Bismarck Hotel Chicago 3

Manufacturer: Scammell China
User: Bismarck Hotel, Chicago, IL
Date of plate: circa 1930s

Bismarck Hotel Chicago Topmark Comparison
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Notes: The first Bismarck Hotel was four floors and 200 rooms, built in 1894 by the three Eitel Brothers. In 1914, because of the unpopularity of the name during World War I, the hotel was renamed The Randolph Hotel. In 1924, the original Bismarck which had been renamed The Randolph Hotel was razed and construction began on a new 600-room Bismarck Hotel at 171 West Randolph Street. Included in the new hotel were the 2,500-seat Vaudeville Palace Theatre and the 20-story Metropolitan Office Building.

The hotel stayed in the Eitel family until 1956 when it was purchased by the Wirtz family who installed air conditioning, automatic elevators and telephones. In 1996, the hotel was sold and after a $31 million facelift, it reopened in 1998 as the Hotel Allegro Chicago, a Kimpton Hotel.

White body with red band border. Topmarked in red with the Bismarck Hotel logo. Given the date of the Scammell backstamp, this plate likely was used at the second Bismarck Hotel.

In the comparison photo below, this Scammell China topmark is similar to the Bismarck Hotel pieces manufactured by Buffalo China, though the Buffalo topmark is well defined in that you can see whites on both sides of the stylized eagle's eye and the bows in the "B" are longer.

For related info:
Bismarck Hotel Chicago by Bauscher Brothers
Bismarck Hotel Chicago 2 by Buffalo China
Marigold Gardens by Bauscher Brothers

Photos contributed by matthanne1