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Hotel Sherwin - Chicago - Lake Michigan - 1924 - Rare Hotel China Platter - Original Order of China for the Hotel\'s 1924 OpeningOffered for your consideration is an extremely rare 1924 top marked 9 1/4\" x 6 5/8\" wide oval china serving platter made for the Hotel Sherwin apartment hotel that was located on the lake front of Lake Michigan at Rogers Park in Chicago, Illinois.
This piece is from the original order of china for the hotel\'s 1924 opening of Chicago\'s Hotel Sherwin, which was both a hotel and an high-end apartment building of the \"Roaring Twenties\".
In the past thirty years of collection vintage restaurant ware, this is the only piece of china that I\'ve seen from the hotel. Until I was able to acquire this wonderful piece, I did not even know that this pattern existed. With the hotel originally having 119 apartment rooms, there would have been other pieces originally ordered by Iroquois for the hotel\'s opening.
But what happened to the rest of all the china and dining ware items? With the hotel being sold only a short time later in 1925 by Vernon McGill to the Stoops Hotel Co. of Chicago, there is a good chance that most of this original china was either disposed off, taken to one of the area dumps, or simply this was the only order in this pattern ever placed and Stoops used other china thereafter. But, the fact remains today; this pattern is extremely scarce.
Historically, the Hotel Sherwin was one of the shortest lived hotels in Chicago\'s history, as it was opened in 1924 by Chicago developer, Vernon C. McGill, and only a short time later in early 1925, it was sold. But, it was not just a hotel; rather, it was primarily a high-end luxury apartment building to serve the need (during this era) of people looking to move into such full-service luxury apartment were everything was taken care of from them; just like living in a hotel.
The Sherwin was quite the impressive eight-story Italianate architecturally designed hotel at Rogers Park on the lake front of Lake Michigan at 1205 West Sherwin Avenue. It was designed by Chicago architect, Walter W. Ahlschlager, whom Mr. Vernon had commissioned to build his impressive hotel and apartment building. The hotel would consist of 119 apartments of one, two, or three bedrooms. It had an impressive lobby, on-duty doorman, a stunning veranda porch that extended along the hotel toward the beach for a half-a-block, storage for private boats of the residents, and the hotel\'s own private beach area along the lake. The hotel also offered the Triton Room, which was a card-playing area for gentlemen; and the Orangerie, a solarium and lounge for ladies.
One of the main features of the hotel was the fine and well appointed dining room, which was also incorpationed in with the hotel\'s sunken garden. Guest could also enjoy dinner in their rooms with the Sherwin\'s room services. A professionally train culinary staff ensured that all dining services were done to the highest standard and offered fine restaurant type services for all meals. Additionally, the hotel was advertised as being completely \"fire proof\", as though the Chicago Great Fire had happened in 1871, the memory of it was still present in many Chicagoans of the era.
But as the hotel was at first popular and somewhat successful in the first months of operations, it started loosing a considerable amount of money. The decision was made by Mr. McGill to sell the property for $1.3 million (a huge amount of money at that time) to the Henry J. Stoops Hotel Co., which was a Chicago based hotel company. But even with the sale, it was close to almost a million dollar in loss, as when the hotel opened, it had experienced cost overruns which puts it final cost at close to two million dollars.
The Stoops Company operated the Sherwin as an apartment building / hotel for some years thereafter. In 1929, the Edgewater Athletic Club moved also into the building as well. Fast forward to today, and the Sherwin is still there and operating an upscale Lake Michigan beachfront apartment building that is now called Sherwin on the Lake.
This platter was made by the Iroquois China Co. in Syracuse, New York, in January of 1924 with the datecode of J1. It features the hotel\'s original logo / coat of arms on the front with a banner under the crest that reads \"HOTEL SHERWIN\". It is the heavyweight type restaurant - cafe - lunch room, steamship, and railroad china.
It would have been used in connection with the Sherwin Hotel silver soldered - silver plate and glassware for actual table service. It has no cracks, no chips, and only very light usage. You can tell that someone had taken well care of this platter for a long time. I was very fortunate to have been able to acquire it.
An most rarest addition to your vintage restaurant ware, high-end hotel china, or historic Chicago - Great Lakes antique collection.
Please note that the photographic images of the hotel\'s exterior and dining room are shown for historical reference purposes only and are not included with this listing.
Buyer to pay the standard shipping fee shown on the listing, which I will determine how and with what service it will be shipped.
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Items can take up to three (3) days to ship (due to my schedule working here at the animal rescue).
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