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Un-official US Navy History of Official US Naval Insignia Topmarks used on US Department of the Navy Antique China, Navy Tableware, Vintage China-Antique China, and Navy Dinnerware from mid 1800's through the 1970's.
Of Special Note - Antique China Substantiates Naval History: The Pirate's Lair has now obtained concrete prima-facie evidence of the very first US Navy Seal issued as early as 1894 and used through 1898. This seal was the forerunner of the Department of Navy Seal used today! US Navy Civil War Plates, Spanish American War Bowls and Plates, Great White Fleet Cups and Dinnerware - See Below!!

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Prior to the late 19th Century there appears to be only miminal consistency and limited selections to the type of Navy Dinnerware and Navy Tableware used by both enlisted and officer alike. Though functional with a Naval flair, the selection and grade of dinnerware used by sailors and officers left alot to be desired and consisted mostly of enamelware porcelain plates, bowls and cups! Additionally, there does not appear to be much of any official Naval history or documentation (anecdotal or otherwise) of what either the enlisted crew or officers used in the way of dining utensils or tableware up until the early 1890's and very early 1900's.

However, through old photographs obtained by The Pirate's Lair of sailors eating on their respective mess decks, wardrooms and galleys it appears that the white to off-white tin covered enamelware metal plates, bowls and cups incorporating "USN" or "US Navy" were pretty much standard from post Civil War up until the early 1900's. Though this enamelware used as standard Navy dinnerware and Navy tableware was sturdy and utilitarian to hold up to salty seas and repetitive heavy industrial cleanings, it certainly was not made for elegant fine dining.

The photo to the left is of a US Navy porcelain covered tin metal plate (enamelware) ca 1870's to early 1900's. It is believed that this was the type of plate along with similarly produced and marked cups and bowls were used by both enlisted and junior officers. Quite possibly this type of plate was even used by enlisted sailors well into the early 20th century, and we have been fortunate enough to collect quite a number of these pieces. As can be seen the plate has USN in light blue lettering along it's flat rim with the rim edge being highlighted in a dark blue. All in all a very handsome plain porcelain enamelware plate. We have obtained a number of ca-1890 to 1907 photographs illustrating crews mess decks where this particular enamelware was being used!

Just prior to the turn of the 20th Century (in the late 1880's to be exact), it appears that the United States Government was about to embark on a major entrance into World Affairs and was appropriately going to use the US Navy to do it by transporting our diplomats and dignitaries to wave the flag! Part of this plan was to build a great armada of first line dreadnaughts including armored cruisers, battleships and other supporting vessels to be used in what was termed our "Great White Fleet" which sailed around the world from 1907 to 1909. This was to be a first for any global circumnavigation by an all-steam all-steel major fleet or armada.

Suffice it to say that before the turn of the 20th Century the United States was not much interested in what was happening geo-politically around the world and nor could it after our devastating Civil War. We did not necessarilly pay much attention to some of the finer or more refined aspects of what our sailors ate from. We have to keep in mind that in the 1860 to 1890's the United States was either in a Civil War or in a major reconstruction and consolidation effort. So our focus in the late 1870's to the 1890's was all about rebuilding the country's basic infrastructure. During this reconstruction period we are quite sure that individual Captains and Admirals of our ships and fleets each had their own exquisite personal china and tableware which they used for everyday and on formal occasions. However we have not been able to identify any official US Navy-issued "fine dining" tableware prior to 1894. A "demitasse cup" as illustrated below in this page is the earliest piece of Official Navy-issue China Dinnerware we have ever found, and it is dated 1894. The next piece with the same Navy Seal is a "fish server" which is by the same manufacturers and is dated 1898. We have also obtained photographs of a "soup bowl" using the same Navy Seal and it is dated "1898" as well. (see below)

Above are two photographs of an 8" long bottle used to hold pepper sauce by sailors during the Civil War. One side has the raised word PEPPER and on the opposite side U.S. NAVY. There was also a similar bottle with MUSTARD on one side instead of pepper.

It is unclear whether each crewmember had their own bottle of pepper sauce or whether it was part of the general galley or mess decks and shared by all. Also, this bottle did not contain the same type of dry pepper we are used to today, it was a pepper sauce. The bottle stopper was made out of cork. This is an original bottle and was used during the Civil War and found in Georgia.

Above two photographs are of a razor sharp, beautifully produced 14.5" long butcher knife with a 9" blade and rose wood handle made by the famous cutlery manufacturer Lamson & Goodnow Manufacturing Co for the U.S. Navy. Note the eagle with outspread wings and the fouled anchor which are both representative of similar designs used by the US Navy during the very late 1800's to very early 1900's which is when this knife was made.

We also have a very similar knife by Lamson & Goodnow which was made specifically for the US Marine Corp ca 1880 to early 1900 that has the scripted calligraphy and stylized letters U.S.M.C. engraved on the blade above the L&G logo.

To the left is a late 19th Century and early 20th Century Amphora-like Water Pitcher used in Captains Cabin, Officer's Staterooms and possibly even in Enlisted Shower/Bathroom areas as well. Perhaps even on the Mess Decks. This amphora like water pitcher sat in a circular steel floor mounted to the floor to prevent spillage during high seas and rough weather conditions. This water pitcher could also be wall mounted if necessary.

We have exact same U.S.N. configuration in white porcelain soap dishes, sinks, and water basins which were used aboard ship in the late 1890's and early 1900's.

The Photograph Below Illustrates the Water Pitcher and Water Basin being (very far left in photo) as used in the Captain's Quarters Aboard the USS Texas Ca 1907.

The Water Basin Appears to be Placed in a Round Circular Steel Ring Attached to the Wall while the Pitcher is Placed in a Steel Ring Which is Floor Mounted.

The United States government in it's preparation for entrance onto the world's political stage at the end of the 19th century realized that if our "first-class top-of-the-line" first-ever all-steam all-steel Navy Fleet which was then being built to circumnavigate the world (while waving our flag and transporting our diplomats), the Navy also needed to have "world class" second-to-none Naval Dinnerware and Naval Tableware along with appropriate manners and customs so as to entertain Kings, Queens, Emperors, Presidents, other Heads of State and Diplomats. We have documented much of the Naval History of silverware and flatware used by the US Navy from the 1890's through the 1970's and this can be reviewed by Clicking Here.)

The photo to left consists of a collection of personal hygiene porcelain items (called sanitary ware) items circa 1870's to very early 1900's consisting of a water basin, two soap dishes with standardized univeral mounting brackets and a water tumbler which also has a standardized metal wire mounting bracket. The soap dishes, tumblers, sinks and basisn, water pitchers and shaving mugs and corresponding mounting brackets were universally made Navy-wide so that each item could fit into a standardized universal mounting bracket no matter what ship the crew member took his personal items to during a transfer.

As can be seen all of these items including the above water pitcher all have the same U.S.N insignia on them. The producers of these personal hygiene or sanitary ware items were made by various producers including the Standard (later called American Standard) and The Trenton Potteries Company. It is believed that the hygiene ware with the USN insignia were used by enlisted and jr. officers and each crew member had there own personal soap dish and water tumbler which they just placed into the mounting brackets when being used in a community bathroom or head.

Other than enamel on metal (enamel ware) cups, plates and bowls as found above we have no evidence of any dinnerware or tableware consisting of the plain U.S.N. insignia on any plates, bowls or cups. This lack of finding any corresponding dinnerware leaves us with the impression that the plain USN insiginia found on the personal hygiene ware soap dishes, water tumblers, water basins and sinks were possibly used just by enlisted and junior officers.

Oviously senior officers such as captains and admirals as shown in the above photograph had their own private bathrooms and washing areas.

The above photo to the left showing the two soap dishes with their corresponding brackets shows how easily the soap dishes could just be popped out and removed from the mounting brackets allowing each sailor to have their own soap and soap dish. It has been verified through photographic evidence that these items with the U.S.N. topmark were used in the 1890's through very early 1900's.

The above photo to the right shows two water tumblers with the USN insignia both tumblers are fairly close in design and would have fit into the same metal wire bracket holder. One is fairly plain while the other is very fancy and stylized, but both could fit into a standard or universal

The above photos to the left and right show both a water tumber and a turkey server or platter with the very fancy stylized USN insignia. We have personally seen fine china dinner and salad plates and soup bowls with the exact same stylized USN insignia topmark on them so we know that an entire standardized dinnerware and tableware set was produced. The date of use for these items we believe are Civil War era and used circa 1860's to early 1900's but we have absolutely no hard evidence of this.

The above two photo's show a small 6" Wilcox Silver silverplated teaspoon with a stylized USN monogram very similar in style and design to the water tumblers and turkey platter. This indicates that this stylized USN pattern was used extensively as an official US Navy insignia sometime in the 1860's through the mid-late 1800's. Furthermore, since the US Navy is very slow and somewhat deliberate in making changes it can also be ascertained that this stylized insignia lasted for quite a number of years with evolutionary design changes.

The photo to the left shows a close up of the stylized USN topmark found on the water tumbler and the photo on the right is a closeup of the topmark used on the turkey server or platter. Again, without any manufacturer's bottom marks to authenticate production and thereby dates of use and with only ad hoc anecdotal information it appears that this design was used during the Civil War era up until the late 1800's.

Note the differences in design! The stylized USN on the water tumbler shows a far more pleasing and intricate design than on the turkey server. One would have expected that the more intricate and nicer stylized design should have been found on the dinnerware rather than on a personal hygiene water tumbler used in a washroom.

Niether the turkey server and water tumbler have any manufacturing marks found on them so determining a date of use is virtually impossible at this time.

We can now see the US Navy did some basic standardization using the plain USN and the fancy stylized USN insignias as topmarks on its enlisted enamelware plates and cups as well as personal hygiene santitary ware items for both enlisted and officer crew members. We have documented through manufacturer's marks and photographs that the plain USN insignia was used on/about the late 1870's through the very early 1900's, possibly during the Great White Fleet era up until WWI. First documented use of an enamelware soap dish as opposed to one made of porcelain was during WWII.

It appears that the US Navy began training its Officer Corps in a standardized proper meal etiquette beginning in the Naval Academy. The US Navy also contracted with various china manufacturers and their distributors to produce top-of-the-line worldclass china and tableware with official US Naval insignia "topmarks" to denote the specific rank of the Officer's mess or wardroom.

The formalized Naval insignia (or topmark) found on today's naval china and dinnerware initially consisted of a gold Eagle with a federal shield emblazoned across its breast and clutching a fluked fouled anchor. This first official topmark was later transformed into two separate topmarks one consisting of a "fluked anchor with a steel stock" and the second into the "Department of the Navy Seal".

While it is our understanding that the Navy began purchasing this elegant china on or about the early/mid 1890's and very early 1900's we have only been able to absolutely date and document a single china demitasse cup dated 1894 and a fish server dated 1898 both made for the James Shaw Company by Haviland of France.

The Naval insignia's (or topmarks) originally designed along with the specific china pieces themselves, were standardized with very specific specifications by the Navy so that any china manufacturer wishing to sell dinnerware to the Navy would only need to ensure that basic size and design standards were met along with having the standardized Naval insignia on the piece.

In this manner the Navy promoted open competition among china manufacturers while getting the best made china available in a common design that would span many years of ship and shore station use alike. The Navy only slightly modified these designs over time, sometimes almost imperceptably so, however even the most minor design change has helped in allowing collectors of militaria and antique china to date the piece when there is no other manufacturing marks or date codes to go by, or any official Navy history documenting its dinnerware and tableware.

It is the desire of The Pirate's Lair to attempt in documenting and identifying to the best of our ability the various types of Naval Insginia and when and why they were used. Due to a lack of official Navy documentation much of the information is circumstantial, anecdotal, and/or relying upon china manufacture's marks, date codes and marketing/business information.

Note that the photo image to the left is of a US Navy China Demitasse Cup with a topmark illustrating an Eagle with Federal Banner clutching a Fouled Anchor with Stripe Highlights above the Eagle with feathery stripes extending out from below the Eagles wings. Also, the Eagle has a Federal Banner across it's breast. There are also 2 Stars to the left and right of the Eagle which could have represented the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans OR the rank of 2 Star Rear Admiral. (The current Navy Seal adopted about 1907 has two stars as part of the Seal, however these have been designated to be the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.)

We believe that this is evidence of the very first official "Navy Seal" that was the forerunner and basis for the later designed Department of the Navy Seal established pre-WWI in the early 1900's! With some very slight modifications made on/about 1941 it is still being used today over 100 years later! Something to be said for Naval Customs and Tradition!

Interestingly enough this very fine high-grade china demitasse cup was actually manufactured in Limoges, France by the Haviland & Co (H&Co) and was made for the James M. Shaw & Company which was a well known china distributor based out of New York, NY. The James Shaw Co was a large enough distributor that it actually commissioned various patterns of china from leading china and pottery manufacturers and marketed these commissioned pieces under the James Shaw brand. It has been absolutely verified that the James Shaw & Co was under contract to provide china to the US Navy from the 1890's through the 1930's. James Shaw Co was actually a distributor and had all of their china actually manufactured by Shenango and other US Pottery and China producers besides just Haviland of France. But it appears that the very first official standardized "fine" china was produced in Limoges, France by the Haviland Company ca 1894 for the James M. Shaw Company of New York who was under contract to the Navy.

The US Navy demitasse cup illustrated here is as far as we know was the very first time that the James Shaw & Co used a foriegn china producer to make dinnerware for the US Navy. Quite possibly the American pottery and china producers were not putting out the fine quality of dinnerware needed by the US Navy during the 1890's and very early 1900's. However The Haviland & Co of Limoges, France was a perfect choice since it arguably produced the finest china (known the world over as Limoges china) in the world at that time. We have reviewed over 1000 photographs of H&Co china and have yet to find the name of the pattern used for this US Navy china! The bottom of this fine bone white demitasse cup with a decorative handle is marked "H & Co., L, FRANCE" in green and measures 2 1/4" H x 2 1/4" W (excluding the handle). It is further marked "JAMES M. SHAW & Co. NEW YORK, 1894" in an orange. The Pirate's Lair will give a $50. credit towards any purchase to any person who can positively identify this H&Co pattern.

The below photo's are of a 24" US Navy Fish Server also produced for the James Shaw Co of NY by Haviland of France and is dated 1898. Note that the Navy Seal on this Fish Server does not have the two stars as does the above demitasse cup which is the only deviation.

However of most historical importance, the demitasse cup dated 1894 and the fish server dated 1898 incorporate the exact same Navy Seal which demonstrates that this particular seal was procured by the US Navy over a multi-year period with only slight variation (the two stars) which indicates that this was a standardized seal and not just a "one off" run of china for a particular commander, organization or event. It is unclear which Officer's Mess this particular china pattern was utilized.

Yet it can now be verified 100% that the U.S. Navy used the Golden Eagle Clutching an Anchor (with and without stars) as one of it's standard china patterns for 4+ years before and during the Spanish-American War and at least up to the sailing of the Great White Fleet in 1907 when it changed seals in 1905.

Additionally, both the 1894 and 1898 topmark configurations appear to have been used as the basis of the modern Eagle, Banner, Anchor and Highlights used ca 1905 - present for the new Department of the Navy Seal. Obviously the Navy took this original 1894 and 1898 design, encircled it with an outer circle of rope and inner circle of anchor chain with the words Department of the Navy sandwiched between the two concentric circles. Also note the 2 stars representing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans found in the 1898 topmark (but not in the 1894 topmark) were also incorporated into the newer Department of Navy Seal ca 1905's.

Navy Seal to the Left is ca 1905 to 1939 Navy Seal to the Right is Ca 1940 to Present Day

The above Department of the Navy Seals are both very similar with each using two concentric circles (inner circle of chain, outer circle of rope) with Department of the Navy sandwiched within them with two stars. However the topmark on the left was used from about 1905 through 1939, while the one on the right was used from 1940 through to present day.

The differences between these two topmarks while slight clearly shows the topmark on the left having gold stripe highlights below the wings of the Eagle, the Federal Shield clearly emblazoned over the Eagle's breast, and the differences between the Fouled Anchor's which the Eagle is clutching.

The Navy Seal on left has the earlier original version that included gold stripes below the eagle's wings, had an "open" Federal Shield clearly showing a blank top field and vertical stripes, and the Fouled Anchor used was a Twisted Steel Stock which was used on the earlier 1894 and 1894 topmarks.

The Navy Seal on the right eliminated the gold stripes below the wings, made the Federal Shield "solid" almost being unseen over the body of the Eagle, and the Fouled Anchor now had a Straight Wooden Stock. This particular version of the Seal was used from 1940 through the 1970's.

Without any further information or identifying manufacturing marks these very slight changes will help collectors of Naval China to determine whether the piece was produced and used pre or post WWII.

The above two candy dishes, receiving (reception) or calling plates for personal cards both use the original and older Department of Navy Seal. However each of these pieces also have a manufacturer's date code on the bottom indicating 1909 production, so as to provide us with a specific date of manufacture which helps to date the topmark. Note that both use the pre-WWII Department of the Navy Seal with the one on the left showing 2 Stars denoting that this was used by a Rear Admiral.

The 10" Square Plate is dated 9/09 representing September 1909 and was made by The Shenango China Co for L. Barth & Sons of NY which is glazed on the bottom of the piece. Barth & Son was a well known china distributor who apparently used Shenango to actually make this square candy dish. Obviously Barth received a Government Contract for this candy dish and they had Shenango produce it. Of even further rarity is that "Shenango China, New Castle, PA" is actually imprinted right into the clay which is rarely seen. Additionally, the Department of the Navy Seal has two stars to the left and right denoting a 2 Star or Rear Admiral. So, this particular plate was made in 1909 to be used by a 2 Star Rear Admiral.

The 8.5" Oblong Plate is actually dated 1918 and was made by Mayer China for the James A. Shaw & Co of NY. Again, we can easily surmise that it was the Shaw Company who was a knonwn china distributor which received a Government Contract to provide the Navy with Oblong Candy Dishes. Shaw happened to use Mayer China to produce this piece.

The Pirate's Lair actually has two of these Oblong Candy Dishes, (or Receiving or Reception Plates) which are virtually identical to each other! The first Oblong Dish is by James A. Shaw while the second one is bottom marked as being produced by Shenango with a 10-18 date code! We can readily see that standardizing on both a topmark design and a china pattern certainly helped the Navy to achieve competition from two different manufacturer's while also getting tableware which could sit side by side virtually indistinguishable from each other.

We have a number of pieces of the older Department of the Navy topmark from different china producers all showing dates of 1909, 1918, 1919, 1928, 1929.

The two photo's above represent the two different fouled anchors the US Navy used as topmarks for the Wardroom Officer's Mess from the early 1900's to 1970's. The older gold fouled anchor topmark on the left was used from about 1900 through 1940. The newer blue anchor topmark on the right was used from about 1940 through 1970's.

The older "Twisted Arm Anchor" allowed the arm to be movable so that the anchor could be hauled up into the anchor hawser and secured when not in use. The fixed arm anchor would not allow it to be hauled up into a hawser for storage. The US Navy used both types of anchors. Both anchor types were used in the late 1800's to early 1900's.
The 3rd photo to the right shows some sailors inspecting a twisted arm anchor aboard a ship taken during Spanish-American War to WWI timeframe.

So far it appears that from the early 1900's through to WWII the US Navy used 2 basic topmarks for its official Naval china: the Gold Fouled Anchor and the Department of the Navy Seal. The Navy Seal itself was further differentiated by having 2, 3 or 4 Stars each denoting Admiral Rank.

Note the very intricate, detailed, and elegant design of the older golden fluked anchor with twisted steel stock which was used on the older 1894/1898 topmarks and early 1905-1939 Dept of Navy topmark! One can clearly see the links in the anchor chain. Properly producing this older topmark certainly took more time, skill and money, but it is certainly quite elegant and beautiful. The newer blue fouled anchor represented the Navy's change in it's official fouled anchor insiginia and was demonstrably plainer and less detailed. While nice, this new blue fouled anchor topmark could not compare with the older one.

It is unclear and so far undocumented if the Navy prior to WWII used different topmarks other than the Gold Anchor and Dept of Navy Seal. During WWII the Navy designed specific topmarks for the Warrant Officer's, Junior Officer's, Wardroom Officer's, Captains, Rear/Vice/Full Admirals and the Department of the Navy, Click Here to Review Official US Navy China and the Topmarks used for specific Naval Officer Rank .

The above demitasse cup and butter pat plate clearly illustrate the original Wardroom Officer's Mess topmark of the gold Fluked Fouled Anchor Insignia. The anchor presented is properly called a "naval fluked fouled anchor with twisted steel stock with chain fouling the anchor", and was used from the very early 1900's through 1940 in the Wardroom Officer's Mess and most likely in the Captain's Mess as well. Worthy to note, each type of fluked anchor design was also incorporated into the Department of the Navy Seal of the same era.

The Pirate's Lair has various china pieces using the above old anchor topmark with dates of 1933, 1935 and 1939 produced from a number of different china manufacturer's.

Above photographs illustrate one of the earliest uses of the traditional US Navy Fouled Anchor with Twisted Arm on Silverware! This piece was produced by the International Silver Co in the New Grecian or Grecian Pattern with a production date of 1913.

This surviving dinner fork was part of a larger set because we have a pair of tongs in the same pattern using the exact same fouled anchor monogram. This fouled anchor monogram also matches perfectly with the above gold fouled anchors on the china pieces.

Yes, we know that the King's Design was patented and used from the 1880's, and we know that the US Navy standardized on using this pattern with a fouled anchor at some time, but we have no hard evidence when this occured. Until we can find the hard evidence when the Navy began using the King's design with the fouled anchor this dinner fork is the earliest documented silverware with the fouled anchor.

1944 Shenango China Advertisement WWII US Navy China by Officer Rank Insignia Topmark	Click Photo for Close Up View!	Hard Published Prima Facie Evidence of Naval Rank Insignia's used on US Navy China during WWII	Shows USN-Warrant Officer, Squareknot-Junior Officer, Fouled Anchor-Wardroom Officer, Burgee Pennant-Captain, 2 Star, 3 Star and 4 Star-Admirals	Priceless!
US Navy Anchor Specifications 1918	Click Photo For Close Up View!	Technical Illustration of the US Navy Anchor with Twisted and Movable Arm	The US Navy used the Twisted Arm Fouled Anchor in its earlier 1905 to 1939 Fine China and later used the Straight Fixed Arm Anchor as the topmark on its china	Very Kewl

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Music Credits: Donald Where's Your Trousers/Drunken Sailor medley by The Bards

The following Text is soley for the consumption of Spiders, Bots and other Dark Denizens of the Internet: All nautical sea chests, or a domed sea chest also known as a camel back.
Navy history and navy dinnerware and navy tableware is fantastic. Produced by the James Shaw or James M. Shaw and Son Co of New York, NY. Also by Haviland of Limoges France.
All sorts of naval customs and naval history can be found here including Navy pitchers that look like amphora urns as well as antique pitchers and antique china or vintage china.
The Pirate's Lair loves US Navy history, and antique china. Along with naval customs and naval history using vintage china to document history is the best ever!

We have from the late 1800's to the mid 1970's china used during the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam era's. All of our history on antique china and vintage china is well documented yet it is completely un-official navy history. The documentation consists of photographs and artifacts of US Navy Dinnerware, US Navy Tableware and Vintage China all used in the 19th Century to mid 20th Century.

Much of the 1894 through 1918 navy dinnerware as through government contract with the James Shaw Company of New York, NY but actually producted by the Haviland Co of Limoges, France. The beautiful antique Navy Water Pitcher with its amphora like style was used along with similarly marked water basins, sinks, soap dishes and water cups.

This was completely documented by period 1907 photographs of a Captain's Cabin aboard the USS Texas an Armored Cruiser at the time.