Manufacturer: Scammell China
User: Monte Carlo, 49 E. 54th and Madison, New York City
Date of examples: 1943

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Notes: When the Monte Carlo night club opened in early 1939 in New York City, it was owned by Fefe Ferry. The interior was designed by Dorothy Draper. Monte Carlo was the place to be for the ultra-smart clientele where formal evening dress was imperative. It was described as "something out of a Hollywood film, phantasmagoria – a veritable jewel box among nite clubs, and the swankiest thing to hit New York in a dozen years." There was a $2.50 cover charge just to be seated at a table, with meals in the $10 to $12 range, but that included wine and an after-dinner cordial. Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone dined there in late March. Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Sr. visited in early April.

In 1941, the Monte Carlo was redecorated by Franklin Hughes, who was a sought-after decorator of a number of upscale New York restaurants, including Cafe Pierre and the Terrace Club at the New York World's Fair. Hughes turned the interior of the Monte Carlo into a Beach Club. He used green and cool yellows on the walls, white beach chairs, and a lighting system that could turn the room from daytime to nighttime.

In August 1943, Hughes was back to do another interior redesign, and the new Monte Carlo opened in December. There were lemon yellow awnings with white rope fringe over the Madison Avenue entrance. Inside, the main dining room, with its 75-foot bar, also had a lemon yellow awning. Behind the bar was a wall of mirrors illuminated with pink neon lights. These lights changed to blue during the summer. There were five large fountains backed by mirrors behind the orchestra. The former Beach Club room became the Preview Room with the addition of a yellow and white tented ceiling. The end wall could be opened with a push of a button to reveal a screen on which movie previews were projected.

In connection with the new look, the Monte Carlo introduced a five-section crown with starburst as their logo.

They also ordered a complete new service of china from Scammell. This white china is decorated with just the crown logo in black. Plates are a coupe shape. This china service included handled creams, and sauceboats.

By 1958, the Monte Carlo was no longer in operation.

Sources:
Daily News, March 1, 1939 – jewel box
Brooklyn Eagle, March 31, 1939 – Joan Crawford
San Antonio Light, April 16, 1939 – Mrs. Vanderbilt
Star Press, May 30, 1939 – meal prices
News and Record, Aug. 30, 1941 – Franklin Hughes
Bristol Herald Courier, Aug. 29, 1943 – Hughes redesigns interior
Baltimore Evening Sun, May 13, 1944 – info about interior redesign
Baltimore Evening Sun, Oct. 14, 1944 – china information
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, May 27, 1945, new décor
Daily News, April 23, 1958 – closed
Jan Whitaker, restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com, Dinner and a movie – Nov. 14, 2021

Contributors:
Roland Burritt – research
Katherine Norling – photos of plate
Larry Paul – author