Spongeware is pottery decorated by dabbing colored glaze onto a light clay body with a sponge. That makes the mottled, speckled pattern you see here. It was everyday kitchenware in America from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, and much of it was made in the same eastern Ohio pottery country where Ohio Stoneware works today.

Are these real vintage bowls?

No. These are new bowls made in the vintage spongeware style. You get the old-fashioned look with a modern lead-free, food-safe glaze, so you can use them every day without the worries that come with antique pottery.

Are spongeware mixing bowls oven safe?

Yes. They’re oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. Put the bowl in the oven while it heats rather than into an oven that’s already hot, and never use it on a stovetop burner.

Which size should I choose?

Choose the 10" bowl (4½ quarts) for mixing: cookie dough, cake batter, a single loaf of bread or a big salad. The 6" bowl (3 cups) works as a prep and serving bowl. Most people buy one of each; they nest together.

How big are the spongeware bowls?

The 10" bowl is 11" across the rim, 5½" tall, holds 4½ quarts and weighs 6.4 lb. The 6" bowl is 6.65" across, 3½" tall, holds 3 cups and weighs 1.75 lb.

Are they made in the USA?

Yes. Ohio Stoneware makes them in Zanesville, Ohio.

Is stoneware the same as earthenware or ceramic?

All three are ceramics, but stoneware is fired hotter, so it’s denser, tougher and less porous than earthenware. That’s why stoneware mixing bowls hold up to daily use, dishwashers and ovens for decades.

Is the poppy red glaze food safe?

Yes. Every color, poppy red included, uses a lead-free, food-safe glaze.

Ohio Stoneware Spongeware Mixing Bowls – Vintage Blue, Green & Poppy Red

Ohio Stoneware spongeware mixing bowls in blue, green and poppy red, 10 inch and 6 inch sizes, on a kitchen counter

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Ohio Stoneware spongeware mixing bowls in blue, green and poppy red

Ohio Stoneware 10 inch spongeware mixing bowls in green, blue and poppy red

Ohio Stoneware blue spongeware mixing bowl, 10 inch

Ohio Stoneware green spongeware mixing bowl, 10 inch

Ohio Stoneware poppy red spongeware mixing bowl, 10 inch

Spongeware Mixing Bowls NEW
The speckled stoneware that filled American farm kitchens a century ago

Spongeware got its name from how it was decorated: the color was dabbed on with a sponge, so no two pieces came out alike. These spongeware mixing bowls from Ohio Stoneware bring back that old-fashioned look in three colors: blue, green and poppy red. Each has a glossy cream interior and a rolled collar rim you can grip. They’re made in the USA in Zanesville, Ohio. Use the 10-inch bowl for cookie dough, batters and bread, and the 6-inch bowl for prep, sides and serving. Every pattern is one of a kind, so your bowl won’t look exactly like the photo, and that’s part of the charm.

Made in the USA by Ohio Stoneware, Zanesville, Ohio
High-fired for durability to stand up to years of everyday use
Lead-free, food-safe glaze, ready to use out of the box
Microwave, oven & dishwasher safe; won’t hold onto food flavors or odors
Two sizes that nest: the 6" bowl stacks inside the 10" bowl
Heavy stoneware stays put on the counter while you stir, and holds the warmth when you proof dough

10" mixing bowls ↓ | 6" bowls ↓ | Sizes & specs

Made in the USA Easy returns Secure checkout Ship to Hillsville store

These items cannot be shipped to Canada, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

Prefer the striped style? See our Ohio Stoneware Dominion mixing bowls in 8", 10" and 12".

The workhorse size

10" Spongeware Mixing Bowls

The 10-inch spongeware bowl holds 4½ quarts and measures 11" across the rim. It handles cookie dough, cake batter, a single loaf of bread, or potato salad for a crowd.

Ohio Stoneware Blue Spongeware Mixing Bowl – 10 Inch

The best-known spongeware color: cobalt blue on cream. It fits a farmhouse kitchen and goes with blue-and-white pottery you already own.

11" dia. × 5½" H · 4½ qt · 6.4 lb

$27.09

ID#: Opco12942

Ohio Stoneware Green Spongeware Mixing Bowl – 10 Inch

Deep forest-green sponging that looks at home in a country or cottage kitchen, and it’s a natural for holiday baking.

11" dia. × 5½" H · 4½ qt · 6.4 lb

$27.09

ID#: Opco12904

Ohio Stoneware Poppy Red Spongeware Mixing Bowl – 10 Inch

Warm poppy-red sponging over cream stoneware, the classic red mixing bowl from Grandma’s kitchen. It’s pretty enough to serve from.

11" dia. × 5½" H · 4½ qt · 6.4 lb

$27.09

ID#: Opco12980

Prep & serving size

6" Spongeware Bowls

The 6-inch bowl holds 3 cups. Use it as a prep bowl for measured ingredients, for whisking an egg or two, or for dips, berries, cereal and ice cream at the table.

Ohio Stoneware Blue Spongeware Mixing Bowl – 6 Inch

Classic blue-and-cream spongeware in a small size for prep and serving. It nests inside the 10" blue bowl.

6.65" dia. × 3½" H · 3 cups · 1.75 lb

$13.95

ID#: Opco12928

Ohio Stoneware Green Spongeware Mixing Bowl – 6 Inch

Forest-green speckled stoneware in the handy 6" size, good for prep bowls, dips and holiday tables.

6.65" dia. × 3½" H · 3 cups · 1.75 lb

$13.95

ID#: Opco12881

Ohio Stoneware Poppy Red Spongeware Mixing Bowl – 6 Inch

A small red stoneware bowl for prep and serving. Pair it with the 10" poppy red bowl for a matching nesting set.

6.65" dia. × 3½" H · 3 cups · 1.75 lb

$13.95

ID#: Opco12966

Spongeware Bowl Sizes & Specifications

Size	Diameter	Height	Capacity	Weight	Item # (Blue / Green / Poppy Red)	Best for
10"	11"	5½"	4½ qt	6.4 lb	Opco12942 / Opco12904 / Opco12980	Dough, batter, salads
6"	6.65"	3½"	3 cups	1.75 lb	Opco12928 / Opco12881 / Opco12966	Prep, dips, sides, serving

Material: stoneware with a lead-free, food-safe glaze. Microwave, oven and dishwasher safe. Made in the USA by Ohio Stoneware.

Why stoneware

Why Bake With a Stoneware Mixing Bowl?

Bakers have used heavy pottery bowls for generations, and there are good reasons for it. A stoneware bowl’s weight keeps it from sliding while you beat batter by hand. Stoneware holds temperature, too: warm the bowl and it helps bread dough rise, or chill it for whipped cream and pie crust.

These bowls are fired at a high temperature, so they are dense and durable. Unlike metal, a glazed stoneware bowl won’t react with tomatoes, citrus or vinegar. It won’t hold onto flavors, stains or smells the way plastic does, and it cleans up easily. And it looks good enough to go straight from the counter to the table.

Care & Use

Avoid sudden temperature changes. Don’t move a cold bowl straight into a hot oven, or a hot bowl onto a wet or cold surface.
Dishwasher safe. Hand washing will keep the glaze bright for longer.
Don’t use on a stovetop or under the broiler.
Small variations in the sponge pattern, color and glaze are part of the design, not defects.

Questions & answers

Spongeware Mixing Bowl FAQ

What is spongeware?: Spongeware is pottery decorated by dabbing colored glaze onto a light clay body with a sponge. That makes the mottled, speckled pattern you see here. It was everyday kitchenware in America from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, and much of it was made in the same eastern Ohio pottery country where Ohio Stoneware works today.
Are these real vintage bowls?: No. These are new bowls made in the vintage spongeware style. You get the old-fashioned look with a modern lead-free, food-safe glaze, so you can use them every day without the worries that come with antique pottery.
Are spongeware mixing bowls oven safe?: Yes. They’re oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. Put the bowl in the oven while it heats rather than into an oven that’s already hot, and never use it on a stovetop burner.
Which size should I choose?: Choose the 10" bowl (4½ quarts) for mixing: cookie dough, cake batter, a single loaf of bread or a big salad. The 6" bowl (3 cups) works as a prep and serving bowl. Most people buy one of each; they nest together.
How big are the spongeware bowls?: The 10" bowl is 11" across the rim, 5½" tall, holds 4½ quarts and weighs 6.4 lb. The 6" bowl is 6.65" across, 3½" tall, holds 3 cups and weighs 1.75 lb.
Are they made in the USA?: Yes. Ohio Stoneware makes them in Zanesville, Ohio.
Is stoneware the same as earthenware or ceramic?: All three are ceramics, but stoneware is fired hotter, so it’s denser, tougher and less porous than earthenware. That’s why stoneware mixing bowls hold up to daily use, dishwashers and ovens for decades.
Is the poppy red glaze food safe?: Yes. Every color, poppy red included, uses a lead-free, food-safe glaze.