My father owns this old plate

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by Johnny91952, Dec 27, 2006.

  1. Johnny91952

    Johnny91952 New Member

    and I can not find anything about it or how much it is worth could someone please help us.............It is a Westgrove Comminuty Hospital Westgrove, Penna. that is on the front of it with a picture in black and white with a hospital on it and on the back of the plate it says PRIVATE HOSPITAL OPENED BY DR. W. B. EWING DURING FIRST WORLD WAR AND "FLU" EPIDEMIC FIRST EDITION with two stamp on it and in one the stamp it says Alex Wishnew Wheeling West Virginia Decorated Ceramics and then in the other stamp it says Eggshell Theme Homer Laughlin Made in USA J 55 N5 with that number underneath it.... Please help us if you can Thank you
     
  2. gypzy

    gypzy Well-Known Member

    HI Johnny91952,

    I am not sure about the specific plate design. I do know a little something about the manufacture, as I am a collector of Fiesta dishes. Homer Laughlin Co. is a factory in West Virginia that makes fine china, porcelian and iron stone. Most of it is made for the service industry and commemorative items, such as the plate you have. I believe the Eggshell theme is from the late 30's or early 40's to the 50's. Not sure, I can check in one of my books.
    I found a couple of websites for you. www.hlchina.com , that is the company website, if you don't find info there there is contact info. Maybe you could take a pic and send it to them and they can check the archives. Or try www.hlcca.org/ , that is a collectors website for that brand of china. There may be a picture or someone who could help you out.

    Hope this helps :D ,
    gypzy
     
  3. Johnny91952

    Johnny91952 New Member

    Thank you for your help but my father and I couldn't find the place on those web site but thank you anyways. My father and I have never seen a plate like that before. So, If you think that you could something about that plate in one of your book that would really help. Thank you for your help. My father collected old bottle found out in fields and in the wood. His favorite old bottle are old milk and soda bottle.
     
  4. gypzy

    gypzy Well-Known Member

    Hi,

    I looked up in my books. While I could not find your plate in my books I did find out something more about eggshell. I must correct myself from my previous response. Eggshell is not a dinnerware style but more a lighter weight for some of the styles. From what I read in your first post compared with what I read in one book. I believe the plate style is Swing. Until 1945 the Swing line was only marked Eggshell on the back. Then other lines also had lighterweight versions that would say the line and eggshell. Example would be "Eggshell Nautilus." I could not find anything about Alex Wishnew.
    Also through my many years of collecting I have found that if I go to flea markets, antique shopping, garage sale-ing, etc. looking for something specific I never find it. If I go without looking for something specific I find it and/or I will find a reputible seller who knows about it. Maybe that's part of Murphy's Law.
    I wich you much luck in your search :D .
     
  5. luckystar89

    luckystar89 New Member

    Hello,

    Your plate has two backstamps. One is from the manufacturer, Homer Laughlin, the other is from the company who decorated the plate. Laughlin manufactured and sold blanks to many other companies. Some companies covered up the Laughlin logo and date stamp with their own, others left it intact. The Laughlin date stamp is denoting Summer of 1955 production, fired in Kiln No. 5.
    The blank plate form, according to your information, appears to be "Eggshell Theme" which is a shape. If there is fruit or vine embossing on the front rim of the plate, this is definitely Eggshell Theme.
    This plate was then sold to Alex Wishnew Wheeling West Virginia Decorated Ceramics, who decorated it. They would have put the decal of the hospital on the plate. This is a commemorative item that many institutions used for anniversaries, and sometimes fundraising efforts. Alex Wishnew produced many commemorative items. (There is The Posin-Wishnew Memorial Library, in the Temple Shalom, 23 Bethany Pike, Wheeling, WV 26003, dedicated in memory of Samuel Posin and Alex Wishnew).
    My guess, according to your information is that this was the 40th Anniversary plate of the founding of that hospital, as WWI was fought between 1914-1918, and this plate was produced 40 years later in 1955. West Grove is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,652 at the 2000 census. But note, it is on a train line situated between Baltimore and Philadelphia, and during the Flu epidemic, hospitals and infirmaries were overflowing beyond capacity. The main mode of transport was by train, and it sounds as if this hospital served its part during the epidemic and WWI. If you are really interested, I would suggest calling the local historical or genealogical society, there may be some strong local interest in your plate.
    Good luck!
     

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