
Chicago's P.O.S.H. to be Exclusive Retailer of Historic
Chicago Athletic Association China, Silver
Vintage Tableware Now Available to General Public for First Time
CHICAGO (March 24, 2008) - P.O.S.H., a Chicago retailer of home accessories and vintage table décor, announced today the exclusive availability of original china and silver serving pieces from the legendary Chicago Athletic Association. Acquired by P.O.S.H. at auction, this is the first time the china and silver pieces are available for purchase by the general public.
The Chicago Athletic Association (CAA) closed its doors in August 2007 after 117 years of operation. The acquired china and silver-plated serving pieces, produced solely for use by the CAA, are marked with the Club's distinctive cherry circle logo. First appearing in 1915, the now famous logo - a red "C" circled in blue - was adopted by the Chicago Cubs in 1925.
The china is durable, American-made restaurant ware dating from 1950-1990. Available items include appetizer, salad and dinner plates; soup bowls; sauce dishes; and, rare double-handled bouillon cups with matching saucers. All pieces are decorated with the cherry circle logo and are in very good vintage condition. Manufacturers include Homer Laughlin and Syracuse and Mayer.
The silver-plated serving pieces also are American-made, produced primarily by Reed & Barton. Dating from 1920-1940, most pieces are crested with the cherry circle logo and are bottom-stamped "Chicago Athletic Association." Available items include salmon platter domes, serving trays, ice cream dishes, covered serving tureens, wine bottle coasters and side-handled beverage pots. Some of the pieces are virtually unused, while others bear the gentle signs of age and service.
"This is a rare opportunity to own a unique piece of Chicago history," said P.O.S.H. owner Karl Sorensen. "The china and silver items are a reminder of a simpler time and a proud era in our city. I am thrilled to be able to share these items with Chicagoans for the first time."
The CAA tableware is available in limited quantities exclusively at P.O.S.H. (613 N. State Street or www.poshchicago.com). Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
About the Chicago Athletic Association
The Chicago Athletic Association was founded in 1890 by a veritable "who's who" of Chicago's turn-of-the-century society. Members included Marshall Field, Cyrus McCormick, A.G. Spalding, William Wrigley, Henry Ives Cobb and Louis Sullivan. Located at 12 S. Michigan Avenue, the CAA Clubhouse was considered an architectural masterpiece and a "clubhouse of which the city is proud." In fact the New York Times declared in 1893 that, "Athletes and athletics have in this city the finest home ever provided them in any place in the world."
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