Fantasy Mopac china

[peggyrothschild]

This set shows up on ebay as Mopac china but it’s a fantasy design and never used by the railroad. Some dealers list it was a fantasy China but many do not.

[luisflierl26]

That same set is available in dozens of different railroad logos.

[peggyrothschild]

Looking this morning at eBay listings I saw this set again listed with UP, PRR, ATSF, etc. seller makes no effort to tell the buyer this is a fantasy design but at a $20 price I would hope most buyers would know what they are buying.

[benjamintickell53]

Some small milk bottles have also been reproduced. Supposedly one needs to know about the embossed glass markings on the bottom of the bottle to distinguish between legitimate and fake Ben Bush Farms Missouri Pacific milk bottles in the smaller size. Hopefully someone can provide better information to guide those who might want to add one of these to their collection. The larger sizes of milk bottles with the MP logo embossed in the glass are all originals, as far as is known.

Bill Pollard

[benjamintickell53]

A large volume of Mopac fantasy china has reappeared in many ebay auctions in recent months. New collectors should be aware that this china is totally a fantasy pattern, there was never any MP pattern even remotely similar to this for either dining car use or advertising pieces. Prices on ebay range from $10-15 to $40-50, often depending on whether or not the dealer identifies this as a reproduction. Most would define “reproduction” as a replica of an existing pattern, such as has been done with B&O centennial china, UP Winged streamliner, Santa Fe Mimbreno, Fred Harvey Blue Chain, MKT Bluebonnet and a number of other legitimate china patterns. These pieces do not rise even to the level of a reproduction… be aware and pay accordingly if you decide to add these to your collection as novelty items. Note that the underneath has no backstamp of manufacturer, which itself can be another clue of recent vintage fantasy patterns.

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The most common patterns of true Missouri Pacific dining car china likely to be encountered on ebay or elsewhere include the Eagle pattern and the St. Albans pattern. Eagle is defined as being railroad issue, the top-mark Eagle logo is sufficient proof, although some pieces are also backstamped with Missouri Pacific or Texas & Pacific identification. St. Albans was a stock pattern, sold by Syracuse china to many different commercial establishments. Only patterns backstamped Missouri Pacific can be confirmed as having had railroad use. Other unmarked pieces will match nicely for a display (or even occasional use) but collectors should expect to pay substantially less for unmarked, stock pieces.

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Bill Pollard

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