{HISTORY}

We have a lot in common these days with the 1940s.

Because of WWII, supply chains were upended throughout much of the decade, leaving demand great but supply low. The workforce was changing as more women filled men's jobs. Employee working conditions and equality were called upon to be better than what they previously were before the war. Jobs were going unfilled in protest. Manufacturing costs were high, consumer costs were high.  These changes impacted almost all industries around the globe, the pottery industry included. That's the story surrounding these floral salad plates.

Their history also tells stories of an importer, a maker, and the patience of a buying public. They may have been made as servers for salads and other small plate specialties, but they are also representatives of a unique place in culture and national experience. Made in England by Simpsons Pottery of Cobridge, located in the bustling pottery hub of Stoke-on-Trent, and then imported to Eugene Fondeville's dishware firm in New York City, these four plates were part of the Ambassadorware series made during the 1940s.

Touted as elegant and refined, this beaded edge dish style with its dark blue stripe and floral center was produced by Simpsons Pottery during a time when scarcity was defining the manufacturing industry. That included scarcity of available coal for firing up the plant kilns,  a lack of needed equipment due to the war, and a shortage of workers who were not willing to return to inadequate working environments. 

These issues affected all aspects of the dishware market from the makers to the decorators to the distributors and then of course the buyers. They ran between cities and countries and floated across the oceans to dishware distributors like Eugene Fondeville.  The issues made such an impact that by 1947,  back in New York, Eugene was advising all his customers that there might be a two-year wait for their favorite dish patterns from England to come back into stock.  The Ambassadorware line wasn't just being sent to dish importers in the US either. Simpsons had representatives in other parts of the world too including South Africa, Australia, and London.  Everybody had to wait. 

Prized for its classic, stylish, and distinctive aesthetic, the Ambassadorware line was available in a variety of patterns that exuded gracious hospitality and sophisticated entertaining.  These salad plates feature the Argyll pattern -  a colorful floral bouquet consisting of roses, thistle, morning glories, tulips, and daisies along with a dark navy blue (almost black) stripe around the rim. A vibrant palette of raspberry, lime green, plum, eggplant, butter yellow, lemon, azure, mint, and pea green offers a lot of mix and match possibility when it comes to this colorful set.

Especially eye-catching when paired with other blue striped Ambassadorware patterns, these plates are lovely for wall display and great servers for picnic baskets thanks to their thin composition and size. Light crazing adds an extra dose of aged aesthetic and hints at the tumultuous history of their WWII beginnings. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Argyll pattern
• Matching set of four salad plates
• Marked on back with the Fondeville Ambassadorware mark

{CONDITION}

In lovely, but somewhat shabby vintage condition, these plates contain no chips or cracks with the exception of one small chip on the back of one plate at the rim. That chip measures 1/4" in size. There are some errant utensil marks on the center floral bouquets, but due to the fine detailing and contrasting colors of the petals, these marks are not very noticeable at first glance, especially when displayed on a wall or shelf. The gold striping around the center is wearing in some spots. Light crazing on the front of each dish adds a lovely aged aesthetic.  Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

Each plate measures 8.25" inches in diameter and weighs 11 oz.