FOUR Available: CMStP&P Railroad "Peacock" China Cup & Saucer Set

CONDITION: Sparkling bright with only the lightest signs of use. The easiest to see are light surface marks in the saucer well. You must tilt these pieces in bright light to see any marks. NO cracks, chips, flakes, crazing, spiders or repairs. There is some lightest scuffing on the bottom rims. We do NOT bleach our china, which in the long run will damage glaze!

The cup is the interesting "dolphin" shape, designed to help prevent spills as meals were enjoyed over the rails -- which could sometimes be a bouncy ride.

Very popular with onboard diners, "Peacock" china was used from the mid-1930s all the way through until the 1960s. It was produced on Econo-Rim china with the patented shape and stamped rim design.

Both pieces are correctly bottom marked with Syracuse China markings and no railway markings, which is correct because "Peacock" was never railroad marked. It was an "exclusive" pattern, with the railroad owning the rights to the design, and was never sold to other customers.

COLLECTOR INFORMATION: Because Syracuse China clearly used the peacock and floral motif in designs other than what they produced for the Milwaukee Road, it's become a question over the years as to exactly what pattern it was for which the CMStP&P owned exclusive rights. Our best guess is that the railroad ownership was of the bird/floral but ONLY when it was produced on Econo-Rim ware and decorated with a blue scallop rim design (note, some pieces such as rimmed soup plates have flat rather than impressed rims, but still have the blue glaze decoration).

The exact same peacock/florals center design was produced by Syracuse China with other border designs, none of which have anything to do with railroad china (other than sharing the same peacock).

Item ID: 2216