.
It was designed by David & Jan Peters, Susan Frank and Sanda Sosa. The sculptor was Don Winton of Twin Winton Ceramics. 400 sets were ordered for the convention and 200 more were ordered at a later date for future sales. They were produced by Laurie Gates of Los Angeles Pottery.
The back is marked on 4 lines “THE BIG SHAKE 10TH ANNUAL CONVENTION NOVELTY S & P SHAKERS CLUB CALIFORNIA – JULY 1995.” The bottom has a circular stamp “Designed by Peters, Frank, Peters & Sosa” and is also signed by the sculptor and dated 1995.
A single set was made with the sun in bronze and was presented to Irene Thornburg for her 6 years as Membership Chairman. The #1 set, with the sun in gold was sold via lottery. It was then placed into the auction and sold for $2000.