{HISTORY}

Made by Taylor Smith & Taylor in 1936, this set of six salad plates features the artistically avant-garde pattern known as Red Wheat. It was designed by acclaimed British-American ceramic artist J. Palin Thorley (1892-1987) who worked as Art Director at Taylor Smith & Taylor in the 1930s. Designing both the plate shape known as Empire and the pattern known as Red Wheat, this is a lovely example of the streamlined modern aesthetic that was popular in the 1930s.  

With millions of dishes produced in the US during the early 20th century, it is always a joy to be able to trace the history of one pattern back to the original designer who created it. J. Palin made this design in his last year just before he left Taylor Smith & Taylor to work with other potteries, including Colonial Williamsburg. Born in England to a family of ceramic artists, J. Palin's career was quite illustrious, designing ceramics both in the UK and America. Working with many of the most well-known potteries, he was a fan of historical dish designs and had a wonderful sense of design aesthetic and technique. The Duke of Windsor was even a fan and commissioned J. Palin to design a set of dishes for him. With a long career devoted to ceramics for his entire life, J. Palin made quite an impact upon the pottery industry, creating a portfolio of work that is still much admired today.

In addition to Red Wheat, this pattern also came in other colors too - Blue Wheat and Green Wheat. The red variation is a lovely choice for autumn tables as it's more of a deep pumpkin shade than a true red. Thanks to its geometric shapes, this pattern also works well with midcentury modern pieces and color palettes popular through the 1960s. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Matching set of six dinner plates

- Stamped n back with both the Taylor Smith Taylor marks and date code as well as their Premier Potters of America stamp

- Designed by J. Palin Thorley (1892-1997)

- Colors include pumpkin, light grey and black

{CONDITION}

In good vintage condition, these plates contain no chips or cracks but there is evidence of rub marks in the silver edge around the outer rim and the black stripe on the inner rim. These flaws are not uncommon for these dishes of this age, and add an extra visual layer of history to the overall aesthetic of each plate. Please see photos. 

{SIZE} 

Each plate measure 10" inches (diameter) and weighs 1.2lbs

J. Palin Thorley photo courtesy of chipstone.org