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Hawaii Archive
TOTAL KNOWN PORCELAIN VARIETIES: 8
I: PRE-TERRITORIALS / CITY & COUNTY PLATES
The counties of Hawaii and Honolulu in the Territory of Hawaii are known to have
issued some of the most desirable porcelains ever made. Prior to 1915, owners
in the Territory's four counties - Hawaii, Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai - were
assigned numbers and made plates of their own. These county laws were in
addition to the Territory's own licensing requirements whereby owners,
regardless of county, were issued small dashboard discs. Beginning in 1915,
however, the two largest counties had so many automobiles that they felt issuing
standardized plates was now warranted. Hawaii and Honolulu would continue
issuing pairs of plates to automobile owners until 1922 when the Territory of
Hawaii finally took over, ceased the issuance of dashboard discs, and first began
issuing standardized plates to all registrants.
During this period from 1915 through 1921, when the counties of Hawaii and
Honolulu were issuing plates of their own, most of the plates were embossed
metal, but a number of porcelain varieties were used also. Both counties issued
porcelains to vehicles in both 1915 and 1916, and both also are known to have
licensed motorcycles with porcelain plates in certain years as well.
HAWAII
The county of Hawaii issued two consecutive years of porcelain passenger plates
- in 1915 and 1916 - both of which were issued in pairs. The 1915 issue is very
standard with an unremarkable color scheme. There were perhaps 950 pairs
issued in 1915, and numbers probably began at #1. There are some 25-30 of these
plates known in collectors' hands today. In contrast to the 1915 plates, the 1916
issue is one of the most attractive porcelain license plates ever made, with a
striking combination of orange characters on a deep blue-purple background.
There were apparently more than 1200 pairs issued, including a single plate
numbered #1357, which may or may not be a sample. There about 20-25 surviving
examples of this plate.
In addition to these two passenger issues, the County of Hawaii also issued
porcelain motorcycle plates in at least 1918. This is interesting in light of the fact
that the passenger issue for that year was embossed metal. Perhaps it is logical
that motorcycles were first issued by the county as early as 1915, but none have
ever been seen. There are two surviving examples of this 1918 plate known.
The most distinguishing feature of this incredibly rare non-passenger porcelain is
that it is double-sided, as if it were intended to sit above the fender, readable
from both sides. Outside of Hawaii, there are no double-sided porcelain
motorcycle plates known from any city, county, province, or state in the U.S. or
Canada.
HONOLULU
Like Hawaii, the County of Honolulu
also kicked off its run of officially-
issued plates with two porcelain
issues. In 1915, interestingly, they
saw fit to send some 6,000 miles to
the East to place an order for these
plates from the well-known plate
manufacturer, the Baltimore Enamel
and Novelty Company. There were
perhaps 1,000 pairs manufactured,
of which some 10-15 known survivors
are still around in collections. In 1916,
for unknown reasons, the County
switched manufacturers and ordered
plates from the Los Angeles-based
California Metal Enamelling Company,
which also had the contract to provide plates to the state of California that same
year. There are 25-30 known examples of these plates, which were issued in
pairs and appear to have numbers ranging up to about 2,400.
Like Hawaii County, Honolulu also issued porcelain cycle plates. In 1915 and 1916,
small plates with "A" prefixes in the same color schemes as the passengers exist,
which are presumed to be motorcycle issues. The two known examples of the
1915 issue are both dug-up plates numbered in the 330s. These are almost surely
overruns which were discarded because there were not enough motorcycle
registrations that year. Like the 1918 Hawaii motorcycle plates, both the 1915 and
1916 Honolulus are double-sided. One of the great Hawaiian mysteries is the
existence of another porcelain cycle - a Honolulu plate from 1921. This is an
undated white & blue base plate with a Territorially-issued motorcycle dashboard
disk attached. Interestingly, the base plate does not match the color of any of the
metal Honolulu County plates from 1917 through 1921, and so we have no idea
when it was first issued. It is entirely possible that this plate was issued much
earlier and was re-validated each year by attaching the new TH tag. Until more
examples show up, we can only speculate.
II: TERRITORIALLY & STATE-ISSUED PASSENGER PLATES
None issued.
III: TERRITORIALLY & STATE-ISSUED NON-PASSENGER PLATES
None issued.
I: PRE-TERRITORIALS / CITY & COUNTY PLATES
The counties of Hawaii and Honolulu in the Territory of Hawaii are known to have
issued some of the most desirable porcelains ever made. Prior to 1915, owners
in the Territory's four counties - Hawaii, Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai - were
assigned numbers and made plates of their own. These county laws were in
addition to the Territory's own licensing requirements whereby owners,
regardless of county, were issued small dashboard discs. Beginning in 1915,
however, the two largest counties had so many automobiles that they felt issuing
standardized plates was now warranted. Hawaii and Honolulu would continue
issuing pairs of plates to automobile owners until 1922 when the Territory of
Hawaii finally took over, ceased the issuance of dashboard discs, and first began
issuing standardized plates to all registrants.
During this period from 1915 through 1921, when the counties of Hawaii and
Honolulu were issuing plates of their own, most of the plates were embossed
metal, but a number of porcelain varieties were used also. Both counties issued
porcelains to vehicles in both 1915 and 1916, and both also are known to have
licensed motorcycles with porcelain plates in certain years as well.
HAWAII
The county of Hawaii issued two consecutive years of porcelain passenger plates
- in 1915 and 1916 - both of which were issued in pairs. The 1915 issue is very
standard with an unremarkable color scheme. There were perhaps 950 pairs
issued in 1915, and numbers probably began at #1. There are some 25-30 of these
plates known in collectors' hands today. In contrast to the 1915 plates, the 1916
issue is one of the most attractive porcelain license plates ever made, with a
striking combination of orange characters on a deep blue-purple background.
There were apparently more than 1200 pairs issued, including a single plate
numbered #1357, which may or may not be a sample. There about 20-25 surviving
examples of this plate.
In addition to these two passenger issues, the County of Hawaii also issued
porcelain motorcycle plates in at least 1918. This is interesting in light of the fact
that the passenger issue for that year was embossed metal. Perhaps it is logical
that motorcycles were first issued by the county as early as 1915, but none have
ever been seen. There are two surviving examples of this 1918 plate known.
The most distinguishing feature of this incredibly rare non-passenger porcelain is
that it is double-sided, as if it were intended to sit above the fender, readable
from both sides. Outside of Hawaii, there are no double-sided porcelain
motorcycle plates known from any city, county, province, or state in the U.S. or
Canada.
HONOLULU
Like Hawaii, the County of Honolulu
also kicked off its run of officially-
issued plates with two porcelain
issues. In 1915, interestingly, they
saw fit to send some 6,000 miles to
the East to place an order for these
plates from the well-known plate
manufacturer, the Baltimore Enamel
and Novelty Company. There were
perhaps 1,000 pairs manufactured,
of which some 10-15 known survivors
are still around in collections. In 1916,
for unknown reasons, the County
switched manufacturers and ordered
plates from the Los Angeles-based
California Metal Enamelling Company,
which also had the contract to provide plates to the state of California that same
year. There are 25-30 known examples of these plates, which were issued in
pairs and appear to have numbers ranging up to about 2,400.
Like Hawaii County, Honolulu also issued porcelain cycle plates. In 1915 and 1916,
small plates with "A" prefixes in the same color schemes as the passengers exist,
which are presumed to be motorcycle issues. The two known examples of the
1915 issue are both dug-up plates numbered in the 330s. These are almost surely
overruns which were discarded because there were not enough motorcycle
registrations that year. Like the 1918 Hawaii motorcycle plates, both the 1915 and
1916 Honolulus are double-sided. One of the great Hawaiian mysteries is the
existence of another porcelain cycle - a Honolulu plate from 1921. This is an
undated white & blue base plate with a Territorially-issued motorcycle dashboard
disk attached. Interestingly, the base plate does not match the color of any of the
metal Honolulu County plates from 1917 through 1921, and so we have no idea
when it was first issued. It is entirely possible that this plate was issued much
earlier and was re-validated each year by attaching the new TH tag. Until more
examples show up, we can only speculate.
II: TERRITORIALLY & STATE-ISSUED PASSENGER PLATES
None issued.
III: TERRITORIALLY & STATE-ISSUED NON-PASSENGER PLATES
None issued.
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Photo courtesy of Mike Duff