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 There isn't anything I can find on Centennial Novelty (CNC) other than they were a pottery shop in the 40's located in Los Angeles. The label
is just a black diamond shaped sticker that says CNC. Arlene Smith's reference book lists the whales as CNC but lists the mermaid as "unmarked." However, I was lucky to find this
mermaid with the original label attached for proof it is made by CNC. Further proof is that these two sets were obviously made to go together by the blue and yellow coloring on both sets.
What is hard when trying to identify these old seacreatures is that a lot just had paper labels and they are missing when collectors try to trace their "roots." A lot of the sets came in a box and didn't
even have the label on each piece but rather the label was on the box. How many of us save every box everything came in? Not many. So that is why it is such a delight to me when I find the
original piece in it's original box or with the original paper label. This is a gorgeous and very rare set, both of them!
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The CNC whale set is similar to the Norcrest whale set but the tailfin on the CNC whale is much smaller and it doesn't have a pearl finish like the norcrest whale set. Also the CNC whale set has pronounced
yellow and blue on the face. The babies are a lot smaller than the Norcrest babies too. Both the Norcrest and CNC whale sets are really pretty but it is important to note the difference if you just find one
piece and then buy the other pieces separately as you will get a mismatched set. I have included a picture of the Norcrest set so you can compare because a lot of people will assume the CNC set is made by Norcrest.
This is the Norcrest whale set.