Vintage Plates - Alphabetically: A-Z

We think that it’s time to rethink decorative and vintage ceramics. If you’re not keen on using them for the purpose they were intended – and with most being the same price or less than mass-produced high street options why wouldn’t you? – think of them as mini works of art, decorative elements that add interest, pattern and contrast to any design scheme. Wall mounted plates look stunning in any decorative scheme and allow you to really appreciate the fine detail and pattern of the design.

A perennial favourite is the blue and white Willow pattern. We have several examples that date back to the early 19^th century when the design first became popular. These chinoiserie designs played on the vogue for all things oriental that was so fashionable at the time. Each manufacturer had their own specific design but most featured a stylised willow, boats, pagodas or pavilions and birds. Indeed it is in the slight variations and details that we can often identify the manufacturer and approximate date as many early design bear no maker’s stamp.

Many of these plates look as fresh as the day they were made a century or two ago. If the thought of handling these beautiful old pieces – or of all that hand washing – makes you feel a bit squeamish, we also have some equally fabulous modern ceramics from Portugal, Greece and Holland that work equally well on the wall or in the dishwasher.