Manufacturer: Homer Laughlin China
Name of user: Bookbinder's Restaurant – Philadelphia, Penn.
Date of examples: circa 1932 – 1954

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Notes: Samuel Bookbinder founded an oyster bar in 1865 (Some sources say 1875, because Samuel was born in 1854). In 1898, Bookbinder moved to 125 Walnut Street, near the Delaware River. In 1915 he acquired the adjoining four-story brick building at 123 Walnut. Later the restaurant expanded into the building at 121 Walnut.

At one point, Bookbinder's had five dining rooms: The Shell Room, Crystal Room, Gay Nineties Room, Maine Woods Room, and the Blacksmith Room.

In 1935, the founder's grandson, Samuel, quarreled with other family members and left to open his own restaurant at 215 South 15th Street, which he named Bookbinder's Sea Food House, Inc.

Around 1936, "Old Original" was added to the Walnut Street Bookbinder's name. The Walnut Street restaurant was later donated to Jewish Federated Charities. In 1941, the Walnut Street Bookbinder's was purchased by John Taxin.

The 15th Street Bookbinder's closed in 2004, and the Old Original Bookbinder's, on Walnut Street, closed in March 2009.

Homer Laughlin made a china service that is crested "THE OLD ORIGINAL" in red, with BOOKBINDER'S and an oval frame with "EST 1865" in black. Red lobster silhouette ornaments are spaced around the rim. The Homer Laughlin backstamp style indicates that this china was made from around 1992 on.

Sources:
New York Times, Feb. 28,1985, Section A, Page 14 – Article by William K, Stevens about Bookbinder's history
bookbindersfoods.com – Restaurant history and foods division information
Hidden City Philadelphia.org – Recent exterior photograph by Peter Woodall

For more info:
Bookbinder's by Scammell China
Bookbinder's 2 by Iroquois, Sterling and Syracuse

Contributor:
Larry Paul: author