Manufacturer: Jackson China
User: Ed's Café
Date of examples: circa 1946 – 1972
Notes: Ed's Cafe was opened in 1926 in Coloma, Michigan – near Paw Paw Lake – by Edward Vollrath and his wife Mayme. In 1952, his son (also Edward, shown below) purchased the café from his father, and he and his wife Jan tripled the size of the restaurant over the next 30 years.
According to Vollrath's 2019 obituary: "The chicken recipe (developed by his father in the lumber camps of Wisconsin) drew locals and summer visitors to enjoy this special fried chicken and many other wonderful offerings." He was also known in Coloma as "Chicken Ed."
It is not known when the café closed, but there was an estate sale at Vollrath's home in April 2016, which stated: "Local legend Chicken Ed's Café opened in 1926 and was a favorite for generations in Coloma and Paw Paw Lake area. While the chicken recipe is still secret you may have a piece of history with great restaurant items from the restaurant from a HUGE Chicken Collection to Chicken Ed dinnerware and more. Mid-century home like walking into the 60's."
White body cup and saucer with a deep green airbrushed design of a hen outline on the left side of the cup and a rooster on the right side of the saucer. On the inside of the cup are the words "Ed's Café" in a stylized script font. In addition to hen and rooster, the butter pat, shown above, has an airbrushed chick.
Sources:
Obits.mlive.com – 2019 obituary of Edward Vollrath
Estatesales.net – 2016 living estate sale at home of Edward Vollrath
Contributors:
Cup and saucer photos: Susan Phillips
ID and research: Susan and Ed Phillips
Author: Ed Phillips