Commercial Teapot I.S.Co. w/ Odd Marks

[Traintime]

Putting this reference part in until I take the photos. Patent link: https://books.google.com/books?id=0_-ME ... &q&f=false

Summary- US Design Patent Number "53,325 TEAPOT OR SIMILAR ARTICLE. ROBERT R. KINTZ, Meriden, Conn., assignor to International Silver Co., Meriden, Conn., a Corporation of New Jersey. Filed Apr. 11, 1918. Serial No. 228, 058. Term of patent 7 years." Source- Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Volume 253, page 930, (Tuesday) August 27, 1918.

[Traintime]

In the photos, the as yet unknown user is a worn down "AC" or "CA" intertwined. The code "U.F. 40" might be related, but we can't really tell. The production date is 1921...21 boxed. We should expect the number "9" to be matched to a number in the lid, but instead there is some kind of peening hammer symbol over "21" (which might be repeating the year). Next to the nine, is a box with a raised dot (perfectly circular blob). Obviously the item was well used and maybe even re-plated, but the marks all look like original production. Any clues as to what they might be?

[Traintime]

Not to get too far ahead on a user conclusion, but the letters (without an ampersand here) are a very close match to buttons (Worthpoint record) from the Chicago & Alton Railroad made by Scovill. The horned "A" was also emplyed by the exclusive Arlington Club of Portland Oregon, but the logo is not a clear match to identifiably known samples. In the early 1920's, American railroads were finally being released from the grip of wartime austerity government control under William McAdoo and had to scramble to re-establish luxury passenger services with new images. The wooden era was retired as steel had become king.

[Traintime]

And just to compare, here is an early century commercial china plate supplied through Portland and thought to be an older version of the Arlington's horned "A". The teapot just doesn't have that Texas Longhorn style. More like ZsuZsu's angel wings.

[Traintime]

I don't think the hammer is a "T" for top...the mark is a bit too irregular. On the other hand, a hammer might represent work completed at the Wilcox plant in Meriden? Has the symbol surfaced before?

[Traintime]

And now, thanks to the Chicagology site, a small entwined "CA" monogram with no ampersand has been spotted contained within the center of a Chicago & Alton logo (requires some scrolling to get there: https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage075/

In addition, a hotel reportedly existed within the Alton Illinois railroad station which may need some investigation. Apparently, the Alton bought their last steam locomotives in 1921 which may suggest some post-war refurbishments were being financed at the time.