Manufacturer: Scammell China
User: Plaza Hotel – San Antonio, Texas
Date of plate: circa 1927 – 1954
Notes: The twelve-story Plaza Hotel, at 309 S St. Mary's Street in San Antonio,Texas, opened with a three-day celebration on January 26, 1927. In addition to the 250 original guest rooms there was a dining room and a 47' by 100', 500-seat, Roof Garden ballroom. The coffee shop was on the lobby level with windows overlooking the river.
By August 1927, plans for an addition that would double the room count were announced. The addition, with a ballroom on the second floor, opened on April 25, 1928. In May 1956, Hilton Hotels bought the Plaza. Around 1964 the hotel was renamed the Granada. In 1966, it was converted into apartments for senior citizens.
In 1926, Emil Schnepf, Scammell's head Designer, created a pattern that would be used in the Plaza, as well as for other customers. The design patent was issued February 23, 1926, (Des 70,195). The Lamberton China service that was made for the Plaza is crested with a "P" within a wreath. The crest is placed between panels in the decal border.
Scammell placed a full-page advertisement in the October 1929 issue of Hotel Management that shows the pattern and mentions that it was used in the Plaza Grill Room.
Sources:
MySanAntonio.com – July 25, 2013, article by Paula Allen about hotel's history
Granada Senior Living website – History and present-day photographs
For additional info:
Plaza Hotel – San Antonio by Iroquois China
Plaza Hotel 2 -San Antonio by Scammell China
Contributor:
Author and photos: Larry Paul