Moonraker Restaurant Fort Lauderdale FL - Original from the 1966 Opening McCobb For Sale

Moonraker Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Original China Plate from the 1966 Opening

Moonraker Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Original China Plate from the 1966 Opening

Offered for your consideration is an extremely rare top marked 7 5/8" wide hotel china type serving plate made for the famous, but now long gone, Moonraker restaurant that was located in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
This china is from the original order for the 1966 opening of the restaurant. If you collect historic Fort Lauderdale, Jackson China - Paul McCobb, or vintage restaurant ware, you might want to consider this rarity for your collection.

Historically, the Moonraker Restaurant started on July 5th, 1966 and a historical node to the then long lost romantic era of Clipper Ships and masted sailing ships. The name came directly from the meaning of what a Moonraker was; the upper top highest smaller sail that was primarily on sailing ships that were built for speed. Thesesails were also called a moonsail or hope-in-heaven sail and were normally never on a ship with more than three masted sails.
The restaurant's partners included Warren E. Foster, President; Henry L. Rodgers, Vice-President, and William Gundlach, as the Secretary. The most impressive 3-story restaurant was located at 3001 East Oakland Park Boulevard and set directly on the banks of the Middle River; just a few blocks from the Ocean.
The Moonraker advertised dining and dancing, live entertainment, U.S. prime meats, and delicious seafood. The lounge at Moonrakers was named the Top Gallant Lounge. Moonrakers also had many well known acts of the era perform there with even some doing live recordings, which some included those of Mervin Eugene and Johnny Aladdin.

The restaurant also operated the "Waterway Cafe" that was located directly on the Middle River where people in their boats could receive dining and cafe services. Besides the "Top Gallant Lounge", there was also the Captain's Cabin, that was a private dining room for special events, dinners, receptions, and so forth; the "Sidewheeler Riverbelle" room; the Black & Gold Room in honor of Captain Charles W. Morgan; the Frigate Room; the Fore-n-After Room; and the Upper Deck Room.

Moonrakers did not last that long, as by October 25th of 1975, the restaurant had been closed and the company was dissolved. But, the restaurant's building remained and it was renamed Yesterday's Restaurant that opened only just a few days later on October 29th, 1975. Yesterday's also became a who's-who of celebrities, Hollywood names, and important persons as guests. Yesterday's lasted until 1999, when it closed. The restaurant reopened a short time later under the old name "Moonraker", but did not last long and closed shortely thereafter. The building was demolished sometime in the early 2000's and became history. Today, a large high-rise condominium has been built on the spot of the original famous restaurant.

The plate was made by the Jackson China Co. and features the very rare "Paul McCobb" backstamp. This backstamp was not applied to the few other pieces I have seen over the past several years that were identical in the pattern, but only had the Jackson China backstamp. This plate does not have a datecode, but it was most likely made in December of 1966 as well. It was also most likely part of the original order of china for the restaurant's opening.

It is the heavyweight type steamship, restaurant, and railroad china. It features the restaurant's sailing ship logo on the front with the name "MOONRAKER" under it with beautiful hues of blue, gray, black, and white that look amazing. It would have been used in connection with Moonrakers hotel silver soldered - silver plate and glassware for actual table, bar, and private dining service.

In regards to this piece having the Paul McCobb backstamp, McCobb was a famous designer, painter, furniture designer, and industrial designer, who Jackson China commissioned him in the late 1950's to create a very popular line of residential china in an effort to compete against the larger companies of Syracuse and Shenango. McCobb also did some restaurant china, but it was not as much as he did fin the residential retail dining ware. So when you find a piece that was designed by him, it is quite rare. Finding one that actually has his signature backstamp on the back is even rarer! McCobb passed in 1969 only at the age of 51, but left a legacy of stunning work behind him. So when this plate was made, it was during the period when McCobb was still alive and producing works.

An amazing addition to your restaurantware, hotel china, restaurant china, or historic Ft. Lauderdale / Miami Beach, or Palm Beach collection.
You may wish to consider adding this lovely piece of historyto your hotel silver, silver soldered, heavyweight type steamship, hotel silver, or restaurant ware collection.