Answer: Iris is one of the many Red Wing dinnerware patterns made in the Concord shape. The first two Concord patterns were introduced in 1941; the last remaining Concord pattern was discontinued in 1957. Initially the tea cup was the only cup available. The diameter (side to side) of the tea cup is 4 inches; the height is 1.75 inches. In 1954 the coffee cup was added to all Concord patterns in production at that time (some had been discontinued before then). The coffee cup is narrower and taller than the tea cup; dimensions are 3.5 inches side to side and 2.75 inches high. Supposedly customers complained that hot liquids in the low wide tea cups cooled too quickly and the new coffee cup was a response to those complaints. Coffee cups were introduced late in the production life of the Concord line and thus are seen far less often than the tea cups.

The Iris pattern was introduced in 1951 and discontinued in 1957. Thus the coffee cup was available for only about half of Iris’ production span. As you noted, Iris hollowware was available in either chartreuse or mulberry, while flatware and covers were decorated with the Iris pattern on a white background.

Larry