Manufacturer: Syracuse China
User: Boston Lunch
Date of mug: 1897 – 1946

Notes: There are at least four possible candidates for the location of Boston Lunch:

1. From the Constant Family Papers, in the possession of the Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Divison: Brothers Basil K. "Bill" Constant and Xenophon K. Constant, Greek immigrants, settled in Boston, Mass., and on Dec. 29, 1917, opened a restaurant in Newport, R.I., with four other Greek immigrants living in Boston, called the Perfect Lunch. Two days later they renamed the business the Boston Lunch Company.

The business was located at 131 Thames Street in Newport, R.I.

2. From the Oct. 4, 1921 New York Times, under Leases: "for Edward Margolies, the store at 917 Eighth Avenue to the Boston Lunch Company, for a long term at approximately $90,000."

3. From company letterhead: There was a Boston Lunch Co., Inc., in business in July 1908, with its head office in the Utica Building in Des Moines, Iowa. President was Henry Scherrer; John W. Welch was secretary/treasurer.

There is evidence from Midwestern newspapers that Boston Lunch branches also were located in Iowa City and Lincoln, Neb.

An item in the June 23, 1920 Iowa City Press Citizen mentions "James Karas, one of the Karas Bros., the firm owning the Boston Lunch and other businesses."

And an earlier mention in the Iowa City Citizen on Oct. 28, 1916, mentions that George Orphan, the proprietor of the Boston Lunch room, located at the corner of College and Dubuque Streets, has sold out to Nick Kastam, Tony Daros and Dennis Chukalas.

4. A fourth Boston Lunch has been located in San Francisco with a photograph dated 1924. (Source: San Francisco Public Library) Click here for link.

It seems clear that several Boston Lunches were in business across the United States in the early part of the 20th century and it is not possible at this time to come to a conclusion where this mug was used or how much, if any, connection there was among the locations, especially those in Iowa and Nebraska.

Slate blue Boston Lunch in script is surrounded by Art Nouveau vines and ribbons.