Manufacturers: Bauscher China and Scammell China
User: Sherry-Netherland Hotel – New York, New York
Distributor: Joseph Heinrichs Corporation
Date of examples: circa 1927 – 1928
Notes: The 37-story Sherry-Netherland Hotel, on the corner of 5th Avenue and 59th Street in New York City, opened November 1, 1927. It was originally designed as a hotel, but a change of ownership during construction revised the layout to contain mostly apartments. It was partly owned by Louis Sherry Inc., a restaurant company, which explains part of the name and the emphasis on fine dining. The Sherry-Netherland wanted to be the successor to the old mansions on 5th Ave., with the ultra-wealthy living in its apartments. The hotel was equipped with gold-plated doorknobs and silver-plated bath fixtures.
There were two dining venues in the Sherry-Netherland, when it opened. The main dining room was located off the lobby. It had no windows but had a large skylight in the ornate ceiling. The Grill Room, in the basement, also had no windows, but contained large scenic panels. By 1934, there was a terrace dining room on one of the upper floor setbacks. The wealthy apartment residents could order the same meals that were served in the restaurants, or meals prepared as they wished. These meals were prepared in the restaurant kitchen in the basement and delivered by direct elevator to serving pantries in each apartment. Suites were priced at between $20,000 and $30,00 per month. By 1933, the hotel was in foreclosure. It did survive and continues to operate as a 4.5-star hotel and apartment. In 2018, a full floor co-op apartment went for $11 million.
Bauscher China, of Weiden, Bavaria, and Scammell China of Trenton produced a china service for Sherry-Netherland with a purple glaze. The 11" plates have a coin gold scroll design over the full purple border. There are etched coin gold rim and verge bands. The central section is white. These plates were distributed by Joseph Heinrichs Corp, of NYC, and are dated "1927." They are not marked with the hotel name but match other pieces that are. Bauscher also made teapot inserts with an overall purple glaze, which went in silver-plated frames by International Silver Company. The one known insert is dated "1928." Scammell made a Lamberton China service that is totally glazed in purple, with coin gold rim lines. The glaze color matches the color used on tin Louis Sherry chocolate boxes.
Source:
Grand Hotels of the Jazz Age: The Architecture of Schultz & Weaver, by Marianne Lamonaca and Jonathan Mogul, 2005
For additional info:
Sherry-Netherland by Scammell China
Sherry-Netherland 3 by Scammell China
Sherry-Netherland 4 by Black Knight, Hutschenreuther China
Sherry-Netherland 5 by Walker China
Contributor:
Author and photos: Larry Paul