MacKayBennett teapot Nope probably not

[Senan Molony]

eBay item -

Alleged MacKay-Bennett ship's teapot

There's no point in emailing eBay sellers in my experience...
but this one is on course for a pretty penny and buyers should understand one thing.

It's marked "Mackay Bennett Cables," not ss. MacKay-Bennett.

Mackay Bennett was a company. I have a Mackay Bennett telegram. They laid cables and they
provided use of cables to customers to wire their messages.

This is a company teapot, in my opinion.

There's no evidence it has ever been to sea, let alone aboard the MacKay-Bennett.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

My reaction on seeing yet another Ebay fairytale was to shout "Gordon Bennett!" - a traditional expression (for Londoners like me) of amazement and/or exasperation. Much favoured by Harold Steptoe. It's a variation on 'Gawd Blimey', which was itself a polite variation of "God Blind me!"

When not laying cables with Mr MacKay, James Gordon-Bennett was one of your own, Senan - a playboy Press Baron whose publicity stunts and outrageous personal behaviour earned him a lasting place in the Cockney dictionary. Well, not too lasting. I'm showing my age here.

Certainly the pot relates to the company rather than the ship, which was by the way the CS (not SS) Mackay-Bennett. The item features both the original name (Mackay-Bennett Cable Company) and the later change to Commercial Cable Company. It's genuine and a nice item, but not of course quite what it's claimed to be. As I always say when perusing Titanic items on Ebay: "Gordon Bennett! 'ere we go agin!"

 

[Senan Molony]

Over $1,000...

That's a grand cup of tea.

Seems a few people didn't read the tell-tale leaves.

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Astounding it has generated 25 bids as we speak. Maybe the *Cable Guy* needs it for his collection. Calling from North. NV, where we have been rocked by two tragedies thus far in Sept. 11. :-(

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA