Maddock 1923 Authentic Southern Pacific Griffin Grill

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Note: Please view the wonderful Southern Pacific Sunset Lg Flwr oval bowl I have running currently. Please peruse the story of SP china shards and various patterns that I observeed on many occasions while hiking the SP right of way several times. I found many patterns scattered about in such a large setting that it boggles the imagination. Several RR enthusiasts were with me on one occasion and we were all shocked as to the very high breakage of china and the literally thousands of pieces that were systematically destroyed by SP heaven knows when?. I saw old turn of the century patterns like unmarked green stripes, b.s. Green Stripes made by Warwick-Heyman Weil (that version is really rare), old Imperial by Maddock and Buffalo, Sunset china all makers except Shenango. I guess Shenango Sunset must be super rare as the colors are bluish green and sharp Sunset logo.. I saw all variants of PMWF all makers scattered everyw at one time (lots of broken saucers), I saw Golden State RI and SP pieces in small numbers with a very odd shard showing a Golden State piece with a border I have not known before, gosh, it was once amazing. Also please let me make it very clear now, that I am not the one who discovered this pattern as railroad. That person is doing a book and I am in no way trying to iterfere with that project (other than, get that book out!!!!. no just kidding). Seriously, I am leaving the documentation to those professionals and wanted to make that clear. I have my own little collection of shards and can state that, yes, the pattern is SP. I do not know if anyone out t knows how many were made, but from what I have learned, the pattern saw use from 1922-35. Different sizes and color blends in blue have surfaced. The Griffin pattern saw definate usage on ''The Sunset Limited" and possibly "The Golden State" which would also have been carried by Rock Island Lines. The pattern is not in any of the china books and cannot be accessed for pattern information etc.Today you can walk the line (as the song say's) only in some places or secluded areas now as some of the area is inacessible to foot traffic. , but you really only find shards and a few butter pats (mostly broken ones) and not much more. I did find some old spoons-forks dumped on top of plates that wree shattered by some perhaps target practice at one time. But one pattern that always perplexed everyone was a blue griffin design that always seemed to be close to Golden State and Sunset. Another two bunch of RR buffs can vouch for me on that one. The blue plates were glassy old shiny looking Blue Griffin grills. I have since found out that some pieces were also located in Northern California on the incline grades. Well, the pieces we found were very heavy and had no makers mark on back. Eventually I and two others found pieces with the Maddock-Lamberton mark on back (badly damaged) and evidence of a bsae plate as well. We noticed as did a top SP china expert that the blues sort of varied but the odd shiny high gloss on back prevailed. The design features a griffin design (two opposing griffins) and norse looking face on top. Griffins run all along the border. Actually the pattern reminds me of the SP Renaissance silver pattern. Well, could this have been a dug piece?. It's great to offer a whole piece after seeing so many broken pieces.So offered , FINALLY is an example of a piece just exactly like the ones I and others had observed and recorded as buried in the ground along the line. Those shards were found and almost always with Sunset and various silver flatware pieces in less than two feet of dirt.. This grill has that odd- old shiny glassy back glaze and look to it and no H.M. (maker), but the maker is obviously very early 1923 Lamberton_- Maddock with the thicker back base. Later pieces turn up with an ink stamped Scammell's mark Wow, what a find, not many I have seen for sale are like this and the colors are vivid and dusty blue. The plate shows some very light moderate usage and only slight wear to rim dividers. No chips,... read more

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