ANTIQUE PIRKENHAMMER TITANIC PORCELAIN HAND PAINTED ROSES SUGAR BOWL WITH LID

Description: Is this piece associated with the ship Titanic? You decide. Here's some copy/pasted information provided by two different authorities: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org: I recently acquired a plate in an Estate sale in New York marked with the Pirkenhammer symbol and the word Titanic. It is artist signed S. (H. or L.) Spencer 12' (1912). After reading all the blogs on this subject, the one thing that people are not mentioning is that these particular plates currently on the market may have been made exclusively for the Titanic by Pirkenhammer but they weren't necessarily on the Titanic. (It wasn't a pattern made by the company, as someone suggested, since most of these plates were blanks that were decorated with different hand-painted artwork on the front). In the late 19th and early 20th century, many European porcelain manufacturing companies were commissioned to paint decorative artwork on porcelain for companies or commemorative events in the United States (I can supply this info if interested). These plates were most likely not made for the Titanic for dinnerware service but for porcelain artware to decorate the cabins etc. Decorative plates such as the one that sold on Ebay, as well as the one that I have, would not be used for utilitarian purposes. It is possible that Pirkenhammer created these plates in hopes that the Titanic would buy them for the upper-class cabins for decoration sake or for perhaps souvenirs . The decorated plates that slowly show up on the Market may be the ones that were not chosen or bought by the Titanic for such purposes? Or perhaps Pirkenhammer created these blanks for the general public to decorate in order to celebrate such a special event. Regardless, they may still valuable if they in fact were made exclusively for this historical event. I find it very unlikely that it is a coincidence that these plates were produce at the same time in history as the introduction of the Titanic (not afterwards!). Remember negative evidence doesn't prove anything- just because such a plate with the Pirkenhammer mark has not been found among the salvage this doesn't mean that this company didn't supply such artware for the Titanic or at least produce it for this event. (By the way, such an artifact would probably never be found if these plates were used for decoration purposes and in limiting number, the chance of finding such a piece would be astronomical). Do Titantic experts really have accessibility to a full inventory log of what this company bought for their ship? I do not doubt that the Titanic bought their dinnerware sets from England as one person wrote since, at that time, this manufacturer was much less expensive than French or Bavarian porcelain. Austrian, Bavarian, and French porcelain were bought and imported into the US for mostly decoration purposes for the Art and Craft movement. This is clearly what the majority of the Titanic Pirkenhammer pieces on the market today were used and perhaps made for. And from the White Star Line Memorial Foundation https://www.wslmf.org/discover/articles/pirkenhammer/ Pirkenhammer is known to have made fine porcelains for royalty throughout Europe as well as the Papacy. ... Haviland China did make what appears to be souvenir china for the International Mercantile Marine and the Red Star Line which were effectively owned by J. P. Morgan. The White Star Line was also under the Morgan combine, so one can wonder if souvenir wares were created for the more prestigious White Star Line. It is difficult to place this china outside the legal and cultural interest of these companies, and whether or not this china was sold onboard any of the ships of these companies has yet to be established. However, any other setting causes problems. It can only be concluded that this china had some connection to these companies, as there are several examples of Haviland pieces that are apparently connected to some of shipping companies owned by J. P. Morgan. There are also Haviland and Pirkenhammer pieces that are related to one another, and which share the same back marks with one another as well as with those marked for the shipping lines. ... This does not however connect the Pirkenhammer pieces marked 'Titanic" to the ship. There simply is not enough concrete evidence to firmly establish this. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence to establish this was the case, but in my opinion circumstantial evidence isn't sufficient to establish anything beyond a definite maybe. The possibility certainly cannot be dismissed. One can speculate that, as some of these pieces marked 'Titanic' seem to be unfinished, they were intended as a souvenir of some type either onboard the ship, or through the White Star Line in some other setting. Although any other setting is difficult to imagine, they certainly would not be for onboard use as table service, and stories reporting such are mistaken at best. Why these plates survive is another mystery. Perhaps Johann Haviland and/or Pirkenhammer could not afford to take a loss after the disaster and disposed of them otherwise, leaving some wares unfinished to cut their losses. Perhaps the finished pieces, which most certainly must have had a company logo on the back ... which did not make it aboard ship were destroyed by the White Star Line having no crossover market to the other ships as these were marked "Titanic". If Haviland or Pirkenhammer had finished pieces, the White Star would certainly have given an order for their destruction as well. What is seen today are blanks and a few company finished pieces that could be sold as they had no White Star Line mark. The blanks could have been sold to amateur artists to practice their craft. Haviland and Pirkenhammer would likely have done this to recoup any losses in the manufacturing of the unsold blanks to White Star. Again, this is all purely speculation, and there is no evidence for Pirkenhammer or Haviland wares being ordered by White Star, or intended for the Titanic in any capacity. Some claim that fine china plates were too delicate to be offered as souvenirs, yet we clearly see they were likely offered on Red Star Line ships. These ships weren't rodeo rides! Fine china was used in the first class dining areas of these ships, and the china survived. Those who bought souvenirs had the money to do so, and it is reasonable that varying goods in quality, type, and price would have been offered to meet differing interests. Having noted all this, I would not hoard, or pay a huge sum for any of the Pirkenhammer china marked 'Titanic' on what has been discovered to date. Should concrete evidence someday establish that Pirkenhammer and/or Haviland China was intended as souvenirs on the Titanic, it would be little more than an interesting side note to the history of the Titanic. Were the plates not ready for her maiden voyage and were to be added on another voyage? Not likely. Additionally, why hasn't Pirkenhammer been connected to any of the other White Star Line ships before, or after Titanic? The Titanic wasn't a remarkable ship in all honesty. Had she not met with disaster, she would have been a footnote to the history of the White Star Line. The Olympic was the star of the Olympic Class of ships, as were all the other "first" ships in the series of classes. Titanic is remembered because of her fate and the loss of prominent people. ... Since this article was originally posted in 1998, there has been a Pirkenhammer plate sold to a casino for a considerable sum of money. The plate was reportedly from a Second Class Stateroom and taken off the ship. Pirkenhammer has issued a statement confirming that they did make china for use onboard the ship. Case closed!? Not hardly. A single piece of Pirkenhammer has yet to be found in the debris field of Titanic's wreck site. Had this been for in cabin use of any class, there most assuredly would have been at least one example recovered thus far. One thing is evident, and it is that this china would not have been used as service pieces in any capacity. If they were anything, they were destined as souvenirs. Pirkenhammer has not released convincing evidence to show that they were commissioned to make china for Titanic in any regard, and it seems merely wishful thinking on their part that they were. And now on to this listing ... This listing is for an antique hand painted porcelain sugar bowl with lid bearing the Pirkenhammer mark and the words "Titanic Austria." Matte finish. The design of roses is incredibly detailed and delicate. No chips, cracks, or evidence of unusual wear. Even the gold finish on the lid finial and the base remain intact. Looks like it has sat in someone's china cabinet for its entire life. Absolutely lovely. Will be wrapped with care and shipped with GOBS of packing material. I am listing many other items on eBay, including other vintage creamer and sugar sets. Please check my other items, as I will be happy to combine shipping. I do not accept returns. Please examine the photos and description carefully, and ask questions if you are unsure. ABSOLUTELY NO RETURNS OR EXCHANGES.

Price: 25 USD

Location: DeLand, Florida

End Time: 2025-01-30T00:26:50.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD