Did you know that we have some of the items in our collections because of a lazy dishwasher? Several Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) items in the Chung Collection were bought by Dr. Chung from a scuba diver. The CPR had many diverse businesses, including cruises, and apparently some crew members were so tired of washing dishes, that they decided to just throw them overboard.

Our collection contains not only these dishes, but several other objects from the CPR. Along with the CPR’s distinctive lines of china and silverware, travelers were also able to purchase a number of souvenirs. Take a look on some of the objects that are in our Chung Collection.

Tableware

Decorated porcelain eggcup:

Eggcup, 1950

Decorated porcelain cup with the CPR label:

Cup, 1950

Porcelain teapot decorated with Asian motif:

Teapot, 1939

Souvenirs

Silver souvenir tea strainer:

Tea strainer, 1920

Silver-plated souvenir eggcup:

Souvenir eggcup, 1930

Porcelain souvenir teacup:

Teacup, 1930

Other objects

Metal toothpick case inscribed with a checkered flag and the world “Ask the Canadian Pacific About Canada”:

Toothpick case, 1920

Inkwells in a silver-platted tray, with CPR engraved grooves to hold pens:

Inkwells, 1920

Glass lantern slotted holder with two glass lantern slides of the steamship Empress of Asia and a North Atlantic iceberg, ca 1913:

Slide holder, 1930

Explore our Chung Collection to check out these and other objects!

Sources:

C.P.R. artifacts (UBC Library)