Manufacturer: Syracuse China
User: Illinois Central Railroad
Pattern name: Coral
Pattern name: Coral Reversal
Date of cups: Coral: 1948; Coral Reversal: 1945

Coral

Coral on Dolphin shape

Coral Reversed

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Notes: According to Doug McIntyre's "The Official Guide to Railroad Dining Car China," Illinois Central ordered this pattern from 1935 to 1970, making it a commonly seen item on the ICRR dining cars.

The pattern usually consists of a coral – or orange-pink – stenciled overspray of a branch and leaves on a white background, with the end result being a white branch and leaves against coral. This pattern was not backstamped but it was used exclusively by the railroad. Plates, bowls and cups showed the flowers; saucers did not.

The Coral Reversal pattern matches the design with the exception of being a coral image of branches and leaves on a white body.

The second Coral pattern cup above shows a Dolphin body, the shape developed by a researcher named Dolphin who sought to create a design that would prevent excessive spills during the normal rocking of a moving dining car. In addition to the lip curving inward, there is also a well line inside the rim. The standard shape is seen on the Coral Reversal cup in which the sides and inner walls are straight.

ID and Coral Dolphin cup contributed by matthanne1