| Description
| China, glazed, tea plate. Blue and white willow pattern, pale blue oriental scene with temples, bridges, trees etc. On base: SEMI CHINA J & MPB & Co. Plate made by the Glasgow Pottery of J. and M.P. Bell. May be Willow pattern, which was made by the factory between 1841 and 1880. Mark on base shows that plate probably dates to the 1870s.
Bell’s Pottery was established by the Bell brothers in 1841, beside the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow. They made transfer-printed white earthenware but soon expanded into china and parianware. Bell’s produced a vast range of transfer printed china which became extremely popular with middle class families from the West of Scotland. Equally, wares were exported worldwide. The Pottery was in production until 1912. Items may be marked J. & M.P.B. & Co., J. & M.P.Bell & Co, JB (inside a bell, impressed), J. & M.P.B. & Co.Ld. or B (inside a bell). |
