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The Moldts' father, Edward M. Moldt, was one of a group of Philadelphia businessmen who purchased the Queen Elizabeth from Cunard in 1968 before reselling the vessel to a Hong Kong investor in 1970.
The cup and saucer are part of the set of "Royalty" or "VIP" china which was made exclusively for the suites on board both Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. The pattern was used for a relatively short time after both ships were launched. The originals were made by Plant of Staffordshire in Tuscan bone china - known for its hardwearing properties, which made it ideally suited to a life at sea. The black wool steamer blanket, which bears the insignia 'Cunard Line D658' in gold lettering, would have been used by guests on board as a wrap in inclement weather.
Joe Sita, CEO of Nakheel Hotels, said:
"The gift is a touching gesture from the Moldt family and I am honoured to be able to receive it on behalf of Nakheel Hotels. The cup and saucer and steamer blanket - which date from the golden age of the ocean liner - are exactly the type of artefacts that allow people to connect with those travellers of by-gone days, and will add a valuable human dimension for visitors to the QE2 heritage museum."
John (Patrick) Moldt added, "We wanted to find a suitable home for the cup and saucer set and steamer blanket from Queen Elizabeth. They deserve to be seen and appreciated by a wider audience, and a place in the QE2 Museum on Palm Jumeirah will allow them to be admired by thousands of people for many years to come."
Built in the 1930's, RMS Queen Elizabeth was the largest passenger liner ever built — a record that was not exceeded for fifty-six years. She first entered service as a troopship in the Second World War, before taking up her intended role as an ocean liner for the Cunard Line (then the Cunard White Star Line) until her retirement in 1968. Together with Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth maintained a two-ship weekly transatlantic service from Southampton to Cherbourg to New York for over twenty years.
QE2 arrived in Dubai on 26 November last year at the end of her ultimate voyage, and is now undergoing refurbishment (including the restoration of key historical areas) that will see her become the focal point of an extensive, multi-faceted luxury precinct off the trunk of Palm Jumeirah where cultural and entertainment experiences will combine to re-create an authentic luxury ocean liner ambience and lifestyle. A heritage museum displaying artefacts from QE2 and of local maritime history is a key feature of the precinct.
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Posted by Siba Sami Ammari
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