Artistic border on ivory background accentuates its daintiness... (from a 1928 Stanleigh pattern advertisement)

{HISTORY}

There's not a prettier way to serve butter at the table than in a round covered butter dish, especially if you are eating outdoors and worry that little winged things might take a dive into your dish.

Nowadays if you buy butter from the grocery store it usually comes in square or rectangular packages making them awkward to fit into a round dish like this one. But if you frequent the farmers market, many handmade butters come in round shapes, so that's where your butter adventures could start if this style dish is new territory to you. Once you get used to your new shape and presentation, then a world of hand-shaped butters await where you can augment them with herbs and flowers and other ingredients for a delightful presentation both in butter and dish. 

It's always very fun to trace the history of vintage and antique Noritake because their backstamps and pottery marks have changed so much over the course of two centuries as the company evolved into a worldwide brand. This butter dish features the laurel wreath mark with the M in the middle which stands for the Morimura Brothers who originally started the pottery in 1889. Back then, it was simply known as Nippon - the name of the region where the dishes were made. 

Since those early days, artisans for Nippon (and then Noritake) have always focused on fine craftsmanship, gorgeous color arrangements, and exquisite designs. That attention to detail and level of commitment led Noritake to become one of the most celebrated and sought-after dishware brands in the world, and are still to this day, internationally recognized for quality and luxury. 

This covered butter dish features the Stanleigh pattern of blue coral-shaped scrolls, orange cross-hatches and a hand-painted pink-petaled blossom. Rimmed in pale yellow (a perfect match to the actual color of butter) and thin gold stripes, this dish offers lots of possibilities in the mismatched dinnerware department. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Colors include pale butter, tangerine, light blue, spring green, gold and pale pink. 

- Removeable lid

- Gold handle

- Stamped on back with maker's mark

{CONDITION}

In beautiful antique condition. This butter dish features no chips, cracks, spots or stains. The gold stripes are shiny and bright all the way around the lid and the underplate. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

The lid measures 5.25" inches (diameter) x 4" inches (height when sitting on top of the plate. The plate measures 7.5" inches (diameter). Total weight for both pieces combined is 1lb.