Manufacturer: Union Porcelain Works, New York
Name of user: Gayoso Hotel – Memphis, Tenn.
Date of cup: circa 1877 – 1904

Gayoso crest on 1902 Syracuse China sample plate

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Notes: According to the Wikipedia, "The first Gayoso House was built in Memphis, Tenn., overlooking the Mississippi in 1842. It was a first-class hotel designed by James H. Dakin, with the latest conveniences, including indoor plumbing, marble tubs, silver faucets and flush toilets. In the 1850s, an addition to the hotel doubled the rooms to 150. It burned to the ground in 1899."

From Historic Memphis Hotels, "The second Gayoso Hotel was a U-shaped structure surrounding a courtyard. The hotel was designed by James B. Cook and opened in 1902. There was an effort to return the Gayoso to its former glory, but it never quite achieved the fame of the previous hotel. Goldsmith's Department Store, which was next door to the Gayoso, bought the hotel in 1948 and used it for offices and storage. The Gayoso closed its doors in 1962. Fifty years later, it has been restored and used for downtown apartments, residences, restaurants, and offices."

As alluded to on the back of the plate, according to Larry Paul's Hotel Database, the Memphis Hotel Company was the hotel's owner/operator from approximately 1923 to 1942.

This design was also shown on a 1902 Syracuse China sample plate in sepia tones, shown above, making Syracuse another possible manufacturer.

Union Porcelain Works
An ad in the Nov. 15, 1865, issue of The Charleston Daily News touted Union Porcelain Works as: "CHINA WARE FOR HOTELS, STEAMBOATS AND FAMILY USE. Porcelain Door, Drawer and Shutter Knobs, plain or decorated. Also, Door Plates, Finger Plates and Shield Number Plates; Drawer Pulls and Knobs for Druggists' drawers, numbered or lettered, as may be desired; PORCELAIN HARDWARE TRIMMINGS of all descriptions. THOS. C. SMITH & CO., Proprietors. Office No. 38 John-street, N.Y. Factory Brooklyn."

There was an ad in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on Oct. 26, 1916, shown above. Stories in January 1923 mention Union Porcelain Works in connection with a judgment of sale and foreclosure.

The cup has a double-line border ending in curlicues that are interrupted by the spread winged eagle facing viewer's left and wearing a five-point crown. Shield with six divisions on eagle's chest – vertical oval with three fish in center of shield; solid dark color in top left; running deer in middle left section; three vertical rows of dots in lower left; five rooster heads in upper right; three dark horizontal bands with dots in lower right. Spear and rifle flanking eagle's neck. Three poles with banners projecting from each wing. Cannon with cannon balls to left and drum to right on ground at bottom. Initials TB below ground on right side. All decoration is in dark green.

For related info:
Gayoso Hotel by Bauscher Brothers
Gayoso Hotel 2 by McNicol China
Gayoso Hotel 3 by Scammell China
Gayoso Hotel 4 by Syracuse China
Peabody Hotel / Gayoso Hotel by Maddock Pottery Co.

Contributors:
Larry Paul, ID
Cory Glisson-Munier, cup photos
Bill Liesenbein, assistance in dating the backstamp
Ed Babcock, ephemera
Tony Earl, deciphering the crest