Manufacturers: Scammell and Bauscher
Customer: Old Heidelberg
Distributors: L. B. Herbst, Scammell; Arthur Schiller & Son, Bauscher
Date of examples: 1933 – 1953

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Notes: The five Eitel brothers arrived in Chicago around 1890 from their native Stuttgart, Germany. In 1893, they opened their first hotel near the Chicago World's Fair. In 1926, they opened the 600-room Bismarck Hotel.

In November 1933, Eitel, Inc. announced plans to build a new restaurant named Old Heidelberg at 14-16 West Randolph Street, to be operated by Robert and Max Eitel, who had just finished running the Old Heidelberg restaurant during the first season of the Century of Progress.

The Randolph Street restaurant, designed by architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, was to have a Teutonic style facade. The basement contained a German rathskeller. The restaurant was on the first floor, a cafe with dance space on the second, and the kitchen on the third. The Old Heidelberg Inn opened in 1934. In 1935, it advertised complete luncheons from 50¢.

Robert J. Eitel died Sept. 20, 1948, at age 71.

On June 26, 1953, the Old Heidelberg corporation petitioned for involuntary bankruptcy. At that time Max Eitel, 71, was president. The restaurant had debts totaling $350,000.

However, Old Heidelburg was still operating in 1961, with Gus Allgauer as owner. The last known newspaper mention of it is in 1963.

The former restaurant, with its distinctive façade, was still standing in 2019.

The crest on the china made by Scammell and Bauscher is the three arch – with clock above – facade of the Randolph Street restaurant. It is done in dark brown or black with red details and "Old Heidelberg" in red. Both the Scammell and Bauscher pieces are on ivory bases.  L. B. Herbst supplied the Scammell china, and. Arthur Schiller & Son supplied the Bauscher china.

Sources:
Chicago Tribune, Nov. 14, 1933 – upcoming construction info
Waukegan News-Sun, Aug. 21, 1935 – 50 ¢ luncheons
Chicago Tribune, Sept. 21, 1948 – Robert Eitel obit
Chicago Tribune, June 27, 1953 – bankruptcy
Chicago Tribune, April 17, 1961 – Gus Allauer, owner
Daily Herald, Nov. 14, 1963 – mentioned as dinner restaurant
Chicago Historical Society, 1933, Hedrich-Blessing photograph collection – interior photograph
Almay photo archive – 2019 exterior view
Facebook Historical Chicago USA, 1958 – Old Heidelberg, Chicago

Contributor:
Larry Paul, author
Carol Cardona, cream photos