Florence Ceramics was created in 1939 when a dynamic woman named Florence Ward set up a kiln and decided to take 
up modeling clay figures partly as therapy for the death of her youngest son. She displayed her early works in her garage and her amazed friends urged her to start her own business. As the news of her fantastic work spread she soon had orders for 84 pieces. Florence set up her business and in 1948 moved The Florence Ceramics Company to a large facility in Pasadena, California where it remained until 1964, when the plant was sold to Scripto. From 1939 to 1964 Florence Ward was the sole designer for the many figurines that were produced by the Florence Ceramics Company. Her innovative designs were sold through fine jewelry and department stores and even established a following overseas. In the 1960s the Lefton Company copied many of Florence Ward's designs and used overseas labor to reproduce them. Florence Ceramics won several copyright infringement battles against Lefton but the Lefton Company simply modified their figures and continued to market them. These cheaper imitations were the downfall of the Florence Ceramic Company.
MORE GREAT FLORENCE FIGURES
The information for this brief history was taken from the book "The Florence's An Era of Elegance" by Doug Foland. This book is a must have for any avid Florence Creamics collector.