"Fred Harvey" railroad dinnerware pattern in Native American designs. INCLUDES GIFT BOX Lead-free, chip resistant Collectible, quality reproductions made 100% in USA
The Rarest Piece of Railroad China, Mary Colter’s Spectacular 1937 Mimbreño Letter Opener, is Back!
In 1937, Mary Colter had just a few letter openers fabricated as gifts by Roycroft Studio and Syracuse China (both in Upstate NY), and her letter openers were never made again.
In 2021, HF Coors and Bronzesmith, both proud Made in Arizona manufacturers, collaborated to recreate Mary Jane Colter’s rare letter opener as a fund raiser for the New Mexico History Museum.
Introduced at the annual Fred Harvey Foodie Dinner in Santa Fe, NM, these detailed replicas feature an exquisitely crafted copper blade manufactured by Bronzesmith (Prescott, AZ) and a Mimbreño-patterned ceramic handle manufactured by HF Coors in Tucson, AZ. The letter openers are assembled at the HF Coors factory and come in a commemorative box. The overall length of the letter opener is 8 1/2" and the blade is 4 1/2".
Mary Jane Colter’s china was inspired by the pottery of the Mimbres Indians in SE New Mexico and SW Arizona during the 12th century. Colter’s designs debuted in 1937 and were originally manufactured for the AT&SF Railroad by Syracuse China to enhance the upgraded Fred Harvey dining car service on the new Super Chief trains between Chicago and Los Angeles. The Mimbreño china eventually became one of the longest-used china patterns in rail history, with new dishes being made until 1971.
*Unfortunately, this item is not discounted as part of our pattern of the month promotion.
The MIMBREÑO mark is a licensed mark owned by BNSF Railway Company.