Manufacturers: Maddock Pottery and Scammell China
User: Shelburne Hotel – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Distributor: John Wanamaker
Date of examples: circa 1900 – 1940

Exterior Crest at the Shelburne Hotel

Early Exterior of the Shelburne Hotel

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Notes: The Shelburne House, on Michigan Avenue near the beach in Atlantic City, opened before 1869. It was a three-story wooden structure with a railed observation deck at the top of its hipped roof. By 1887, it contained 80 bedrooms. By 1903, the Shelburne was about 12-stories with around 150 bedrooms. In 1922, the section nearest to the boardwalk was replaced with a nine-story brick structure. The 12-story center section, designed by Warren & Westmore was built in 1926. At this point the Shelburne had 400 rooms with 360 baths. It had a dining room, coffee shop, and cocktail lounge.  By 1943, it was "closed for the duration of the war" because it had been taken over for use by the Army.  After the war the old frame section was demolished.  In 1950, the Shelburne was purchased by National Inns, Ltd, and a ballroom was built. In 1959, a 150-unit motel section opened. The Shelburne closed in 1978. A $25 million renovation started around 1981, but then stopped after much of the interior had been gutted. It was torn down in 1984.

The bedroom china service is crested in coin gold with the hotels Coat of Arms shield and "THE SHELBURNE." There is a coin gold line at the rim, and on some pieces a pin line at the verge.  The known surviving pieces include spittoons and hall boy jugs for ice water. Maddock was the original producer, followed by Scammell from 1924 on. John Wanamaker was the supplier.

For additional info:
Shelburne Hotel by Maddock Pottery and Buffalo China

Author and photos: Larry Paul