{HISTORY}

Made in Staffordshire, England by A.J. Wilkinson between the 1890s and 1920s, this antique platter features the Gem pattern, a colorful burst of teal green flowers, thick stripes, and an unusual scalloped edge.

A very hard-to-find pattern these days, by one of the most highly praised English Staffordshire potteries in the early part of the 20th century, this platter may be small in size, measuring just 12 inches in length, but it's big on eye-catching decorative appeal. 

Ideal for small space wall art, given its gorgeous aged patina and soft staining, it once hung in a plate hanger as evidenced by two small chips along the bottom edge. Thanks to its scalloped rim, these chips are barely noticeable and would be completely covered again by a plate hanger should you choose to continue the same decorative display.

As pretty on the back as it is on the front, we often say that it is a shame that backstamp marks are always relegated to the underside of dishware. This one features light staining on the back, an impressed mark (possibly numbers but hard to read), the letter F, the number 12, and the beautiful crown mark and pattern name of the A.J. Wilkinson Pottery along with its registration number.     

We can imagine the stunning display and the instant dash of history that this platter offered in decades and centuries past. The beautiful thing about antique dishware is that it just keeps getting more attractive with age and time. 

Although this dish was made in England, most likely closer to the end of the 1800s than the beginning of the 1900s, the pottery pieces of AJ Wilkinson made quite the impression at the Sesqui-Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1926 as part of an exhibit of beautifully crafted English Staffordshire pottery. It's always interesting to think about how an antique dish that was made in England might have wound up here in New England over 100 years later.  A thought made even more curious given that the subject is a rare piece from a hard-to-find maker who was in business for 70 years - quite a chunk of time when it comes to dishware manufacturing - yet few pieces from A.J. Wilkinson are easily found here in America today. 

Whatever time travel story this platter holds, one thing is certain... its beauty will delight the eye and the imagination for many, many more years to come.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Hard to find Staffordshire piece and pottery
• Stamped on back with maker's mark and pattern name
• Colors include teal, bright white, hints of gold around the edge, and pale cream staining 

{CONDITION}

In lovely, time-worn antique condition. Please see note above about the two small chips along the bottom edge. These chips measure .25" inches in length. Authentic light staining appears on both the front and back of the platter. This dish contains no cracks and the transferware designs and color palette are crisp, clear, and bright.

{SIZE}

Measures 12" inches (length) x 8.25" inches (width) and weighs 1.6 lbs