Tudor Plate "Queen Bess" Oneida Community, c. 1946

A charming cake server in Oneida Community’s Queen Bess pattern, introduced in 1946 under the company’s Tudor Plate trademark. The pattern was created in the immediate postwar period and was marketed as a Betty Crocker premium, allowing customers to collect coupons from selected General Mills products and redeem them for pieces of the silverplate service.

The design was promoted as a dramatic new pattern inspired by the Garden Rose of China, with sweeping floral decoration that gives the otherwise practical tableware a distinctly romantic character. Oneida marketed Queen Bess as extra-heavy silverplate, with the principal forks and spoons receiving an additional layer of pure silver.

Queen Bess was produced as a substantial service, including everyday flatware as well as specialized serving pieces such as berry spoons, jelly servers, gravy ladles, master butter knives, and pie and cake servers.

One small historical wrinkle: Oneida used the name Queen Bess for more than one pattern, so this particular floral design is often catalogued today as Queen Bess II to distinguish it from an earlier Oneida pattern of the same name.

Origin: United States
Material: Silver plate
Dimensions: Approximately 9 5/8" L
Condition: Good vintage condition with light marks of wear.