Lefton China: A Remarkable Journey

The history of Lefton China is a saga that spans World Wars, nations, prejudices and reconstructions.

George Lefton
Hungary in the years between World War I and World War II were not pleasant for many. The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed with the ending of World War I. The Communists, under Bela Kun, ruled for a short period of time between 1918 and 1919 until the Romanians invaded and occupied Budapest during the late summer of 1919. When the Romanians left during November, 1919, Budapest was taken over by right-leaning military forces led by Miklos Horthy, a former Austro-Hungarian Admiral. The Treaty of Trianon was signed in June, 1920, to set Hungary's borders. It was not pretty for Hungarian nationalists. Hungary lost more than 70% of its territory and 66% of its population.

Hungary passed laws restricting Jews in the 1920s, well before laws were passed in Germany. Early laws restricted the availability of higher education to Jews. Tougher laws followed in the 1930s.

Miklos Horthy wanted to reclaim as much territory as he could. In order to do this, Horthy allied Hungary with Nazi Germany during the 1930s. Hungary ultimately assisted in the invasion of Yugoslavia and the invasion of the Soviet Union in the early years of World War II.

What does this have to do with Lefton China? George Zolton Lefton was a Hungarian who made his living in sportswear, with a passion for fine porcelain as a hobby. In 1939 Lefton left Hungary for a better life with more opportunities in the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois.

Lefton founds Lefton China
By 1941 Lefton was focused solely on porcelain and had opened Lefton China.

1941 was a year of dramatic change for the United States. On December 7 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the first time that the United States had been attacked by a foreign country in more than 100 years and the first time that the United States had ever been attacked by air. Many Chicago residents, after hearing the news, went after Japanese citizens and their businesses. Lefton had a Japanese friend and business neighbor whose windows were unprotected. Lefton quickly boarded up the windows, saving the man's business from destruction.

His friend helped him with contacts and became a business agent for Lefton China in post-World War II Japan.

Post-Word-War-II Japan
Japan's economy and manufacturing sector were devastated by the end of World War II. The Allies' plan was to help Japan rebuild and grow, but not to allow Japan to have the manufacturing capabilities to rearm itself. Pottery and porcelain manufacturing fit into the areas of acceptability as set by General Douglas McArthur and the Allies.

As with all ceramics and pottery that were made during the occupation years, Lefton China was marked with "Occupied Japan" variations until the Allies left Japan in 1952. While the products produced by Lefton China during this period cannot be compared to fine china produced in Europe and China, the quality was still good. Lefton China pieces were priced at a level that was quite affordable for many Americans living in the postwar economic boom.

The later years
As world economics changed, so did Lefton China. During the 1970s, production switched from Japan to countries such as Taiwan, Malaysia and China.

George Zoltan Lefton died in 1996 in Florida. The company was sold in 2001.