Welcome!
My purpose in establishing this Web Site is to provide a forum where anyone interested in these exceptional examples of Wedgwood china produced for the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association (USNAAA) can study or contribute to the body of knowledge about them.  These sets were produced by Wedgwood beginning in 1934 through the mid 1950s.  Wedgwood also made sets for the United States Military Academy as well as other universities.  Hopefully, this site can be of assistance to those who have china in their possession through a gift, inheritance, purchase or are collectors.   

Josiah Wedgwood (1730 - 1795) founded his company in 1759.  In their more than 250 years in business, Wedgwood has established a reputation for quality and design worldwide for discerning customers including royalty and commoners alike.  Beginning in 1934, the USNAAA commissioned Wedgwood to manufacture china depicting scenes of the Academy for Midshipmen, alumni and others.  The initial issue consisted of plates depicting twelve scenes of the Academy in three different colors: Rose Pink, Mulberry and Staffordshire Blue. 

The USNAAA offered the china through the 1950's with the last sets sold in the mid-1960s.  The Rose Pink design was discontinued after World War II and six new designs were added to the original twelve in 1957 in Staffordshire Blue and Mulberry only.  These dinner plates, cups & saucers, and bread plates have great sentimental value to alumni and their heirs.  Many sets were given as wedding presents and individual plates were purchased as simply souvenirs.  Generally, they show up on the market through estate sales, or antique dealers and on eBay.  Prices are hard to predict and range from less than one hundred to over one thousand dollars.  Prices have fallen over the past couple of years.  Some plates are more in demand than others with the Chapel probably the most popular and may have been given as a single piece wedding present for alumni married in the Chapel.  The Sailboat Race and Dress Parade, based on my experience are more desirable than the Old Midshipmen’s Quarters and the Postgraduate School.  The six plates added circa 1957 are very rare, with Tecumseh – God of 2.5 bringing the highest prices. 

I first became acquainted with these plates while a Midshipman in the early 1960s and bought my first plate in 1992.  I found my first plate, The Chapel in “Rose Pink” at a small antique shop on Maryland Avenue in Annapolis.  I have been buying, collecting and trading plates ever since.  The advertisement below from Shipmate, the alumni magazine details the sets and their prices when first issued.  Unfortunately, today's prices far exceed prices from the 1930s!   

I hope the photographs and background included on this Web Site will pique your interest to learn more about this china and help you build your own collection.   I am pleased to exchange information or answer any questions about them from other collectors.  If you have any information from a historical perspective that I have not covered herein, please pass it along and I will update accordingly.  I would be pleased to correspond with anyone interested in buying, selling or trading pieces or collections.  Please let me know your needs or items you may have to trade or sell. The following pages details the history of these china sets, their designs, colors, markings and other data. 

I hope you enjoy collecting these wonderful commemorative plates as much as I have. Feel free to contact me at the email address below. 

Sincerely,
Mike
Michael S. Krause USNA ‘63

U. S. Naval Academy            Wedgwood Plates
Specializing in Wedgwood Naval Academy China
info@usnawedgwood.com
Old Main Gate 1869 - 1932
   Rose Pink                          Staffordshire Blue                        Mulberry                                                                        
Code Dates - Trademarks & Logos

I have seen four different types of trademarks, emblems and logos on the bottoms of USNA Wedgwood china.  Due to space limitations, they are slightly different on cups and saucers.  The earlier issue emblems from the 1930s through the 1940s have an “arch shaped” emblem including the name of the scene over, “U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY”.  Below the arch to the left is, “WEDGWOOD” with “ETURUIA” below and “ENGLAND” below that.  To the right is a circular trademark with “SOLE IMPORTERS” above a British Lion with “JONES MCDUFFEY & STRATTON CO.  The lion sits on a pedestal inscribed with “BOSTON” plus an impressed Code Date (See Dress Parade photo below).  In addition to the Code Date, two impressions, “WEDGWOOD” and “MADE IN ENGLAND” are present.  These impressions are often hard to read, sometimes overlap and are located randomly if at all. 

The backs of initial issue plates from 1934 include a “Tecumseh” emblem along with the trademarks and logos as described preceding (See Old Main Gate photo below). 

Later pieces, probably post-WWII until the 1950s (See Chapel photo below), have the name of the scene over “U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY”.  Below that is a circular logo including “WEDGWOOD” over “MADE IN ENGLAND” circled by “OF ETRURIA & BARLSTON” in an arch over “WEDGWOOD”, over “BARLSTON” over “ENGLAND.”   

The six Second Issue plates' logos include the name of the scene over, “U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY” in a line with the Wedgwood trademark to the left and “ENGRAVED BY THE WEDGWOOD STUDIOS” to the right.  These six plates only have the Code Date impression, nothing else.  Apparently, cups and saucers do not contain these impressions, but bread plates do.
     Old Main Gate 5T34 - Rose Pink             Dress Parade - 5G47 - Staffordshire Blue
The Chapel - 10R57 - Mulberry                    Tecumseh God of 2.5 - 4X57 - Mulberry
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