Manufacturer: Theodore Haviland, France
User: United Hotels Co.
Date of demi cup: circa 1910 – 1915
Notes: Originally, the United Hotels Company was founded in 1910 and incorporated in the state of New York. Seven years later, the United Hotels Co. of America became the United Hotel Company's successor in 1917 and was incorporated in the state of Delaware with the subsidiary hotel interests shown in the excerpt from the 1917 Moody's Manuel above.
Under the direction of hotelier and president Frank Alonzo Dudley, the company eventually grew to become one of North America's premier hotel companies, operating some of the finest hotels across the United States and Canada. By 1922, the company was operating 18 hotels and that number grew to 25 hotels in 1928.
By the 1930s and with the onset of the Great Depression, the company was forced into receivership in November 1933, but it managed to reorganize in May 1934. Continuing under Frank A. Dudley, the newly organized United Hotels Co. of America was once again incorporated in New York with headquarters in Niagara Falls. At that time, the company was also affiliated with the American Hotels chain, making it "the largest hotel group in the world under one control."
When Frank A. Dudley died on September 21, 1945 at the age of 81, the hotel chain was managing 60 hotels. After his death, many of the company's hotels were acquired by other hotel chains, such as the Hilton Hotel.
While in operation, the United Hotels Co. operated several upscale and some famous hotels, including The Roosevelt in New York City, N.Y.; The Ten Eyck in Albany, N.Y.; The Utica in Utica, N.Y.; The Onondaga in Syracuse, N.Y.; The Seneca and The Rochester in Rochester, N.Y.; The Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia, Pa.; The Lawrence in Erie, Pa.; The Penn-Harris in Harrisburg, Pa.; The Olympic in Seattle, Wash.; The Bancroft in Worcester, Mass.; The Portage in Akron, Ohio; The Durant in Flint, Mich.; The Robert Treat in Newark, N.J.; The Alexander Hamilton in Paterson, N.J.; The Stacy-Trent in Trenton, N.J. within the United States.
In Canada, the United Hotels Co. operated The Mount Royal in Montreal; The Royal Connaught in Hamilton, The Clifton in Niagara Falls, The Niagara in Niagara Falls; The Prince Edward in Windsor, and The Admiral Beatty in St. John, New Brunswick.
Sources:
"Receivers Named for Hotel Firm," The New York Times, November 18, 1933
"Court Approves Plan for Roosevelt Hotel; Receivers Directed to Aid Reorganization," The New York Times, January 26, 1934
"Hotel Chain Reorganizes: United, Owner of Roosevelt, Affiliates with American," The New York Times, May 3, 1934
"Frank A. Dudley of United Hotels: President of Company is Dead at 81," The New York Times, September 22, 1945
Many of the United Hotel Co. hotels used their own special china pattern or topmarked china; however, as evidenced by this demi cup, the United Hotels Co. also had their own specially marked pattern.
White body with a blue ornamental band border and scrolling white & black leaf design. Topmarked with the United Hotels Co. logo in use through the 1920s.