Item Tag: 1960’s

Vintage and very rare 9.5 inch plate used only by the Justices at the US Supreme Court and marked Old Ivory Syracuse China. A few examples exist in the collection of the Court and can be seen in the book entitled, The Supreme Court of the United States by Fred and Suzy Maroon c.1996. (Photos included here.) Four (4) Plates available. This china was used exclusively by the Court and used in the Justice’s private dining room and for functions they hosted. This service was replaced around 1980, we believe. Allthough there are examples of official pieces of china that surface from the White House — we have not seen anything from this service publicly available. This example was found in a thrift shop far from DC and is listed as «Used» but it is in pristine excellent condition with vivid colors and graphics. It doesn’t look like it was used. No visible blemishes, cracks, chips, fading, marks, scratches, scuffs, smudges or stains. Expect minor surface abrasions along with mold marks and wear to design consistent with age, use and storage. Syracuse China Corporation, located in Syracuse, New York, was a manufacturer of fine china. Founded in 1871 as Onondaga Pottery Company (O.P. Co.) in the town of Geddes, New York. The company name was not formally changed to Syracuse China until 1966. The company initially produced earthenware and then later vitreous china, for which it found a strong market particularly in hotels, restaurants, and railroad dining cars. The chip-resistant Round Edge shape was introduced in 1896 and the pottery became the national leader in the fast-growing institutional and hotel ware market, which required a heavier, more durable product. At that time, company salesmen gave away over 2,500 samples. Later in 1896, the company installed the industry’s first in-house lithographic shop for the «printing of decals.» This made it easy for the decorating department to make inexpensive lithography of hotel and restaurant labels feasible which helped further the company’s market penetration of the institutional markets. The manufacturing facility in Syracuse closed in 2009 after 138 years in operation and production was removed from North America. Ships priority mail — fully insured.