Manufacturer: Maddock Pottery
Distributor: Albert Pick & Co.
User: Christopher's Ice Cream stores – headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif.
Date of creamer: circa 1905 – 1924

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Notes: The L. J. Christopher Company was founded in 1887 to produce a line of candy and ice cream. They sold their products to dealers wholesale, and to the public in retail stores in Los Angeles.

L. J. Christopher, 1923

By 1892, Christopher's was operating a store at 241 Spring Street. By 1905, the store at 741 S. Broadway had opened. In 1909, they opened another store at 551 S. Broadway.

The stores featured a soda fountain and candy show cases at the front, while the rear was used for restaurant table service. The 551 S. Broadway location had a second floor with several dining rooms including a 23- by 40-foot banquet hall. Complete meals, such as Spring Chicken or Sirloin Steak, were available. Ice cream was among the choices for dessert.

A full-page spread in the April 29, 1926, issue of the Long Beach Press-Telegram touted the company's 20 years providing ice cream in Long Beach, and news of the opening of the newest L. J. Christopher Plant at 525 Shannock Avenue – covering a city block – for ice cream production. It's an interesting read, especially the story about the San Bernardino rock salt mine with some 75 million tons of rock salt located under that property.

The ice cream operation later became a division of Arden Ice Cream.

Maddock made a Lamberton China service crested "Christopher's" in green script lettering with a return swish. The pink and green floral decal border is shown in the Maddock pattern sample book as #2120 Pink Auditorium. Albert Pick & Co., Chicago was the distributor.

Sources:
Long Beach Press Telegram – April 29, 1926
Santa Ana Register, Dec. 27, 1923 – photo of Christopher

Contributor:
Larry Paul: author