Potteries) Some other of the many figures were Quail, various song birds, fish, coyotes, American bison, rabbits and others were produced in the form of salt and peppers, figurines of various sizes, cup sitters, pins, paper weights and used as figurines on ash trays. Twelve different types of dog heads were designed in 1950 copied from illustrations in National Geographic magazine. When Laura Taylor Hughes died of cancer in 1959 the company lost its primary designer. At the same time, competition from cheaper Japanese imports hurt the company sales. Production continued until 1961 and the sales room remained open until 1964 to sell the last of the production items. Rosemeade pottery pieces are marked in several ways. The well known prairie rose sticker was placed on many of the pieces and also many were bottom stamped in various ways. These were not, however, used on all production pieces so are not a requirement to positively identify a Rosemeade piece. Ceramics by Messer Another North Dakota native, Joe Messer studied ceramics and sculpture at the Kansas City Art Institute and then returned to his native Bowman, North Dakota and produced pottery for several years as Ceramics by Messer. Joe and his wife Eunice produced pottery in Bowman from 1952 until 1956. Initially their production facility was half a chicken coop belonging to Eunice's father. They expanded to take over the whole building in 1953 and by 1954 moved into their own building, a former gas station in Bowman on a major road to the Black Hills. Joe used his artistic skills to produce animal figurines as well as other landmark figurines. Especially popular were his figurines of his father-in-law's prize Hereford bull which local ranchers bought custom made with their own brands. Other figures include an oil derrick, a popular Devils Tower National Monument salt and pepper shaker set and salt and pepper sets of grain elevators advertising North Dakota towns. Joe was also very talented at wheel throwing vases, jugs, etc. Local clay was used for these one-of-a-kind products. These items were marked as one-of-a-kind originals. Other Messer production pieces were marked or impressed on the bottom and some contained a "Ceramics by Messer" sticker on the side. Competition from low cost Japanese pottery drove the Messers out of business in 1956. Little Heart Tony Helbling, the owner and founder of L & H Manufacturing of Mandan, North Dakota, began