Manufacturer: Mayer China
User: Horn & Hardart Co., Philadelphia, New York City
Pattern Names: Medallion, Nassau, Marion (all similar patterns with different pattern names)
Date of cup: pre-1928

Marion pattern

Medallion pattern

Medallion pattern

Nassau pattern

The Medallion pattern in brown by Mayer, clearly marked by Horn & Hardart Baking Company.

Brown creamer backstamp.

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Notes: The first Horn and Hardart Automat opened June 12, 1902 at 818 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, PA. The first Automat in New York City opened 10 years later at 1557 Broadway, Times Square, between 46th & 47th Streets. The distributor noted in the backstamps shown below – Wright, Tyndale and Van Roden – was based in Philadelphia and went out of business circa 1928. Based on the backstamp information, it seems that the distributor provided china for Philadelphia and New York.

A 1921 ad in Plant-Restaurant Management for The Stearnes Company in Chicago touts its outfitting of "Horn & Hardart's new Automat and Cafeteria on Sheridan Road near Wilson Avenue, Chicago." And Jan Whitaker, writing in a September 8, 2019 piece for her Restaurant-ing through history, confirms the presence of two Horn & Hardarts operating in Chicago in 1922.

For an overview of H&H as an iconic establishment, see Horn & Hardart – Iconic Establishments.

There are many pieces of china with this pattern for sale that are not backstamped Horn & Hardart. It is not known if any of them might have seen automat service and/or if the pattern(s) were exclusive to H&H.

White body with deep green Art Nouveau flowers, swags and swirls and one unusual example found in the Medallion pattern in brown.

Cup-and-saucer photos contributed by kathleen
Topmarked cup photos contributed by Patrick Carie

For related info:
Horn & Hardart 2 by Homer Laughlin China
Horn & Hardart 3 by Syracuse China
Horn & Hardart 4 by Grindley Hotel Ware Co., LTD, England
Horn & Hardart 5 by Syracuse China
Horn & Hardart 6 by Shenango China
Horn & Hardart 7 by Greenwood Pottery
Horn & Hardart 8 by unknown manufacturer
Horn and Hardart Automat  as an Iconic Establishment
The Automat Horn & Hardart Movie (working title prior to release circa 2021)