Cunard Cube
Q: This little pitcher is 4 1/2 in. high and is marked "The Cube." What was it used for?
A: Robert C. Johnson designed the cube teapot in 1916 but the first cube teapots were not made until 1920. The cube design was popular until the early 1950s. The cube-shaped pot was dripless and easy to store. Several companies made cube teapots in different colors and designs. Large and small teapots, creamers, cube sugars, and souvenir sets were made. Cube teapots were used on Cunard oceanliners beginning in the 1920s. Large cube teapots were used in the dining rooms and smaller sets were made for staterooms. The plain white teapots made for Cunard's liners are the most easily found today. George Clews & Co., in business from 1906 to 1961, probably made your small cube teapot for Cunard's ship Queen Mary.
4 comments:
Actually, I believe the item shown is the creamer, one of three items in the tea set. The creamer is the tallest item and more rectangular than cubic. The actual teapot is cube shaped and about 3" on each side with an inset lid. A smaller, open top cube held the sugar.
Also, the Queen Mary tea set we have is light cream colored with gray and tan horizontal bands, not solid "rust" (?) like the example shown.
I wonder which ship used this particular version?
I agree with Pat. It's not the teapot (no lid) and too small. I can't tell by the photo clearly, but it looks as if there's a small indentation for pouring a liquid--which would confirm its being the creamer.
I have a 4" creamer and 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" sugar marked both Foley, Stoners, Liverpool and Cunard Steamship Line. It's a creamy white. There is a design of thin stripes in black, yellow and grey going all around near the top. I also have a Cunard tablecloth with the same white, yellow and gray motif. Anyway to tell the age based on the design? Was it used on both the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth?
I know this discussion is from a while back, but just in case the original poster is still interested, this little creamer in brown looks just like the ones they used on the Queen Mary in tourist class. Maybe the other colors were for the more august personages?
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