Manufacturer: John Maddock and Sons – England
User: Original Emporium Bakery
Distributor: Nathan Dohrman Co. – San Francisco
Date of creamer: circa 1896
Notes: In 1896, Adolph (and possibly his brother Gustav) Siebrecht opened the Original Emporium Restaurant and Bakery at the corner of Ellis and Jones Street in San Francisco, California. On April 18, 1906, an earthquake and fire destroyed the well-known establishment as well as much of the city. After this disaster, Adolph decided to change course, and he spent 10 years ranching and "tending the soil" on his property in Nappa Valley.
Around the same time, two other German bakers, Gustav Miersch and William Claus, opened their Emporium Restaurant and Bakery at the corner of 499 Ellis and Leavenworth streets in San Francisco. After the fire, they moved their Emporium to 1130 Oak Street near Devisadero Street (now Divisadero Street).
An enigmatic ad (shown above) in the May 7, 1906, San Francisco Examiner that must refer to the fire reads: "Emporium Restaurant and Bakery, formerly 499 Ellis st., cor. Leavenworth. Open for Business Tuesday, May 8, 6 a.m. 130-138 Oak Street Near Devisadero. Best Coffee, Fresh Goods, Mocha Sticks daily. A little disfigured, but still in the ring. Miersch & Claus."
Another even more curious ad (shown above) in the July 7, 1906, issue of the San Francisco Chronicle notes: "The Original Emporium Bakery and Restaurant formerly of 499 Ellis Street, now at 1130-38 Oak Street, near Devisadero – BEWARE OF IMITATORS. MIERSCH & CLAUS." It is interesting to note that the May ad refers to the "Emporium Bakery and Restaurant" and that the July ad now says that it is the "Original Emporium Bakery and Restaurant."
Despite a focused search, the Emporium's imitators to which this ad refers have not been found. There was a well-known Emporium department store in San Francisco, also founded in 1896, but it was destroyed by the earthquake's fire and had to be rebuilt, so it would not have been one of the "imitators" mentioned in the ad.
Around 1916, both Siebrecht brothers, who frequently bought and sold San Francisco real estate, returned to the old neighborhood and rebuilt their Original Emporium Bakery and Café on the opposite corner of Ellis and Jones streets. A listing in a classified directory of San Francisco businesses in the San Francisco Chronicle dated May 9, 1919 (shown above), shows that the Fiebrecht Bros. (ostensibly a misspelling of Siebrecht) owned the Original Emporium Bakery at 397 Ellis and Jones.
In 1926, an article in the San Francisco Examiner dated June 14 touted the opening of a "new Emporium Restaurant and Bakery … under the management of the owners of the Original Emporium Restaurant and Bakery, which has for years been a drawing card to epicures at the corner of Ellis and Jones streets …"
The article continues: "Throughout the entire consideration of both building and furnishings, the 'personal touch' has been added – as has for so many years been the case at the Original Emporium, where waiters are schooled in courtesy and service, and there is a noticeable lack of delay in the delivery of orders."
In 1928, the Original Emporium Bakery & Cafe incorporated and was advertised as being at the southeast corner of Ellis and Jones Streets.
It is not known when the Original Emporium Bakery & Cafe closed, but the last mention found was April 1931.
To decide which partners, both claiming ownership of the name Original Emporium name, actually ordered this creamer, the nod goes to the Siebrecht brothers whose bakery opening date was documented by ads, shown above, as having opened in 1896, and that the date code on this Maddock backstamp gives it a date range, per Barbara Conroy, of circa 1880 – circa 1896. We're going to say that Miersch and Claus, therefore, were actually, to use their words, the imitators.
White body creamer with two green pinstripes around the top and another green pinstripe near the base. On the side of the creamer are the words "Original Emporium" in a green script font that is slightly arched. Under those words is a dingbat and then the words "Bakery and Lunch" in green block letters.
Sources:
The San Francisco Examiner – May 7, 1906 – ad about Oak Street location
The San Francisco Chronicle – July 7, 1906 – ad, beware of imitators
The San Francisco Chronicle – May 9, 1919 – listing in a classified directory
Western Baker – 1921 – feature story about the Siebrecht brothers
The San Francisco Examiner – June 14, 1926 – article about a second restaurant
The San Francisco Examiner – Oct. 31, 1928 – ad for the bakery
Contributors:
Carol Cordona: ID
Ed Babcock: research
Susan Phillips: creamer photos
Ed Phillips: author