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Arkansas Archive
TOTAL KNOWN PORCELAIN VARIETIES: 19
I: PRE-STATES / CITY & COUNTY PLATES
A number of cities in Arkansas also got in on the porcelain act. Some of these
were not porcelain, such as an undated embossed metal plate from Hot Springs.
However, there are also 14 different porcelain plates known from four different
cities in Arkansas. The earliest known examples are dated 1909, when Fort Smith
and Little Rock are believed to have begun their issuance of porcelain plates.
Pine Bluff got into the act in 1911. These plates continue beyond 1911, when the
state took over the issuance of license plates. The latest known issue is from the
city of Argenta and dates from 1917. Each of these cities known to have issued
porcelains lies on the Arkansas River running across the central part of the state,
perhaps indicating their importance as transportation hubs with substantial
automobile traffic worth of the issuance of plates.
ARGENTA
In 1906, the fledgling town of North Little Rock and its 8,000 residents voted to
rename their community Argenta, in honor of the region's silver mines. This
lasted for about a dozen years until October of 1917 when the city renamed itself
back to North Little Rock. Very shortly before this occurred, the city of Argenta
managed to issue porcelain license plates. Soon after these plates were issued,
Argenta no longer existed as a town. The city had some 13,000 residents when
these plates were issued. This plate is unique in the hobby and is notable for
having attractive and ornate numerals, as well as being the latest issued
porcelain license plate from Arkansas.
FORT SMITH
Fort Smith was the second largest city in Arkansas when porcelains were first
issued there in 1910. Lying on the Arkansas River on the Oklahoma border, the
city boasted a population of over 25,000 and was a major transportation and
manufacturing center. In one of the unexplained mysteries regarding Arkansas
city porcelains, Fort Smith is known to have issued two distinct plates in both
1910 and 1911, and may well have done so for 1913 & 1914 as well. Why the
difference? Do the different plates represent different classes of vehicle based
on weight or horsepower, or perhaps denote the difference between a passenger
issue and a vehicle for hire? This is a mystery awaiting archival research. In any
event, there are six known porcelain plates from the city between 1909 and 1912,
none of which bear the city name. In 1909 and 1910, there is no designation
whatsoever to indicate where the plates came from. In 1911, the city added "F-S"
and in 1912, changed to "F.S." Each of these is exceedingly rare.
LITTLE ROCK
In 1819, Little Rock was home to a handful of settlers and just a few crude
buildings, but by the end of the 19th century, modern amenities as electric lights,
telephones and a public water system were introduced and the city grew
tremendously, transforming Little Rock from a frontier town to a thriving city. The
state capitol and largest city in Arkansas, Little Rock had a burgeoning population
in the teens. It was largest center of trade in the state, and there were roughly
50,000 people in Little Rock when plates were first issued in 1909. Ten years later,
the population had jumped by nearly 50 percent. In the first two years, for which
only a few plates of each year are known, numbers range into the 200s. In 2013, a
stunning plate showed up on EBAY - a 1909 motorcycle plate. Made in the same
colors as the regular 1909 plate, this is the only porcelain motorcycle license plate
known from the entire state of Arkansas.
Starting with the 1911 plates, there is a noticeable increase in registrations. A
dozen or so surviving examples - more than the first two years combined -
illustrate that plates that year reached into the 500s. Interestingly, Little Rock’s
annual run of plates is notable for its gap of 3 years after 1911. In fact, until 1915
and 1916 issues showed up in 1999, collectors were only familiar with Little Rock
issues from 1909-1911, when it was believed that the city ceased making separate
plates as the state took over that year. The emergence of these later issues,
however, suggests that the city continued issuing porcelains, or at least that they
re-visited it a few years down the line. It is entirely possible that there are 1912-
1914 Little Rock porcelains out there waiting to be unearthed. These late Little
Rock issues seem to represent something different from the predecessors,
however. Whereas the 1909-1911 plates were clearly intended as general city
issues designed to license all vehicles in Little Rock, the 1915 & 1916 plates seem
as though they were used for something much more specialized, but their precise
use is a mystery.
PINE BLUFF
A city on the Arkansas River South-East of Little Rock, Pine Bluff was incorporated
as a city in 1839. Steamboats brought significant growth to the city, which thrived
on commerce. With the coming of the railroads in the 1870s and 1880s, Pine Bluff
grew from just over 2,000 residents in 1870 to almost 10,000 by 1890. An
agricultural boom resulted as planters could easily transport their cotton markets
in New Orleans and St. Louis. The cotton Belt Railway played an important role in
the growth of the city with the building of extensive maintenance and car building
facilities. The turn of the century brought a flourishing lumber industry as well.
Pine Bluff’s two major railroads opened lumber markets nationwide. As Len Harris
points out, Pine Bluff had also grown into a hub for horseless carriages. The city
boasted a population of some 15,000 when plates were first issued there in 1910.
Very little is known about the Pine Bluff porcelains, as there are only two
surviving examples - one from 1910 and one from 1911.
II: STATE-ISSUED PASSENGER PLATES
In 1911, the state of Arkansas issued its first official license plate – a dated black
and white porcelain. Issued in pairs, as were all Arkansas porcelains, there were
approximately 1700 registrations in 1911. In 1912, the state issued an identical
porcelain, except that the color scheme was reversed. Registrations neared
2,500 that year. In 1913, the plates saw a slight change, as they no longer carried
borders and were now produced on a base which was one-half inch shorter than
the prior two years. The 1913 plate is interesting for its color scheme, with yellow
numbers on a green background. This is the only example of any passenger
porcelain issued in the U.S. or Canada with such a color scheme. Depending on
the batch that a given 1913 plate was manufactured in, there can be a great
variety in the color of green. Although quite attractive and well-made, the maker
of all three Arkansas porcelains is unknown, as none of the plates is marked with
a manufacturer's stamp. After 1913, the state switched to the issuance of
embossed metal plates.
III: STATE-ISSUED NON-PASSENGER PLATES
None issued.
IV: ODDBALLS
In addition to the three annual state issues, and the 14 known varieties of
porcelain city plates from Arkansas, there also exists one strange porcelain plate
that seems to defy explanation – a dated 1914. In 1914, Arkansas issued its first
non-porcelain plate, an embossed white on black plate that, incidentally, is
extremely difficult to find with original paint. A possible theory as to the existence
of this porcelain variety is that it is a salesman’s sample from an enamel company
that was trying to win the state contract to provide plates in 1914. After all,
Arkansas had been using porcelains for three years, and it is not unreasonable
that a porcelain company felt it could win a new contract for itself. It could also be
a privately commissioned replacement plate for an embossed 1914 that was lost
or destroyed. The problem with this theory is that the dimensions and layout to
not mimic normal 1914 issues, so the plate would not have escaped notice by
authorities as being fraudulent.
FURTHER READING
Len Harris, "Arkansas: Land of Pre-State Opportunity." PLATES, 52, 1 (February,
2006), pp. 12-13.
Robert R. Martin, “Arkansas – Land of Opportunity.” ALPCA Newsletter, 33, 4
(August, 1987), pp. 111, 120.
I: PRE-STATES / CITY & COUNTY PLATES
A number of cities in Arkansas also got in on the porcelain act. Some of these
were not porcelain, such as an undated embossed metal plate from Hot Springs.
However, there are also 14 different porcelain plates known from four different
cities in Arkansas. The earliest known examples are dated 1909, when Fort Smith
and Little Rock are believed to have begun their issuance of porcelain plates.
Pine Bluff got into the act in 1911. These plates continue beyond 1911, when the
state took over the issuance of license plates. The latest known issue is from the
city of Argenta and dates from 1917. Each of these cities known to have issued
porcelains lies on the Arkansas River running across the central part of the state,
perhaps indicating their importance as transportation hubs with substantial
automobile traffic worth of the issuance of plates.
ARGENTA
In 1906, the fledgling town of North Little Rock and its 8,000 residents voted to
rename their community Argenta, in honor of the region's silver mines. This
lasted for about a dozen years until October of 1917 when the city renamed itself
back to North Little Rock. Very shortly before this occurred, the city of Argenta
managed to issue porcelain license plates. Soon after these plates were issued,
Argenta no longer existed as a town. The city had some 13,000 residents when
these plates were issued. This plate is unique in the hobby and is notable for
having attractive and ornate numerals, as well as being the latest issued
porcelain license plate from Arkansas.
FORT SMITH
Fort Smith was the second largest city in Arkansas when porcelains were first
issued there in 1910. Lying on the Arkansas River on the Oklahoma border, the
city boasted a population of over 25,000 and was a major transportation and
manufacturing center. In one of the unexplained mysteries regarding Arkansas
city porcelains, Fort Smith is known to have issued two distinct plates in both
1910 and 1911, and may well have done so for 1913 & 1914 as well. Why the
difference? Do the different plates represent different classes of vehicle based
on weight or horsepower, or perhaps denote the difference between a passenger
issue and a vehicle for hire? This is a mystery awaiting archival research. In any
event, there are six known porcelain plates from the city between 1909 and 1912,
none of which bear the city name. In 1909 and 1910, there is no designation
whatsoever to indicate where the plates came from. In 1911, the city added "F-S"
and in 1912, changed to "F.S." Each of these is exceedingly rare.
LITTLE ROCK
In 1819, Little Rock was home to a handful of settlers and just a few crude
buildings, but by the end of the 19th century, modern amenities as electric lights,
telephones and a public water system were introduced and the city grew
tremendously, transforming Little Rock from a frontier town to a thriving city. The
state capitol and largest city in Arkansas, Little Rock had a burgeoning population
in the teens. It was largest center of trade in the state, and there were roughly
50,000 people in Little Rock when plates were first issued in 1909. Ten years later,
the population had jumped by nearly 50 percent. In the first two years, for which
only a few plates of each year are known, numbers range into the 200s. In 2013, a
stunning plate showed up on EBAY - a 1909 motorcycle plate. Made in the same
colors as the regular 1909 plate, this is the only porcelain motorcycle license plate
known from the entire state of Arkansas.
Starting with the 1911 plates, there is a noticeable increase in registrations. A
dozen or so surviving examples - more than the first two years combined -
illustrate that plates that year reached into the 500s. Interestingly, Little Rock’s
annual run of plates is notable for its gap of 3 years after 1911. In fact, until 1915
and 1916 issues showed up in 1999, collectors were only familiar with Little Rock
issues from 1909-1911, when it was believed that the city ceased making separate
plates as the state took over that year. The emergence of these later issues,
however, suggests that the city continued issuing porcelains, or at least that they
re-visited it a few years down the line. It is entirely possible that there are 1912-
1914 Little Rock porcelains out there waiting to be unearthed. These late Little
Rock issues seem to represent something different from the predecessors,
however. Whereas the 1909-1911 plates were clearly intended as general city
issues designed to license all vehicles in Little Rock, the 1915 & 1916 plates seem
as though they were used for something much more specialized, but their precise
use is a mystery.
PINE BLUFF
A city on the Arkansas River South-East of Little Rock, Pine Bluff was incorporated
as a city in 1839. Steamboats brought significant growth to the city, which thrived
on commerce. With the coming of the railroads in the 1870s and 1880s, Pine Bluff
grew from just over 2,000 residents in 1870 to almost 10,000 by 1890. An
agricultural boom resulted as planters could easily transport their cotton markets
in New Orleans and St. Louis. The cotton Belt Railway played an important role in
the growth of the city with the building of extensive maintenance and car building
facilities. The turn of the century brought a flourishing lumber industry as well.
Pine Bluff’s two major railroads opened lumber markets nationwide. As Len Harris
points out, Pine Bluff had also grown into a hub for horseless carriages. The city
boasted a population of some 15,000 when plates were first issued there in 1910.
Very little is known about the Pine Bluff porcelains, as there are only two
surviving examples - one from 1910 and one from 1911.
II: STATE-ISSUED PASSENGER PLATES
In 1911, the state of Arkansas issued its first official license plate – a dated black
and white porcelain. Issued in pairs, as were all Arkansas porcelains, there were
approximately 1700 registrations in 1911. In 1912, the state issued an identical
porcelain, except that the color scheme was reversed. Registrations neared
2,500 that year. In 1913, the plates saw a slight change, as they no longer carried
borders and were now produced on a base which was one-half inch shorter than
the prior two years. The 1913 plate is interesting for its color scheme, with yellow
numbers on a green background. This is the only example of any passenger
porcelain issued in the U.S. or Canada with such a color scheme. Depending on
the batch that a given 1913 plate was manufactured in, there can be a great
variety in the color of green. Although quite attractive and well-made, the maker
of all three Arkansas porcelains is unknown, as none of the plates is marked with
a manufacturer's stamp. After 1913, the state switched to the issuance of
embossed metal plates.
III: STATE-ISSUED NON-PASSENGER PLATES
None issued.
IV: ODDBALLS
In addition to the three annual state issues, and the 14 known varieties of
porcelain city plates from Arkansas, there also exists one strange porcelain plate
that seems to defy explanation – a dated 1914. In 1914, Arkansas issued its first
non-porcelain plate, an embossed white on black plate that, incidentally, is
extremely difficult to find with original paint. A possible theory as to the existence
of this porcelain variety is that it is a salesman’s sample from an enamel company
that was trying to win the state contract to provide plates in 1914. After all,
Arkansas had been using porcelains for three years, and it is not unreasonable
that a porcelain company felt it could win a new contract for itself. It could also be
a privately commissioned replacement plate for an embossed 1914 that was lost
or destroyed. The problem with this theory is that the dimensions and layout to
not mimic normal 1914 issues, so the plate would not have escaped notice by
authorities as being fraudulent.
FURTHER READING
Len Harris, "Arkansas: Land of Pre-State Opportunity." PLATES, 52, 1 (February,
2006), pp. 12-13.
Robert R. Martin, “Arkansas – Land of Opportunity.” ALPCA Newsletter, 33, 4
(August, 1987), pp. 111, 120.
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