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Titanic China
ROYAL CROWN DERBY REPRODUCES EXCLUSIVE
TITANIC CHINA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS.
RMS Titanic is perhaps the most famous ship ever built. It is certainly the most famous ship ever to sink. Built for the White Star Line by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, it was the largest passenger steamship of its day when it set off from Southampton on 10th April 1912. 2011 sees the 100th anniversary of the launch of this ship and to commemorate this event Royal Crown Derby are reproducing the china pattern originally ordered in 1911.
Titanic was built as a national showcase and was equipped with the very best of British engineering, craftsmanship and design. Royal Crown Derby were chosen to provide the china for the 1st class a’la carte restaurant.
The Company Archives hold a file of correspondence relating to the Titanic order, the original pattern and a booklet advertising the Titanic. The correspondence is between Royal Crown Derby and the ships chandler’s Stonier & Co of Liverpool. Stonier was a glass and china retailer used by the White Star Line as agents to find and purchase suitable pieces for their ships.
The earliest mention of Stonier & Co is a hand written list of samples dated 1st November 1910. The list of 7 different patterns includes pattern number 8288, the one chosen for the Olympic and Titanic.
On 31st January 1911 the order for Titanic was confirmed. White Star asked for the older style OSNC (Ocean Steam Navigation Company) monogram in green within a wreath rather than the flag that appears on much of the other tableware. The reason appears to be simply that it ‘is more to their liking’.
The order included
600 Dinner Plates
150 Soup “
150 Breakfast “
100 Salad “
150 Breakfast Cups & Saucers
100 Teacups & Saucers
36 Creams
25 Slop Basins
Orders were later received for replacements egg cups, Hors d’oeuvres trays and salad bowls.
Throughout the letters there is much discussion about advertising. The impetuous for this came from the White Star Line. They ask the company to produce a marketing booklet, at their own cost, advertising the sailing of the ship. Only 1000 of them were produced so they are very rare today.
To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the launch of the Titanic, we are reproducing the tableware pattern for the first time. The pattern will be unique as the Company is still producing on the same site in Derby, where they made the originals 100 years ago.
The pattern is been reproduced as a tableware pattern without the monogram in the centre and also a range of commemorative time limited items, which will feature the original Ocean Steam Navigation Company monogram, presented in a gift box with accompanying reproduction literature from the time of the original order including the little marketing booklet mentioned previously.
The range is available to view at the Royal Crown Derby Visitor Centre where you can also see the Titanic china being made on one of the popular factory
tours.(Booking essential). The range can be purchased from the Visitor Centre, via mail order service on 01332 712833 or via the website http://www.royalcrownderby.co.uk/giftware/titanic-boxed-gift-items
http://www.royalcrownderby.co.uk/tableware/titanic.html
During 2011 to commemorate the launching of the ship, Royal Crown Derby will be holding a number of events including an exhibition of items from the archive as well as items from the Titianic and Olympic. If you would like further information on events please email abushell@royalcrownderby.co.uk or call 01332 712850.
