Manufacturer: Scammell China
Name of user: Bookbinder's Restaurant – Philadelphia, Penn.
Date of example: 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.

Scammell produced a Trenton China pattern that is crested "Bookbinder" in red script lettering. This crest does not contain the "s" that is usually associated with the restaurant name. A 1936 advertisement shows the signature of Mrs. Bookbinder in a similar script style. The transfer border on this china was designed by Emil Schnepf and copyrighted July 1932 as "Semiranus." The copyright 'c' symbol is shown on the backstamp.

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

For more info:
Bookbinder's 2 by Iroquois, Sterling, Syracuse
Bookbinder's 3 by Homer Laughlin

Contributor:
Larry Paul: author