Hotel Mason will be one of the most beautiful structures in the city... (from a Tampa Bay Times newspaper article May 27, 1923)

{HISTORY}

It only lasted two years, but Hotel Mason, while it was in operation, was a beauty to behold. Built in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1924 by New York steel magnate, Franklin J. Mason, the hotel cost over a million dollars to erect. By 1926, just two years after opening, it went bankrupt and was picked up by new hoteliers who renamed it The Princess Martha and carried it through the 20th century as a luxury hotel property. Now, the building that was once the pride and joy of Franklin Mason houses senior citizens in a retirement community environment. 

This plate, from the halcyon days of Hotel Mason, originally adorned tables in the dining room as a side dish plate. It's a really fun piece for hotelware collectors since this overnight establishment only lasted a couple of years. Made by Lamberton China in Trenton New Jersey, who serviced many prominent hotel and retail clients including the Waldorf Astoria in NYC and Macy's Department Store, this plate is now a piece of travel nostalgia that tells a story not only of 1920's decadence but also of a fleeting moment in Florida's hospitality history.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Hard to find pattern

- Contains Hotel Mason monogram with the words St. Petersburg, FL wrtten underneath

- Colors include navy blue, cornflower blue, tan, sage green, bright white

- Stamped on back with maker's mark

{CONDITION}

In lovely (almost-antique!) condition. No chips or cracks.

{SIZE}

Measures 8" inches (length) x 5.5" inches (width) 

{STYLE IDEA}

For all the wanderlusters out there, there is nothing more exciting and fulfilling than building a vintage travel collection of dishes from various hotel properties around the world. Each piece is like a mini vacation in and of itself!