Early 20th Century Art Deco Cunard Line Foley Bone China Tea Service – Tray Set With Ephemera - 11pcs

Details

Description

A striking and highly collectible Art Deco “cube” form tea service manufactured by Foley (Stoniers, Liverpool) for the Cunard Steam-Ship … Read more A striking and highly collectible Art Deco “cube” form tea service manufactured by Foley (Stoniers, Liverpool) for the Cunard Steam-Ship Company, dating to the great transatlantic liner era of the 1930s–1950s.

Each porcelain piece bears the Cunard Steam-Ship Company backstamp with crowned lion crest, confirming manufacture for Cunard Line service. The geometric, modernist forms reflect the streamlined design language associated with Cunard’s flagship liners. This Foley “cube” form corresponds to Cunard’s widely documented “Ivory Ware” pattern, used aboard its mid-20th-century liners, including the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, and Caronia. Characterized by its cream ground with black, orange, and grey banding, the pattern was produced for Cunard service from the 1930s through the 1960s.

The service includes a square teapot with lid, open sugar bowl, creamer, hot water jug, waste bowl, and a small square service dish, along with two three-piece place settings (teacup, saucer, and bread plate). The grouping is presented on a Cunard Line–stamped wooden tray, accompanied by its original paper liner with Cunard branding. The liner shows expected wear consistent with shipboard use and is preserved as a rare surviving piece of period ephemera.

Also included are period-associated materials acquired with the set, including a printed inventory/service sheet, a “Certificate of Authenticity” referencing the RMS Queen Elizabeth, a Cunard/Queen Elizabeth printed tab (likely from a ticket or service label), and a framed grouping of three Robert’s & Belk “Plain Pine” flatware pieces referenced in the original paperwork.

Together, these elements reflect the documented dispersal and intermixing of Cunard service materials during mid-20th-century decommissioning and sale.

A compelling and display-ready example of ocean liner history, combining authenticated service ware with evocative presentation. Ideal for collectors of maritime memorabilia or as a distinctive Art Deco tabletop display. See less