Los Angeles Steamship Co. - 1920's - Rare Steamship China Floral Dessert Dish For Sale

Los Angeles Steamship Company – 1920’s era – Extremely Rare – Steamship China Desset Plate - Features a Stunning Logo and Beautiful California Poppy Flowers

For your consideration is an extremely rare 1920 era top marked and floral pattern 5 3/4" wide china dessert plate specially marked and made for the Los Angeles Steamship Company, which operated between Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Hawaii.If you collect historic California, Hawaii, vintage restaurant ware, or LASSCO items, you might want to consider this set for your collection.

Historically, the Los Angeles Steamship Co. was formed in 1920 and originally only operated along the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. In 1921, service was added to the Hawaiian Islands. The company operated passenger and freight service between their three primary piers. The first two larger passenger ships were actually former North German Llyod passenger liners that were seized by the US Navy during World War I. One of these ships, the S.S. Honolulu (the first ship by this name and was formally the SS Friedrich der Grosse) Hawaii, sank on her maiden voyage in 1922 but with no loss of life.

The company’s steamship operations in California and Hawaii proved very successful for both passenger and freight. The company advertised as having luxurious passenger accommodations operating on a very quick schedule. This proved extremely popular for the much-needed direct steamship service between Los Angeles and Hawaii, as prior to this; passengers had to travel to San Francisco for passage on a Matson Liner.

Business was good for the steamship company as was the same for most others in the United States during the “Roaring Twenties”. However in 1930 and with the company already feeling effects of the Great Depression, tragedy again struck when the S. S. Honolulu burned and was destroyed. This proved devastating to the company, which by 1931, was taken over by the rival Matson Steamship Lines, which was also operating from California to Hawaii (and other locations) as well. Matson continued to operate the Los Angeles Steamship Company as separate company until it ceased its operations in 1937; with the remaining steamers operating as Matson.

This plate could have been used aboard any of the vessels of the original LASSCo. fleet, which included, the famous SS City of Los Angeles; the SS City of Honolulu (ships I and II); the SSCalawaii, the SS Harvard, SS Yale, the SS Waimea, and the SS Diamond Head.

This is one of the most beautiful steamship china patterns that features red and yellow poppies in a flora design that compliments the entire outer boarder. The steamship's company flag and circular logo looks amazing with the wording "LOS ANGELES STEAMSHIP CO" in the yellow, black, and olive green colors!
The platter was distributed by the Nathan Straus Co. of New York City, which was a supplier to railroad, hotel, and steamship companies for dining ware and other furnishing and fixtures. It was made by the Newport Pottery Co., which started in 1899 and was out of business by 1932. They also made some very higher-end restaurant ware for hotels, restaurants, and a few steamship companies in the United States during the early 20th Century.The platter has a most beautiful backstamp that features an ostrich. It is also backstamped "Made Expressly for Los Angeles Steamship Co." showing both the Nathan Straus Co. and the Newport Pottery Company names. It also reads "Design Pat Ent. No. 73086 - Rec. U.S. Pat. Off."It has no cracks or usage chips with only light usage. Overall with its excellent condition, it is wonderful shape in relation to what one would expect to see of actual steamship china used over 100 years ago.
It is the heavyweight restaurant, hotel, and railroad china. It would have been used in connection with the Los Angeles Steamship silver soldered - silver plate and glassware for actual table, dining room, lounge, or private cabin service.
An amazing addition to your restaurant ware, Polynesian - Hawaiian, California Poppy, restaurant china, or historic steamship china collection.